Editorial: Acceptable cost of lowering obesity

OPINION: The number stands at four.

That's how many MPs have put their hands up and gone public with the fact that they have had a stomach stapling operation to lose weight and get healthier.

They are National's Chester Borrows, Anne Tolley and the Maori Party's Tariana Turia and Rahui Katene. It's clearly a coalition issue, rather than an opposition one. (That's a joke, by the way).

There are probably more MPs out there who have had the potentially dangerous gastric bypass surgery done and others who are considering it.

There are already people who are condemning the MPs for not sending a good message to ordinary New Zealanders. Only a small number of the procedures are done in the public health system. There should be a lot more.

Of course, some people who are overweight or obese could shed the kilos and health issues with more exercise and better nutrition.

We all know that and so do the people who carry so much weight that it becomes a serious health risk. For some, however, it is not an option and gastric bypass is.

It can be criticised as a "quick fix" and an expensive solution – and it is. The effects can be dramatic, but so, equally, can the benefits. And, of course, the thinking is that the person will become a more productive member of society based on a lessened dependency on the health system.

Life expectancy rates improve, and so does the person's quality of life.

In a perfect world, such drastic surgery would not be needed, but it is clear that it is a viable procedure with proven results.

If someone has the means to improve their life and they are well informed about the pros and cons of the procedure, why would anyone else rain on their parade?

The argument over whether the bypass surgery should be publicly funded is moot. The public health system already picks up the tab for some operations, and the argument has now shifted to how many more are taxpayers (some of whom need this operation) willing to pay for.

And if the upside is that some of our country's Members of Parliament are fitter, more active and healthier, then I am all for it.

ONE MORE THING

The Government has announced a slight rise to the minimum wage, pushing it up to $12.75. That amounts to $10 more for a 40-hour week (before tax).

No doubt it will attract criticism for the small scale of the rise, but as I mentioned earlier this week, all increases should be conservative and incremental.

It may make a small difference to a low income earner's pay packet, but it also allows employers to slowly adjust to the extra cost.

- © Fairfax NZ News