Fans of "The Simpsons" may recall the episode (circa mid-90's) when Homer decides to put on weight so he can go on disability.
Well, a man in the UK is attempting a similar feat to qualify for weight loss surgery.
Darin McCloud weighs 127kg (279 lbs), but local health authorities will only consider him for gastric bypass surgery if he weighs 133kg (292 lbs), and has a body mass index (BMI) of 45.
McCloud said he was eating ¾ of a loaf of bread, 4 packets of French fries, and bacon rolls daily in an attempt to reach his goal weight.
The 5'7" man has gained about 15 pounds to reach a BMI of 43.5.
The operation will help me stop being on insulin and help me with my other problem... I have had diabetes for the best part of 15 years and I'm absolutely scared of being a burden on my family in the future -- but I still eat, and that I can't get my head around.
Frankly, I'm having a hard time getting my head around this one myself. I'm not here to pass judgement, but it is disheartening to hear that this man feels as though this is his only option. It's even more disheartening that this situation has become a microcosm of our society -- looking for the easiest route, rather than the most sensible.
Interestingly, McCloud's doctor is on board with this plan, curiously stating,
Darin has done everything he can do and the problem is if he doesn't have the surgery soon he will lose his job and add further complications to his diabetes.I can honestly say that if faced with a similar dilemma, it would be very tempting to choose gaining 13 pounds vs losing 80+ pounds. But, as I alluded to before, it's unfortunate that we have come to a point where we think modern medicine will save us all from our poor choices.
You could make the argument that the system is skewed, but in the end this situation points to a larger societal issue.
Image Credit: Gastric Weight Loss Surgery
