Idaho Lawmaker Takes Aim at Obesity

By CHUCK OXLEY, Associated Press Writer

http://www.ajc.com/health/content/s...ho-Obesity.html

BOISE, Idaho (AP)--A Boise lawmaker is taking aim at the rotund again this year with another bellyful of anti-fat legislation.

For the past few years, Rep. Margaret Henbest of Boise has taken a Quixotic charge at obesity, urging fellow lawmakers to not only pass bills that help people lose weight, but also to lose it themselves.

Last year, as part of a House-wide contest, Henbest installed a scale in the hallway of the House chamber so lawmakers could get a quick check of their weight, or at least be reminded to go easy in the lunchroom.

As a nurse practitioner when the Legislature is not in session, Henbest said her mission isn't just to help people look and feel better. It comes down to public dollars being spent needlessly on terrible health complications that stem directly from obesity, she said.

“This is a looming social problem from a health care standpoint,” Henbest said. “There are more people with diabetes, more people with heart disease--many of them will be consuming public dollars.

“The more people we prevent from going down that road, the more will become less of a financial burden on the state,” she said.

This year, Henbest is pushing two bills in the House Business Committee which, taken together, present a carrot-and-stick approach.

One piece of legislation would allow insurance companies to offer discounts of up to 20 percent for people who meet weight standards or adhere to a recommended schedule for regular physicals.

A separate piece would make health insurance companies pay for weight reduction plans for people who are “morbidly obese,” defined as at least two times the ideal weight for their frame, age, height and gender.

House Business Committee Chairman Max Black said the bills are unacceptable as written and should first be vetted by the Health Care Task Force. Black doesn't mind the idea of fighting obesity, but he also doesn't like the requirements Henbest's bill puts on insurance companies.

“It goes against them in both ways, they have to charge less premiums and pay more benefits,” Black said.

And Henbest has something else going against her. She's thin, tall and blonde. Earlier this year, the House Pages--high school students who are helpers and messengers at the Capitol--voted Henbest “Most likely to become an Ann Taylor model.”

She knows that to a certain extent, her physical appearance may cause resentment among her peers.

Most often, the tension is diffused with humor. While discussing obesity in the House lunchroom last week, Rep. Leon Smith walked by and chided her gently, “There's Little Miss Skinny, doing her thing again.” Both smiled.

But Henbest acknowledged that there's probably more under the surface with other lawmakers.

“I know it looks self-serving,” for a thin person to champion the cause against obesity, she said. “But what I see in my practice is people are increasingly sedentary. They don't know about a health diet, that what goes in needs to be expended out in calories or you will put on weight.”

But Black said it is more the responsibility of society--not government--to apply pressure to curb overeating and obesity.

“I think it needs to be addressed more on a cultural basis, and I think that is happening,” said Black, who has himself been losing weight successfully on a famous low-carbohydrate plan. “Look at the popularity of the Atkins and South Beach diets. People are responding more than they have in the past.”

Henbest says she will not give up trying to convince fellow lawmakers that health insurance companies ought to give discounts to people who maintain healthy weights. It's certainly not impossible, she said, because life insurance companies already have such policies. Many health insurance plans also offer lower rates for people who meet specific health standards.

“I know, it's hard to lose weight,” she said. “But if there's a carrot dangling out there and people can see a decrease in their insurance rates, it could be worthwhile to them.”

AP-NY-02-23-04 0901EST