Well,

This is an interesting conversation. As a social worker who has worked as a
health promoter, I would agree with William's sentiments about our world
view and training.

I also agree with Bronwyn's opinion about moving beyond academic discussion
to action to reduce barriers to health beyond the lifestyle issues.

I encourage members on this listserv to share their ideas to challenge our
collective attitudes and share your community responses that goes beyond
life style. How do we implement these notions of health in our day to day
work in health promotion?

Bonnie

-----Original Message-----
From: William B Ward [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: October 5, 2001 11:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Tyranny of Health


Dennis, this has always been a worry.

A lot of health promoters do not have the larger perspective of why some
smoke and others gain excess weight.  Increased work hours, the fact that
those who prepare the meals in a low income household may have to juggle
household duties with two part time low income jobs plus getting back and
forth by bus, and a lot of other challenges are not taken into
consideration.

Add to this the fact that many health promoters are narcissistic and work
with and for higher income clients tilts their perspective.  This is a
bit like the reduction in community organizing training and focus that
social workers have experienced in the past couple of decades.

Increased specialization has led to a reduced broad world perspective
which informs "professionals" as to the larger forces at work on
determining life styles.  I am probably one of the few fat people who has
no excuse [:>)}.

Bill Ward
Tampa, FL

On Thu, 4 Oct 2001 19:51:03 -0400 Dennis Raphael
<[log in to unmask]> writes:

> poor people's cardiovascular disease is due to their smoking, lack
> of activity and unhealthy diet.  A task that many public health units
have
> enthusiastically taken up.
>

> -Michael Fitzpatrick, The Tyranny of Health, 2001.