Do We Have A Moral Obligation To Take Care Of Our Health?

[Sunstone]

Do we have a moral obligation to take care of our health? Is it moral to take care of our health? Is it immoral to eat too much junk food, drink too much alcohol and/or soft drinks, and not get enough exercise?

Who pays for it when we get sick from poor diet, habits, and lack of exercise? Do we actually pay for it ourselves, or does society as a whole pay for it?

Do we ever have an obligation to others not to do things that might result in poor health? If so, when? And to what extent?

If we do indeed have a moral obligation to take care of our health, is that obligation owed to ourselves, to others, to deity, or to something else?

 

[sahra-t]

Do we have a moral obligation to take care of our health? Is it moral to take care of our health? Is it immoral to eat too much junk food, drink too much alcohol and/or soft drinks, and not get enough exercise?

I'm not so sure about it being "moral", but it seems to me that we definitely have an obligation to ourselves to maintain health.

Who pays for it when we get sick from poor diet, habits, and lack of exercise? Do we actually pay for it ourselves, or does society as a whole pay for it?

Obviously we all pay taxes towards the health service which therefore means we are all paying for healthcare, but this doesn't necessarily mean we have the freedom to damage our body as much as we want. It's not a quid pro quo, "I paid for that health service so I'll make sure I use it" type thing.

Do we ever have an obligation to others not to do things that might result in poor health? If so, when? And to what extent?

If one has children I think it's important that you ensure you are around for a significant portion of their childhood and, you'd hope, a lot of their adutlhood too. I'd also say that in general we have an obligation to society to remain in good health so we can contribute through our whatever we choose to do as an occupation &c.

 

[ALifetimeToWaitFor....]

All the people in my life that I care about, that are still alive, live the same as me. I don't have a reason to be healthy. I have private health insurance so I don't waste your money. I don't think it hurts society. One less to ruin the planet when I'm gone.

 

[sindbad5]

not only we have moral oblogation to live in good health, but also religous.

logic and mind tell us, if one don't respect his body, it'll make him taste bitterness.
for youth, there's no problem, eat whatever you want, drink whatever you want, even smok cigrates and weed, but don't blame anyone except yourself when you reach 40 or 50.

allah told us in quoran not to waste ourselves.
anything that harm the health directly is forbidden and considered a sin, such as cigrates, wine, drugs, weed, hashish, herion, etc,

and anything else that harm the health indirectly like any other food, we should eat it with moderation.
prophet mohamed taught us a very precious advice:
"sufficient for the son of adam -to live in good health- some little mouthfuls, but if he exceeds, he may keep one third from his stomach to food, water, and air (meaning: not to full the stomach with food)"

old arabs say: "stomach is the origin of most illiness"

but at the other hand laws can't control that, we can't put someone in prison in charge of eating too much, it's something like lies or obscenity.

 

[retrorich]

Do We Have A Moral Obligation To Take Care Of Our Health?

Only, if we are responsible for the support of others. (I voted "Other or Depends." )

The U.S. government definitely has a moral obligation to do much more to assist finacially challenged citizens in maintaining their health. Medicare is sadly inadequate, especially in such areas as eye care, hearing care and dental care. The government apparently thinks it is not necessary for people to be able to see, hear and chew. Medicare Part D prescription coverage is a disgraceful farce!

 

[coberst]

We have a moral obligation to maintain good health.

 

[robtex]

Only, if we are responsible for the support of others.

I would echo Rich's thoughts here. We live in a society in that society if we become ill we create a financial and time obligation from those around us. however, it is still our own bodies and at somepoint people obviously measure the worth of a healthy vs unhealthy life-style against their own hedonistic desires of that moment.

For example people who drink 4-5 drinks a night like the buzz (hedonism) that the booze brings them but are very likely aware that they are creating an envirorment where they are damaging their liver and creating future health hazards. People who smoke pot are in the same boat with their lungs.

People can be passive and create health conditions too. For instance non-exercisers likey are educated enough, at least in the industrial nations, to realize that their inactive life-style means their body will be marginalized in preformance later in life.

Anybody with a history of stiff joints in their family or circulation problems that knows stretching is a natural combatant of such makes a choice of non-health by passively not choosing to stretch on a weekly basis.

At some point there is likely a balance between life-style choices and the impact it has on the community but where that line is is really fuzzy for me other than I think the majority and weight of the decisions should rest on the indivdual as long as they don't have an expectancy for maintence type of support in non-life or death health issues later in life.

The U.S. government definitely has a moral obligation to do much more to assist finacially challenged citizens in maintaining their health. Medicare is sadly inadequate, especially in such areas as eye care, hearing care and dental care. The government apparently thinks it is not necessary for people to be able to see, hear and chew. Medicare Part D prescription coverage is a disgraceful farce!

that could make a good thread. Socialized medicine is a great debate topic.

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

We have moral and religious obligations to take care of our health. Our bodies belong to God, and are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Obesity as a result of gluttony would be just as sinful as cancer as a result of cigarette use.

 

[robtex]

. Obesity as a result of gluttony would be just as sinful as cancer as a result of cigarette use.

Actually obesity is a product of genetics and envirorment. The tyroid gland has an impact on your weight because it helps regulate ones metabolism rate. Surely you notice that large parents have a propensity to produce large children and vice versa.

footnotes for post:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thyroid
http://www.montefiore.org/healthlibrary/centers/heart/obover/
http://www.tjclarkinc.com/d_genetic_obesity.htm
http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/0002211/37/

 

[jamaesi]

If other people are paying for your health, I believe you do have an obligation to take care of yourself as best you can.

People who smoke pot are in the same boat with their lungs.

Really?

 

[robtex]

Really?[/URL]

probably a great debate for another thread but I would be apt to say that buring flamable solid and inhaling the output in your lung irregardless of it what it is would likely cause damage over time though cancer may not be an damage done.

 

[Lindsey-Loo]

Actually obesity is a product of genetics and envirorment. The tyroid gland has an impact on your weight because it helps regulate ones metabolism rate. Surely you notice that large parents have a propensity to produce large children and vice versa

.

Yes, that is true. But obesity can also result from spending your life pigging out on the potato chips, making the walk from your couch to the refrigerator your only excercise.

 

[retrorich]

We have a moral obligation to maintain good health.

Why???

 

[retrorich]

Here's an example of medical insurance stupidity. I have diabetes. Foot care is important to diabetics to avoid infections and possible resulting need for amputations. My insurance company periodically sent me letters telling me I should have regular checkups by a podiatrist. But when I went to a podiatrist, the insurance company refused to pay any part of the cost of the visits. :banghead3

 

[retrorich]

We have moral and religious obligations to take care of our health. Our bodies belong to God, and are the temples of the Holy Spirit.

Then, let God and/or the Holy Spirit pay my medical bills. :biglaugh:

 

[The Grey Wolf]

Now I am not a god fearing man, so that may tie into my veiws, but I smoke cigars, drink a bit, and I plan to move to Amsterdam for obvious resons. Its my body and I feel no obligation to keep it in mint condition if the worms are gonna trash it when Im done anyway.
:thud:

 

[jamaesi]

probably a great debate for another thread but I would be apt to say that buring flamable solid and inhaling the output in your lung irregardless of it what it is would likely cause damage over time though cancer may not be an damage done.

There is a thread here, if you wish.

 

[alex-f]

We have no obligation to look after ourselves provided it does not pose negative effects on other people. An example would be smoking; while I have no problem with a heavy smoker slowly killing themselves, I do not appreciate having my health put at risk for their addiction.