Gen X here. At this point in my life, seeking out healthcare might not bankrupt me as I’ve got a whole two deductibles in my health savings account, theoretically allowing me to get sick twice over the remaining twenty five years or so of my life.

Even with that luxury in my back pocket, it’s so hard wired in me that even driving past a doctor’s office brings bankruptcy, that I don’t even try.

Wild card for me is that I engage quite a few doctors on personal finance matters and have learned that many of them are just as bad as their insurance and hospital executives are. They’ll perform a less beneficial but more costly procedure because their God damned neighbor just got the newest Ferrari and they need to one up them. I have literally experienced Dr. X asking me if Dr. Y was doing better than him. It’s disgusting behavior into which I’ve no desire to place my life and four generations of medical debt.

I will happily die younger solely to leave a clean estate for my daughter in favor of giving it all to those shitheads for an extra couple months of excruciating pain extended life.

And fear of destitution keeps people from seeking care earlier.

Nearly 40% now, morbid obesity which is now called severe obesity, is ~9%

It’s the leading cause of death now, and because nearly half the country falls into this category, everyone wants to point fingers at different things.

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/php/data-research/adult-obesity-facts.html#:~:text=Obesity prevalence was 39.8%25 among,aged 60 years and older.

Forever chemicals

My bet is microplastics.

It always is.