Individual “lifestyle” diseases and the health care system

An increasing number of people suffer from so-called “lifestyle” diseases. Within the context of neoliberal health care, dealing with such diseases is, by and large, the responsibility of individual patients. I argue that the idea that people suffering from “lifestyle” diseases are responsible for their suffering is misguided and that we must focus as well on the larger social issue of health care in a neoliberal-oriented system. I liken the imposition of individual responsibility with a logic of choice and explore how a health care system operating with a logic of care might better support patients. Using physical activity support as an example, I discuss the potential implications of a logic of care, arguing, among other things, that what helping someone entails must be established collectively and that standardised practices can therefore be problematic. Lastly, I address the tendency to look to sports clubs for a solution to the problem of supporting physical activity, arguing that the problems of health care systems call for normative discussions and political solutions.