Talking about health behavior

I read an interesting article last week that I can't really get out of my head. In this article, economist Dave Leonhart talks about how there might be good reason to shift the debate around health care reform from the institutions that are responsible for the provision of health care to the individuals who receive it. In his article, he interviews Dr. Delos M. Cosgrove, the chief executive of the Cleveland Clinic which enforces a policy of not hiring smokers. Dr. Cosgrove suggests that obesity is the biggest health problem that America is facing today and says that if he had his way he would not hire obese people either. His rationale behind this controversial statement is that behavior is the biggest contributor to early deaths. I am not quite sure what is meant by the term 'early deaths' but one would think early deaths refer to deaths that occur before a person had reached the average life expectancy for the demographic group or nation that he/she is a part of. The key to ensuring good health it seems would lie in engaging in behavior that is either healthy or not damaging to health. This topic is interesting to me not so much for the provocative argument that is set forth in it (viz., that obesity ia result of choices people make and people should be taxed for the unhealthy behavioral choices they make). Rather, it suggests to me an avenue to realize the potential for groups at the institutional or interpersonal level to influence behavior. The internet and social media could be especially useful in exercising this influence. For example, I know of quitnet.com an online community that provides resources, advice from counselors, and, social support to individuals who wish to quit smoking. Perhaps, the thing to realize is that while individuals are responsible in behavior, behavior is not simply the product of agency (= free will) but is in fact embedded in structures.