Shame on fat people

[thessa516]

http://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2013/01/24/16664866-fat-shaming-may-curb-obesity-bioethicist-says?lite

 

This article infuriates me. It's not shaming, it's bullying.

 

I'm so sad over this article. I am now a tad overweight. I've always been at a healthy weight until after I had my last baby. The weight has not come off. I'm eating better than I used to when I was thin (organic, non-processed, real live food). My doctor and I have been working closely together. I've met with a nutritionist. I cycle 3x week, strength and weight train 2x week - I workout hard. I eat the appropriate amount of food and calories. The weight is barely dropping (about 1/2 pound per month). And if I have a cheat meal - watch out! I now have an intimate understanding of just how difficult it is to lose weight once your body has decided it wants to be fat. It used to be that I could cut back a little here and there and drop 3-5 pounds so that my jeans weren't quite so tight. That is no longer the case. And now, some bioethicist is saying that I'd lose weight if people would just shame me?! Some nasty looks my way is really going to help.

 

Oh sure - in the original report, the author says that stigmatization can lead to discrimination. So, his idea? "Stigmatization-lite." He would pose purposely uncomfortable questions to the overweight/obese such as, "Are you happy with the way you look?" Even better, he then says that these questions "won't help most of those who are already overweight or obese. But beyond marginal improvements, most of them are already lost." I guess this is his way of preventing people from becoming overweight. Sounds like a good plan for increasing the rate of eating disorders if you ask me.

[Guest inoubliable]

I'd argue that you could certainly give an overweight person pause for thought if an unhealthy choice was pointed out. A friend of mine has been going to the gym lately. Yet he'll hog down entirely too much food at a fast food restaurant afterwards. I said something like "Guess you'll be working out longer tomorrow to offset that Supersized meal, eh?". I didn't say it unkindly, and he didn't take it badly. I'd think it a tad rude for strangers to come out and say something, though.

 

Eh. I live in an area where most everyone I see is obese. Everyone has been taught to "love what they've got" to such a point that people here have no shame in their weight at all. It's like the "special snowflake" effect. Everyone tells their kid that they're special and they insist on this attitude from other people regarding their child. The kid grows up not realizing what an obnoxious ass they are.

 

*sigh* I'm probably not coming off well here. If I seem harsh, let me add that I do understand some people have metabolic issues and thyroid issues and digestive issues. I do think that genetics plays a small role. I also believe, though, that some people are overweight simply because they have a horrendous diet and little self control. Mix that up with a society that would rather make everyone *feel* better about themselves than fix the problem, well... maybe some polite questions posited to people you know well could be the difference for them between taking some control or losing their life to heart disease.

[Joker]

I read an article somewhere online this week that discussed how the stigma against those overweight seems to be the last acceptable prejudice. I also find it sad that so many seem to think it's ok to bash others for their weight or because their bodies don't look quite right or toned enough, and it does seem like it's more acceptable to be harsh in this area than in others.

[dangermom]

Seems to me that if shaming worked, we'd all be thin by now.

[TravelingChris]

WHat an idiot. For one thing, being overweight is NOT tied to early death- in fact it is the opposite. So called regular weight people are much more likely to die than the overweight. And all those bad health statistics about how awful it is to be overweight are not correct. WHat they do is lump overweight and obese, including morbidly obese, into the same category and say look, it is unhealthy. I agree that obesity is unhealthy. However, overweight is not. Obesity is tied to type two diabetes, which is not tied to plain overweight. Don't even get me ranting about how many people are put into whatever categories by miscalculation since they don't take into account muscle mass which is heavier than fat. There are warning signs, things like waist to hip ratio which are much more accurate. But that wouldn't please this guy who obviously isn't interested in actual research.

[Impish]

Oh, for pity sakes.

[Cassy]

I read an article somewhere online this week that discussed how the stigma against those overweight seems to be the last acceptable prejudice. I also find it sad that so many seem to think it's ok to bash others for their weight or because their bodies don't look quite right or toned enough, and it does seem like it's more acceptable to be harsh in this area than in others.

 

I think a lot of people are mostly concerned where overweight becomes a medical issue, rather than the aesthetics of overweight.

 

Here in the UK the 'prejudice' is even officially sanctioned:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk...london-20897681

[OH_Homeschooler]

I think a lot of people are mostly concerned where overweight becomes a medical issue, rather than the aesthetics of overweight.

 

Maybe that's the case in the UK but not here in America. Although, I think a lot of times people will say they're just concerned about a fat person's health but it's really a cover because they are just uncomfortable about the aesthetics.

[kitten18]

Seems to me that if shaming worked, we'd all be thin by now.

:iagree:

[Laura Corin]

I think a lot of people are mostly concerned where overweight becomes a medical issue, rather than the aesthetics of overweight.

 

Here in the UK the 'prejudice' is even officially sanctioned:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk...london-20897681

 

I think this was never put into action.

 

Laura

[HelenNotOfTroy]

I think that there is more than enough shame related to obesity. Very few overweight people are unaware that they are overweight and many people see themselves as fatter than they are because of it. I think most people are aware what choices are considered healthy and what are unhealthy in food and activity levels.

[Cassy]

I think this was never put into action.

 

Laura

 

 

I doubt that it will, but it certainly made waves!

[creekland]

WHat an idiot. For one thing, being overweight is NOT tied to early death- in fact it is the opposite. So called regular weight people are much more likely to die than the overweight. And all those bad health statistics about how awful it is to be overweight are not correct. WHat they do is lump overweight and obese, including morbidly obese, into the same category and say look, it is unhealthy. I agree that obesity is unhealthy. However, overweight is not. Obesity is tied to type two diabetes, which is not tied to plain overweight. Don't even get me ranting about how many people are put into whatever categories by miscalculation since they don't take into account muscle mass which is heavier than fat. There are warning signs, things like waist to hip ratio which are much more accurate. But that wouldn't please this guy who obviously isn't interested in actual research.

 

 

I've been reading about this lately too - and wondering when (or if) people would start to catch on to reality vs what they want to believe.

 

There's also a whole lot more investigation going on as to what causes people to be overweight (it's not always the same thing).

 

But nonetheless, studies are showing being overweight (not obese) is currently an asset to a longer life - not a liability. Maybe someday people will be shaming those who are thin (but I hope not as how one looks shouldn't be an issue IMO).

[Cera]

WHat an idiot. For one thing, being overweight is NOT tied to early death- in fact it is the opposite. So called regular weight people are much more likely to die than the overweight. And all those bad health statistics about how awful it is to be overweight are not correct. WHat they do is lump overweight and obese, including morbidly obese, into the same category and say look, it is unhealthy. I agree that obesity is unhealthy. However, overweight is not. Obesity is tied to type two diabetes, which is not tied to plain overweight. Don't even get me ranting about how many people are put into whatever categories by miscalculation since they don't take into account muscle mass which is heavier than fat. There are warning signs, things like waist to hip ratio which are much more accurate. But that wouldn't please this guy who obviously isn't interested in actual research.

 

 

 

I would love to see the statistics to back these statements up. I don't disagree that there is a huge difference between morbidly obese and overweight but I also think it is a stretch to say that overweight is healthier than normal weight.

 

I live in an area with a very high percentage of people in the overweight and obese categories and I can easily see how it happens. Fried food, sweet tea and a culture that embraces food can make it difficult t maintain a healthy weight. It requires a lot of self control and motivation to avoid the junk and get the exercise needed to stay healthy but it's worth it to me.

[Mergath]

That article was really sad. Shaming an overweight or obese person isn't going to help them learn healthy eating habits that allow them to lose weight safely. If it does anything, it's going to push them into making an emotional decision out of guilt, and they'll just end up trying to half-starve themselves so they don't have to feel ashamed anymore. And then, if they do lose any weight, they'll have a lot more work try to heal from the emotional damage of having an entire society shame them.

 

I'm not one of those people who believe you can be perfectly healthy at four hundred pounds, don't get me wrong, but there are much better ways to go about this than public shaming.

 

And the signs that say "Are you happy with how you look?" Oh, please. This is western society. Most women spend hours a day contemplating just how unhappy we are with how we look. We don't need a sign to remind us yet again that we don't fit society's ideal.

[Parrothead]

So much I could say. I'll leave it at, "what a maroon!"

[kewb]

Yes, more shame. That is just what my larger then a waif daughter needs. It is not enough that she can not wear the cute waify clothes that her waify friends wear because she is curvy and at the top of acceptable weight for her height. It is not enough that she swims 3-4 nights a week for an hour and a half just to maintain the weight she is. She doesn't feel bad enough about how she looks? She should feel worse and more self-concious then she already does? Sure, that is not the path to an eating disorder.

[Joker]

 

 

I would love to see the statistics to back these statements up. I don't disagree that there is a huge difference between morbidly obese and overweight but I also think it is a stretch to say that overweight is healthier than normal weight.

 

I live in an area with a very high percentage of people in the overweight and obese categories and I can easily see how it happens. Fried food, sweet tea and a culture that embraces food can make it difficult t maintain a healthy weight. It requires a lot of self control and motivation to avoid the junk and get the exercise needed to stay healthy but it's worth it to me.

 

 

This is part of what bugs me. The idea that everyone who is overweight lives like the above, and just don't have the self control you do.

 

My sister is overweight. She hits the gym every morning at 5am then goes to her job as a Kindergarten teacher. She's on her feet all day. Usually after school she goes to one of the many places she volunteers (she's single with no kids). She doesn't eat junk. She's also one of the fittest (I can't keep up with her at the gym) and healthiest people I know, but many look at her and assume she is lazy, eats junk, and is unhealthy.

[KungFuPanda]

WHat an idiot. For one thing, being overweight is NOT tied to early death- in fact it is the opposite. So called regular weight people are much more likely to die than the overweight. And all those bad health statistics about how awful it is to be overweight are not correct. WHat they do is lump overweight and obese, including morbidly obese, into the same category and say look, it is unhealthy. I agree that obesity is unhealthy. However, overweight is not. Obesity is tied to type two diabetes, which is not tied to plain overweight. Don't even get me ranting about how many people are put into whatever categories by miscalculation since they don't take into account muscle mass which is heavier than fat. There are warning signs, things like waist to hip ratio which are much more accurate. But that wouldn't please this guy who obviously isn't interested in actual research.

 

 

I'm guessing these statistics include people who are thin because they are dying? You'd need to calculate their weight before they got sick for the numbers to be accurate. Lots of people die thin, but that's not what killed them.

[celticmom]

I totally agree that that approach would not only not be helpful to those with weight issues but has a very high liklihood of causing eating disorders in sensitive children. I already have had to have conversations with my thin eight year old after she has seen anti-obesity marketing. Also, if we eat out I have trouble finding full fat milk, ect for her since she borders on being too thin. These issues are definitely a concern to me.

[cara]

You can be thin in extremely unhealthy. My SIL is prime example, she drinks a 6 pack of coke daily, smokes and eats nothing but junk, up until about a year ago she was pencil thin. I know others who are pencil thin and sure they eat healthy and work out, but they are also taking diet pills and drinking a bottle of wine a night. So on the outside they are the acceptable weight to society and no one shames them.

 

Thin doesn't = healthy and overweight doesn't = unhealthy, it can but it doesn't always.

[OH_Homeschooler]

And the signs that say "Are you happy with how you look?" Oh, please. This is western society. Most women spend hours a day contemplating just how unhappy we are with how we look. We don't need a sign to remind us yet again that we don't fit society's ideal.

 

Yeah, and when you go shopping you have to go on a major search mission to find the plus sized women section, because clearly you should be embarrassed to need larger clothes. Then when you find that section, the selection is ugly and unflattering. Message received...no fatties welcome.

 

And what do retailers get out of shaming their potential customers? Not increased revenue. I mean, even when you should specifically aim to not offend fat people (as potential customers), you do. Fat shaming is endemic. And I can't imagine it ever really helping someone lose weight.

[Dmmetler]

What gets me is the comments made about slightly heavier than ideal kids in youth sports/dance. Some of those parents watching are downright cruel, and some of the costumes/uniforms I've seen seem designed to really, really make any body type that's not perfect look horrid. One of the best dancers at my DD's studio is a high school student who is a curvy, healthy, athletic girl-but not a thin waif of a ballerina. She's wonderful to watch and is a strong dancer-but always ends up with costumes that make her look about twice as wide as she actually is.

[cara]

 

 

Yeah, and when you go shopping you have to go on a major search mission to find the plus sized women section, because clearly you should be embarrassed to need larger clothes. Then when you find that section, the selection is ugly and unflattering. Message received...no fatties welcome.

 

And what do retailers get out of shaming their potential customers? Not increased revenue. I mean, even when you should specifically aim to not offend fat people (as potential customers), you do. Fat shaming is endemic. And I can't imagine it ever really helping someone lose weight.

 

This is why I shop primarily at Lane Bryant, the clothes are cute, they fit right and if you catch them on sale they aren't any more expensive than Walmart. Also JC Penny's and Mavy's both have nice plus sections. Walmart and Kmart Suck, Targets is ok but way too smal and often mixed with maternity (urghh)

[nmoira]

WHat an idiot. For one thing, being overweight is NOT tied to early death- in fact it is the opposite. So called regular weight people are much more likely to die than the overweight.

 

Not quite. As a group, those who are slightly overweight have about a 6% lower risk of death than those who are "normal' weight. However, you can't make any predictions about the longevity of individuals in either group based on this.

 

www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/02/168437030/research-a-little-extra-fat-may-help-you-live-longer

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/02/168437030/research-a-little-extra-fat-may-help-you-live-longer

 

There have been other, smaller studies showing similar results, particularly for the elderly population:

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/feb/14/elderly-overweight-lower-mortality-risk

[Remudamom]

Phfft. My sils are super model gorgeous and they aren't happy with the way they look.

 

I'm about 20 pounds overweight and it's because I love to eat and I have no self control. Take that fatty shamers!

[nmoira]

Phfft. My sils are super model gorgeous and they aren't happy with the way they look.

 

I'm about 20 pounds overweight and it's because I love to eat and I have no self control. Take that fatty shamers!

 

We so need a mooning smilie. :D

[Danestress]

I am scrambling to find pen and paper so that I can dash off a note to that fat cow Nigella and tell her how much shame she should feel. It will be my helpful deed of the day.

[nmoira]

I am scrambling to find pen and paper so that I can dash off a note to that fat cow Nigella and tell her how much shame she should feel. It will be my helpful deed of the day.

 

I'll comfort her. Or would that be enabling?

[mommymilkies]

 

 

Yeah, and when you go shopping you have to go on a major search mission to find the plus sized women section, because clearly you should be embarrassed to need larger clothes. Then when you find that section, the selection is ugly and unflattering. Message received...no fatties welcome.

 

And what do retailers get out of shaming their potential customers? Not increased revenue. I mean, even when you should specifically aim to not offend fat people (as potential customers), you do. Fat shaming is endemic. And I can't imagine it ever really helping someone lose weight.

 

 

Well, IMO all fashion is unflattering unless you're a Barbie. Lol. I'm technically a healthy weight, but I don't carry it well since I'm out of shape. I'm certainly not really thin, but none of the fashions make me look like anything but a sausage stuffed in old leftover 80's clothes that nobody wanted even back then. Lol

 

It's terrible that anyone would shame people for being overweight. When I had thyroidtoxicosis, I could not lose weight. I weighed more than when I was 9 months pg with ds and I could not lose an ounce. I tried everything and I didn't overeat by any means. Finally between beta blockers, drinking enough water to kill a horse, cutting dairy, and exercise, I lost the weight and my thyroid recovered. Never judge someone by the cover!

[cara]

You know what, I know I'm fat, I have been this way since 5th grade. I was the 11 yr old forced to join weight watchers, I was the best dancer trying out for the dance team but was too fat for the uniform (yes this was told to me). I am working of getting healthy, but while I'm working on it, that doesn't mean I need shame or can't like the person I am. My weight does not define me, my personality does. Go ahead shame me, you may be missing out on an awesome friend!

[OH_Homeschooler]

It's terrible that anyone would shame people for being overweight. When I had thyroidtoxicosis, I could not lose weight. I weighed more than when I was 9 months pg with ds and I could not lose an ounce. I tried everything and I didn't overeat by any means. Finally between beta blockers, drinking enough water to kill a horse, cutting dairy, and exercise, I lost the weight and my thyroid recovered. Never judge someone by the cover!

 

 

So it seems like you're saying don't judge people for being overweight because they may have a legit health reason for being overweight.

 

But what if there is no medical explanation? What if you're overwhelmed by life? What if you try and try again but get stressed and turn to food for comfort? Or just like eating? Or whenever you start a workout, your kids decide they need everything right then and there? I think it's clear from posts like this that even those who are generally non-judgmental toward overweight people have qualifications for their understanding.

 

I just wish it got to the point of "Who cares?" It's no one's business why someone else is overweight.

 

I don't mean to pick on this post but it represents a general attitude I've been seeing a lot.

[OH_Homeschooler]

Oops double post.

[catz]

I could go on and on about this. I think the issue of weight is much more complex than medical science has caught up with. My mom has been overweight her entire life, but leads a very healthy lifestyle. She was just dxed w/major thyroid issues at 65. I highly suspect her thyroid has been wacky in some way her whole life, but the numbers always were in range for normal so it's always been about alleged self control. She eats much cleaner than my in laws who do not have weight issues, and is reasonably active.

 

I was a size 2 in my 20s and am more like a 12 now. I was running more then but I was working an office job so in some ways more sedentary. I'm eating much cleaner now. I still jog, swim, bike, hike all the time. It's really such a kick in the pants to have this perceived as self control issues. My whole family leans overweight. Some are clean food consumers and some are lazy over eaters. There is something in our gene pool than tends in that direction. I'm super glad my kids seem to have gotten my DHs body type and metabolism. My brothers kids did not. He has a 5 year old within a couple lbs of my 12 year old.

[VeganCupcake]

I'm guessing these statistics include people who are thin because they are dying? You'd need to calculate their weight before they got sick for the numbers to be accurate. Lots of people die thin, but that's not what killed them.

 

 

Yes, that's one of the complicating factors in the research that seems to say that overweight people have a lower death rate. It's acknowledged by many researchers.

[I.Dup.]

 

Yes, that's one of the complicating factors in the research that seems to say that overweight people have a lower death rate. It's acknowledged by many researchers.

 

 

Really? That seems like a really dumb and obvious way to mess up a study.

[Amy in TX]

Overweight people know what they look like. I think shaming anyone for the way they look, whether it is within their ability to change or not, is obnoxious. Honestly.

 

I have also come to believe that the causes and cures for overweight are not well understood. I think we are just beginning to understand how much we don't understand about weight. I used to believe that overeating caused overweight, then that too much fat in the diet caused overweight. When I found that reducing carbs kept me at a healthy weight, I believed that reducing carbs would keep everyone at a healthy weight. I now believe that we don't know all the causes of overweight, and we don't know a cure that works for everyone. And that therefore it is wrong, and arrogant, to look at an overweight person and think "no self control."

[nmoira]

 

 

Really? That seems like a really dumb and obvious way to mess up a study.

 

 

And then also include those who are below "normal" weight but were at "normal" weight when they got sick. And those who were "normal" weight but bloated due to steroids other other medications? These types of meta-studies aren't perfect, but researchers do take into account as many factors as they can.

[thessa516]

I could go on and on about this. I think the issue of weight is much more complex than medical science has caught up with. My mom has been overweight her entire life, but leads a very healthy lifestyle. She was just dxed w/major thyroid issues at 65. I highly suspect her thyroid has been wacky in some way her whole life, but the numbers always were in range for normal so it's always been about alleged self control. She eats much cleaner than my in laws who do not have weight issues, and is reasonably active. I was a size 2 in my 20s and am more like a 12 now. I was running more then but I was working an office job so in some ways more sedentary. I'm eating much cleaner now. I still jog, swim, bike, hike all the time. It's really such a kick in the pants to have this perceived as self control issues. My whole family leans overweight. Some are clean food consumers and some are lazy over eaters. There is something in our gene pool than tends in that direction. I'm super glad my kids seem to have gotten my DHs body type and metabolism. My brothers kids did not. He has a 5 year old within a couple lbs of my 12 year old.

 

:iagree: I sure wish science would figure it out. Can you imagine the change we'd see in pharmaceuticals? I think every single anti-cancer drug my Mom is on has a side effect of weight gain (she's a breast cancer survivor with a fairly moderate risk of recurrence).

 

 

I'd like to see an emphasis on healthy living, not on what you weigh. How about building safe multi-use trails? Encouraging farmers' markets? Better city infrastructure to allow for walking? Even putting in sidewalks in neighborhoods would be a good start.

[Cera]

This is part of what bugs me. The idea that everyone who is overweight lives like the above, and just don't have the self control you do.

 

My sister is overweight. She hits the gym every morning at 5am then goes to her job as a Kindergarten teacher. She's on her feet all day. Usually after school she goes to one of the many places she volunteers (she's single with no kids). She doesn't eat junk. She's also one of the fittest (I can't keep up with her at the gym) and healthiest people I know, but many look at her and assume she is lazy, eats junk, and is unhealthy.

 

 

 

I am not saying that everyone who is overweight lives like the above, just that many people I know who are overweight do. Many people do not realize how many calories they are consuming and how many they are expending. I have not always been within my ideal weight range. When my kids were toddlers I realized I wasn't feeling as well as I used to and my weight had crept into the overweight category. It was eye opening to start paying close attention to what I consumed and the exercise I got. It's amazing how quickly a bite here and there off your kids plate can add up.

 

And again, there is a huge difference between overweight and obese. I truly believe that some people's bodies are designed to weigh more than others, but I do not believe that being obese (BMI 30+ is the same issue). Barring a serious medical condition (which aren't common) getting to that weight isn't just a difference in body type.

[myfunnybunch]

Meh.

 

Some people will write or say things just to start a controversy or get attention. "It's okay to shame people, just a little bit, about their wieght," falls into that category to me, so I'll give the author and article the attention they deserve.

 

Cat

[PachiSusan]

My Mommy taught me that if I don't have anything nice to say to a person or about a subject, to say nothing at all.

[Mergath]

:iagree: I sure wish science would figure it out. Can you imagine the change we'd see in pharmaceuticals? I think every single anti-cancer drug my Mom is on has a side effect of weight gain (she's a breast cancer survivor with a fairly moderate risk of recurrence).

 

 

I'd like to see an emphasis on healthy living, not on what you weigh. How about building safe multi-use trails? Encouraging farmers' markets? Better city infrastructure to allow for walking? Even putting in sidewalks in neighborhoods would be a good start.

 

They tried to do something like that here. They were going to put in a bunch more walking tails, bike trails, and expand the bikeshare program thing they have going. The wealthy people all came out and said that because THEY don't ever walk or bike anywhere, and they pay more taxes, they don't want it, so the whole plan was scrapped. The poor or people who actually like walking and biking can just go to hell, I guess. :glare:

[Soror]

 

I'd like to see an emphasis on healthy living, not on what you weigh. How about building safe multi-use trails? Encouraging farmers' markets? Better city infrastructure to allow for walking? Even putting in sidewalks in neighborhoods would be a good start.

Exactly. If we are really concerned about health then that should be the focus. The more we put into these efforts the easier it will make it for *most* people to find a size that is healthy for them. A very large portion of the discrimination against the overweight has nothing at all to do with health concerns but rather what our society has deemed aesthetically pleasing.

[PachiSusan]

A very large portion of the discrimination against the overweight has nothing at all to do with health concerns but rather what our society has deemed aesthetically pleasing.

 

Yes, yes, yes, and one more yes. I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I have never been coached to healthy behavior by the kids on the playground that teased me mercilessy.

 

OOPS...I said something. LOL

[Kim in Appalachia]

Shame doesn't work. What an idiot.

 

I think there will be more an more articles like this though. As health care costs continue to rise, especially in regards to diabetes and heart disease, you will see more people throwing out absolutely stupid ideas in an effort to lower costs.

 

I live in an area where weight is a problem. Something like 40% of the population is obese (not just overweight) and at risk for diabetes, or has it. And really, until you see it at this level (and I mean my dh deals with this every day) you can't realize how bad it's going to get for the country as a whole, especially as the baby boomers age. Honestly, it is going to completely overwhelm the system. But, shaming people will not help. And the problem builds on itself. As you get older, it's much harder to lose weight, and once you are heavy you never lose the fat cells, making you more likely to yo-yo if you do manage to lose weight.

 

But all of the focus on weight has not helped the issue.

 

It's a long term problem with no quick or easy solution.

[Lolly]

I'm guessing these statistics include people who are thin because they are dying? You'd need to calculate their weight before they got sick for the numbers to be accurate. Lots of people die thin, but that's not what killed them.

 

The one I read, no I do not have a link, did take that into account. A lot of the problem with thin people was that when they did get very ill, their body had nothing to fall back on. People who were somewhat overweight literally had reserves of energy to draw on while they were unable to eat well due to illness. This study was mostly using the elderly.

 

 

And, to the poster who stated that a small part of the weight equation was genetic...Actually, it is a HUGE part of the equation.

[Amy in TX]

 

They tried to do something like that here. They were going to put in a bunch more walking tails, bike trails, and expand the bikeshare program thing they have going. The wealthy people all came out and said that because THEY don't ever walk or bike anywhere, and they pay more taxes, they don't want it, so the whole plan was scrapped. The poor or people who actually like walking and biking can just go to hell, I guess. :glare:

 

 

 

Something similar happened here (Houston) a few years back. There was a proposal to put in sidewalks in a subdivision near me so that the kids could walk to school (it's not a safe area to walk in the road, heavy traffic,etc.) The residents voted it down because they didn't want the kids "hanging around" outside. Yes, really.

[butterflymommy]

WHat an idiot. For one thing, being overweight is NOT tied to early death- in fact it is the opposite. So called regular weight people are much more likely to die than the overweight. And all those bad health statistics about how awful it is to be overweight are not correct. WHat they do is lump overweight and obese, including morbidly obese, into the same category and say look, it is unhealthy. I agree that obesity is unhealthy. However, overweight is not. Obesity is tied to type two diabetes, which is not tied to plain overweight. Don't even get me ranting about how many people are put into whatever categories by miscalculation since they don't take into account muscle mass which is heavier than fat. There are warning signs, things like waist to hip ratio which are much more accurate. But that wouldn't please this guy who obviously isn't interested in actual research.

 

 

That study looked at people with wasting diseases like cancer-- and yes, those who were overweight lived somewhat longer than those who were normal or underweight, because the body could feed off the fat stores as it was dying.

 

Obesity is definitely linked to higher mortality, and yes, some articles will cloud overweight/ obese.

 

Society already shames fat people so I'm not sure where this guy is going. Should we have FDA sponsored anti-fat ads on TV or something?

 

Nutritional awareness would do people much better. I'm amazed by how little otherwise intelligent people understand about nutrition. There is a girl in my 5th grader's class who is easily 200 lbs. She brings bags of candy to school for lunch. And she tells everyone she can't help but be overweight because it's just how her body is built. This kind of attitude is pervasive.

 

I also have to take issue with the eating disorder comment. It seems like wanting to be thin automatically equals "eating disorder" in some people's eyes. I'm very weight conscious, I want to be/ stay thin, but have never been under or overweight, and other than being a very picky eater I eat healthy and have no real issues with food.

[I.Dup.]

And, to the poster who stated that a small part of the weight equation was genetic...Actually, it is a HUGE part of the equation.

 

 

I agree. I also agree that the majority of people do not keep track of what they eat and truly have no idea how many calories they are consuming.

 

Either way, I think so much of this starts in our younger years, when we are supposed to be thin and fit to be an attractive mate. Who wants to look at a flabby naked woman. We need to keep up with the standards of beauty if we expect to be attractive, and I think that stays with people and gets ingrained in our culture as an ideal everyone should follow.

 

There is almost nothing more unattractive than a really thin older woman that is trying too hard.