Here are some interesting articles regarding the obesity myth...
http://www.thinkmuscle.com/articles/gaesser/obesity.htm#HEALTH%20HAZARDS%20OF%20OBESITY%20EXAGGERATED
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2008/08/11/2008-08-11_study_shows_obesity_often_not_linked_to_.html
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These to articles were very interesting to read. It brings a new perspective to the obesity epidemic that I did not think of. Obesity doesn't necessarily mean that people are unhealthy. A larger individual may eat healthy and exercise, but still be on the plumper side. Other factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and high blood glucose are more important in determining unhealthy risk factors. A slender individual may eat crap, not exercise, and have hypertension. This person would be more at risk than the larger indidividual. The media needs to just promote healthy habits like exercise and eating right and de-emphasize that being a little on the bigger may not be so bad if the individual has healthy habits.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason the second article said page not found...
ReplyDeleteBut, from the first article, I found it to be very interesting. Especially, the study that was done where they found that the risk of having a clogged artery actually decreased as body weight increased. We are all accustomed to the fact that being "fat" is considered to be bad, however, some fat is necessary. Like what Sarah said earlier, a thin person doesn't exactly mean that that person is in great shape and healthy. The person may have a higher metabolism than most people, but again, that person could be eating unhealthily. People need to realize that it is being fit and healthy that is key, rather than looking thin. Many people are only focusing on weight loss programs, which studies have shown could increase risk for premature death.
Being brought up in a society where thinness is the equivilent of health and obesity is the the equivilent of unhealthiness, I to have been brainwashed to believe that this is accurate. These articles are great, however, because they show that a larger person can, in fact, be healthier than a thinner person who does not partake in healthy eating habits. I found the portion of the article about how CAD is the #1 killer in the U.S., however its prevelance, like that of hypertension, is the same in both thin people and large people. The idea that the "ideal" thin body is healthy is slowly being knocked out of the ring with the actual facts that being slightly overwieght or of normal wieght is, in fact, healthier than being emaciated to compete with social ideals. The first step for all of us is to accept that health is determined by diet and not by outward physical appearence.
ReplyDeleteThis article really made me look at the other side of things. We always just assume that overweight individuals are the ones that are going to die from a heart attack first because of their bad habits. But from this article we can see that sometimes being bigger can be healthier. People who are really thin sometimes go to the extremes to be that way. Such as under eating, and over exercising. As a society we judge people by their outsides, and don't realize that a healthy weight is might be bigger then what we all think it is. Like people have said above we need to stop judging health on our looks, and focus more on how we treat our bodies.
ReplyDeleteBoth readings were very intriguing to read as both gave rise to a new perspective of thinking as far as obesity norms are concerned. The first article was exactly right when it stated that we, as Americans are completely obsessed with fat, body fat and how we can get rid of it. Perhaps we wouldn't have to be so obsessive it we just avoided unhealthy food choices and lack of exercise. It was quite humbling to discover that obesity is not truly linked to things such as heart disease and higher mortality rates. In fact, poor diets and extreme lack in physical activity are the very factors that cause such things as arteriosclerosis and heart disease, rather than the physical state of being 'obese'. Weight is a physical property and should not dictate how we may be judged as a person. Unfortunately, because our nation is so "supermodel-obsessed" and so over-concerned with body image, we overlook the actuality of it. These studies that the articles talked about really revealed how a more over-weight person could still be fit and healthy, which is a mind-boggling concept for most people. In comparison, a skinnier person who ate more poorly would be more apt to acquire heart disease. It's truly an eye-opening reading to people whose perspectives on life are so skewed by societal norms against obesity. When it all comes down to it, it makes sense. Sometimes we get so caught up in societal norms, we often judge too quickly.
ReplyDeleteThese two articles were very interesting with regard to information about obesity and health. Our society has been consumed with the idea of body image and reaching the ideal body weight. Anyone above their expected BMI are considered overweight and unhealthy, where ultimately thin is good and healthy, and fat is unhealthy and bad. These articles suggest a contrasting idea that overweight people aren't necessarily unhealthy. As mentioned in class, sometimes it is even more healthy to be slightly overweight. It is common that people who are naturally thin with very high metabolisms will overeat and consume a lot of junk food, because they know it won't effect their body image, however, on the inside they are very unhealthy. This makes sense when considering the articles concerning heart disease and coronary artery disease. What people put in their bodies and the amount of physical exercise they participate in is the ultimate determination of health, not the number the scale reads. As mentioned above, the societal pressures that are put on people to reach certain body images is masking the truth behind health in individuals and causing unnecessary stress to fit a certain mold.
ReplyDeleteI felt that these articles were a real eye opener. I have also been brainwashed by society to think that being thin is healthy and being overweight is unhealthy, but now I see that it’s important to look beyond just weight and to look at blood pressures, glucose, and cholesterol levels. I think that it’s important that more studies are being done on levels of healthiness in comparison to weight because not everyone can be thin. Genetics and life factors play a big role in people’s weights, so if people who struggle with their weight still can be healthy by eating healthy and exercising than maybe society will stop spending so much time stressing about the number on the scale.
ReplyDeletethese articles were very interesting in the fact that obese no longer mean completely unhealthy. it is obvious that some people have higher metabolism than others and therefore will never really become fat. however, it is important to take a look at what these skinny "healthy" people are eating because they could be high in sugars, salts and other indicators to help promote an individual at being at a higher risk of heart disease.
ReplyDeletefat does not have to mean unhealthy. instead nationally we should promote healthier habits; eating, drinking, exercise, social and mental. just because your skinny does not mean youre not at risk of heart disease and just because your a little heavy does not mean you truly are a risk of heart disease. we must educate the general public that being thin is not for all people it is simply how our genes were developed but just because youre a little bit plump does not mean that you are unhealthy, and are going to die an untimely death.
With regards to the second article stating that not all obese people have heart problems, I can see that it is true. I think that just because someone is overweight doesn’t make them unhealthy. I think we as a society are too quick to say someone is unhealthy just because they are overweight. We associate obese people with an unhealthy lifestyle. A lot of those people could be working on a healthier lifestyle, which could me better “numbers”. After reading the first article, I think that we as a society focus too much on the “look”. The article was very informative on showing us how thin people can be less healthy than someone who is overweight. An overweight person may actually have a healthier diet then someone who is thin and who is most likely not eating the right way. People need to have a balance of a healthy diet and exercise to have a healthy lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteI think the first article is one important for many Americans who have the wrong idea about body image and it's relation to health to read. The article states that we need to focus more on maintaining a healthy diet and an active lifestyle rather than just trying to lose weight and look like the media advertises. A skinny person does not equate to healthy, but rather one who eats properly and exercises regularly is the definition of healthy.
ReplyDeleteThe second article is also important to read because it notes that obesity does not correlate to unhealthiness and disease. Weight is not a direct indicator of healthiness and cannot predict the likelihood of heart disease. I think this article makes a good point in noting that 24% of Americans in their recommended weight group are at possible risk for heart disease due to their internal health and 32% of obese people are internally healthy.
Health correlates to one's lifestyle and how they care for their body through diet and exercise rather than how they physically look from the outside. Health cannot be judged or assumed by looking at an individual's weight.
I find these articles quite interesting. Part of the problem with us Americans is that we are not looking to be healthier, we are focused on looking good. If we were concerned with being healthy, these quick diet pills/foods would not be doing so well. We all want to look good the quick and easy way. The fact that eating healthy and exercising is good for people is no secret, the problem is that is takes discipline and determination to change our eating habits and to exercise. We are all so busy in our lives, that we take the quick way out. When we go into the store by parking as close to the door as possible so that we can get in and get out. Even that little walk on a daily basis could help up become healthy. When you eat fruits and veggies and get rid of all that fast food greasy stuff, you feel more enegetic and exercising does not seem to be as mucho as a chore. The more junk you eat, the more you feel tired and drained and the less you want to move nevermind exercise. I think these articles should be publisized more, people have got to realize that diet foods/pills (quick way to look slim and trim) in not natural nor is it healthy for us, we need to change our habits and the way we think about looking good. Healthy is far more important than looking good!!!!!
ReplyDeleteas stated by other i dont feel that being overweight means that your sick. It could just mean that you are overweight. I know plenty of people who are under the classification of obese and they are some of the healthiest people i know, including their eatting habits. So first hand i know that overweight doesnt mean sick and i think the first article does justice to that. The second one said page not found?
ReplyDeleteThe first article explains the relationship between obesity and health better than the second. When talking about weight, we must consider diseases besides cardiovascular disease in order to state that obesity is not determental to health. Obesity itself is not the cause of decline in health, it is the factors associated with obesity, lack of exercise and unhealthy eating. Therefore obesity is indirectly linked with health problems. Our society focuses too much on body image rather than body health. As the first article states, it is better to be fit than thin; just because your thin does not mean you are healthy.
ReplyDeleteThese two articles bring to light the facts about what is healthy and what isn't. Unlike what society often tries to tell us, fat does not mean unhealthy, and thin does not mean fit. No matter what your body weight is, it is not a strong predictor of death rates or overall health. Body weight and body fat do not tell us as much about our health as the lifestyle factors we practice such as exercise and the food we consume. If someone is overweight or obese this does not determine if someone is unhealthy. Although this may be the case, society seems to constantly be telling us this very thing. It is not true.
ReplyDeleteLets face it, these two articles just brush the surface of the issue relating to what is healthy and unhealthy, as well as giving a solution. These articles have begun to educate us on what is true and what "facts" are socially driven, so the next step is do act.
So the solution to having an unhealthy individual, large or small, become healthy seems to be as easy as changing one's lifestyle factors. The solution appears to be as easy as eating healthier and exercising, not as a means of losing weight but rather as a means of being healthy. This is easier said than done. Society should do more. If we want everyone to be healthier we should give everyone the option of consuming healthier foods, and in order to do this we should lower the prices of that food. We should ensure healthy living environments, and we should allow everyone to have to opportunity to exercise, even if it means lowering the cost of gym memberships etc.
If we want people to be healthier we should start to eliminate the factors that cause/force people to practice unhealthy lifestyles.
Due to the fact that we live in a society that puts such a great emphasis on appearance we've grown up thinking that a one's weight is a determining factor of their healthy. However, as these two articles show it most definitely is not. Instead of focusing on the numbers on the scale and a persons BMI our doctors and health care providers should be looking at exercise and diet. You could have a defensive line men who is "overweight" on the scale which then causes him to appear to have a high BMI and so hes put into the category of being obese. It makes you wonder when they show those pictures of the maps and say this state has this many obese and overweight people and that state has that many, how many of these people are actually unhealthy and at high risk.
ReplyDeleteBoth of these articles are very interesting. They both bring up very interesting points about our beliefs about obesity and being thin. The articles have good statistics that show the real efffects of being obese and also being thin. I think that everything is good within moderation. It is not healthy to be extremely obese and on the same hand it is not healthy to be extremely thin. It is sad that our culture pushes people to think that it is better/healthier to be thin. It is frustrating that young girls are growing up with the images of tiny, thin celebrites and that is culturally accepted. I hope that in the future it will become aware to everyone that there is a healthy intermediate between obesity and being stick-thin.
ReplyDeleteThese two articles demonstrate the widespread misunderstanding there is on the relationship between obesity in health. Many people assume that obesity causes heart disease and that people who are in a normal weight range cannot be at risk for heart disease. These assumptions come from a runaway statistic from 1993 that states that 300,000 people die every year from food and diet behaviors. These articles show that it is not obesity that serves as an indication of heart disease, but behaviors related often to obesity that can increase prevalence of heart disease. Many people who are of a normal weight, but simply have good genes that prevent obesity, may also have behaviors that can increase their risk of heart disease, like not exercising or eating fatty and cholesterol-ridden foods. The first article cites the statistics that 24% of normal weight Americans were at an increased risk of heart disease, while 32% of obese Americans did not have an increased risk of heart disease. This does not mean that individuals with obesity are not at risk for health problems, it simply means that the reason they may experience health problems is not the obesity itself; behaviors that are associated with obesity are also associated with many health problems. This could help in future education of how to decrease the risk of heart disease being focused not on weight, but on behaviors such as exercise and having a healthy diet.
ReplyDeleteIts interesting that the media labels obesity as such an epidemic, yet according to these two articles, is anything but. You can basically break it into two categories; people who are obese and thin, who also eat right and get exercise, and people who are obese and thin, who eat junk and live a sedentary lifestyle. Those who have a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle are going to be at a higher risk of suffering from chronic diseases, no matter their body type. I was surprised to read about the negative effects associated with dieting, esspecially with its current craze in our society. I guess it kind of goes to show that no one really knows how to make a naturally fat person thin any more than they know how to make a naturally thin person fat. As long as "obese" individuals eat right and exercise, they are just as healthy as the next person (considering that next person is healthy).
ReplyDeleteThose articles were a breath of fresh air. Speaking from my own perspective, that of a heavier individual, society is down-right awful to those who don’t fit into the social norms of body image. Because society sees something wrong with being bigger, it tends to demonize those who don’t conform with it’s constructed image and, as we have seen that even medicine is a social construct, creates more “facts” that says being big is wrong. Now neither the article nor I are saying that being overweight is entirely healthy, but it’s focusing on personal choices and individual health rather than lumping everyone into one category. Speaking from personal experience, I am not the smallest of people and I know that my blood pressure and glucose levels are towards the lower end of the normal range. I know for a fact that my blood pressure is lower than that of some of my skinnier friends; but if someone were to look at me and look at them, their first thought would be that I am the one who is the picture of bad health. I wish that more people realized that the numbers on a scale don’t always correlate to the numbers on a persons lab tests.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to think about how we have labeled obese individuals as almost a guaranteed ticket to heart disease etc.. It was interesting to read these articles but our society today has thousands of titles that we used to label health risks. For example, smoking. It is shown that if you smoke you have an increased risk for disease but I am sure we all know someone who has smoked since they were 12 who has no known disease. Yah they may have some side effects but im sure you can find a non smoker who is less healthy. The obesity myth is just an example of how our society labels everything and everyone. There are always exceptions to everything and just because studies have shown that obesity is a major cause of heart disease as well as others, does not mean every obese person will suffer from such diseases. These articles show that many people are blinded by certain things and that there are many more factors to such disease besides if their BMI or waist circumference is over the recommended limit.
ReplyDeleteI found these articles very interesting to read. I have always been very interested in the obesity epidemic in America and have done research in specific areas for other classes. The articles raise a good point in that people who don't necessarily look the best could be healthier than those who are really thin. The important thing to remember is to make healthy choices at an individual basis. It also makes me think how messed up people in our society can be when thinking about physical appearance. I would have to think that when asked most people would say they would look skinny and attractive and be unhealthy versus looking bigger and being healthier.
ReplyDeleteThis article was extremely eye opening. As fitness professionals, we are trained to focus on the numbers, averages and working towards the perfect figure or fitness level. Since we have such a fixed view on what is "fit" we miss the bigger picture of just being healthy. I agree with the author's recommendation for public health message that rather than saying loose weight and eat less fats, lets start saying eat well roundedly and get exercise. I think the public should be educated on the reality of thier health and wellness, and a shift in focus might make our perception of our country a little more realistic and less negative. We screen clients by asking them if their goals are realistic and their dedication is something feasable, but are our expectations of the public realistic and feasable? I think Gaesser brings up excellent points.
ReplyDeleteThese articles hold a lot of truth. We automatically categorize those individuals who are obese as unhealthy lazy people who do not care about their current and future health. This is a part of American life, we are very critical of everyone else around. It is a good thing that these kinds of reports come out on the flip side of obesity. As I was reading through these I started to think of a friend of mine from high school. He currently stands at 6'2" and weighs in at almost 280 lbs. We had talked about his weight and how he was trying to loose some. He told me that the last doctor's visit he had there were no red flags that showed up. He had normal blood pressure, low cholesterol, and no problems to be found. It is important to educate that because someone is obese doesn't make them bad, ill, or contagious. Which is what I feel a lot of people think about when they see someone who is obese. They look at the person as if they have a contagious disease that may spread, but in reality they are just bigger.
ReplyDeleteMultiple opinions and viewpoints are essential in knowing exactly what is happening with the obesity epidemic. Sure people are heavier than they have ever been, but as these articles indicate heavy doesn't essential mean fat. Our best bet as future health care providers is to take a holistic approach and understand every facet of an individual's life. Those who are content with their body image, those who are "lean" can and do take for granted their lifestyle and live like "it hasn't happened to me yet." Fat shouldn't denote disease just as we shouldn't initially judge fat as unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that in the United States, one is either seen as fit or fat, not both. People grow up learning that, in order to be healthy, they need to be thin. This is not the case. Someone’s lifestyle is more indicative of their health than their weight is. Two of the main things people need to do to stay healthy are to have a proper diet and to get some exercise. This means that someone can be healthy if they are overweight as long as they eat right and exercise. On the other hand, being thin does not mean they are healthy. Many times, thin people do not eat right and get all the right nutrients. In the first article, it kept stating that people who changed their lifestyle got healthier but did not necessarily lose weight. I feel like it can take longer to lose weight than it takes for other things like cholesterol and insulin levels to return to healthy levels. This article made me realize that body weight and health are not directly related; however, lifestyle and body weight and lifestyle and health are related.
ReplyDeleteIt was a breath of fresh air for the readings to state that being fat does not ultimately mean being unhealthy. It makes sense that being fit would be the deciding factor in whether or not you have a healthy cardiovascular system. In the first article however it doesn't seem to touch upon the subject of obese children and the fact that they are not making correct diet choices nor that they are physically active. Do they really think these articles are going to make a positive physical improvement on people?
ReplyDeleteThe second article states that "51% of overweight Americans have MOSTLY NORMAL levels of heart disease indicators". Well, what about the other 49%? What does the distribution have to get to in order for people to understand there's a problem? Also the fact that the study was based on questionnaires that could easily contain false or exaggerated data as well as individuals misinterpretting the questions and the answers they put. I feel as though they would be more prone to make themselves sound healthier as opposed to sick.
Notice that this only discusses cardiovascular health - nothing about diabetes and other negative complications being over weight can bring on.
I do not think it is a good idea to be broadcasting that being overweight isn't unhealthy. They need a new direction to come at their argument with by saying "being fit has a positive affect on your body no matter what your size" or something of the like. People are absolutely going to misinterpret the data and facts given.
I thought these articles were interesting and changed my perspective on health. It shows that weight is not the major factor for controlling health, such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels. Diet has shown to be a large contributor. By reducing fat intake, cholesterol levels and blood pressure decrease. This is important to understand when people are told they have high blood pressure. Many people may try to exercise and take in fewer calories, but see no results. It is the diet that is what controls health levels. This is also important for those who are not overweight to consider. Even though a person may genetically be thin, it does not mean that person is healthy. This also applies to those who are over weight. Therefore, society should not emphasize weight so much as eating healthy foods. Diet plans can be dangerous because people go to extremes to reduce body weight, when really some of the healthiest people are overweight (in regards to arteries and cholesterol levels) and it might just be how they are genetically built. This, however, does not mean we can just allow people to continue to eat unhealthily or they should not try to exercise and stay active.
ReplyDeleteI had the same problem with one of the articles.
ReplyDeleteThis article was very interesting to read. It takes what "being healthy" means to a different level that most people don't really think of. People seen as being lean are usually thought of as being healthy and fit. Obesity, on the other hand, is usually associated with being unhealthy and unfit. Obesity is usually associated with many other health problems as well and this article brings up a good point. The article completely makes sense in that it's not obesity itself that causes the clogged arteries but that its what kinds of things you eat and also exercise habits. You can be thin but still be unhealthy and possibly have clogged arteries and on the other hand you could be obese and have really clean arteries. It's not about the size you are, it is about the lifestyle you take on.
This article is very interesting. Personally i can relate to this because my fathers side of his family are all very over weight however they are some of the most active and healthiest people I've ever met. This has always made me wonder and now i have some answers to why.
ReplyDeleteThis article is interesting to me because I (like much of society) has associated being fat or obese as the reason for many unhealthy problems with the body such as: hypertension, high blood pressure, and hyperlidemia. Apparently, these are mostly caused by inactivity and are prevalent in peiople who do not exercise and do not live a healthy lifestyle. This could even include people who are very skinny and fit the social mold of how many view a healthy person should look.
ReplyDeleteThis article and information discussed in class has definitely opened my eyes to how narrowly the public views society. Being fit or trying to become fit can cause of host of problems for some people. Young teenagers trying to look like models who are way too skinny and develop unhealthy eating patterns and disorders. Obviously being morbidly obese has its own host of problems, but being moderately overweight is not such a bad thing. The key is being metabolically fit rather than being lean fit. This concept needs to become central in American society .
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately being fat and even slightly overweight has become highly stigmatized in our current society. While being overweight can sometimes be associated with health problems, this is only because it can be a result of an unhealthy lifestyle which is the true problem. It is absolutely possible to be slightly overweight and still be a healthy individual. It is entirely dependent on the individual’s habits such as what they eat and how much they exercise. Since our society is obsessed with image over content however, it is the outward appearance of health that has been emphasized above all else. Since we currently associate that health with being thin, tan, muscular, toned, etc., being overweight quickly became connected with poor health. It is a classic case of judging a book by its cover and completely ignoring the true content. It is far too common for the thin individuals to participate in extremely unhealthy habits to maintain an unnatural appearance. Now there are certainly individuals who fit within our current concept of health and are actually healthy people inside and out. I am not trying to say that all thin or muscular people are secretly unhealthy and only look good. What is important to understand is the other side of that coin. Not all overweight people are horribly unhealthy either, and it is unfair to place that label on them. Health must be judged on a completely individual basis, and it has to be done outside the realm of physical appearances.
ReplyDeleteThese 2 articles were interesting. It is hard to live in a world where being fat is viewed as a negative aspect. As a society we shape the way we view and precieve things. If you are not thin then you are not healthy. One of the articles stated that its more based living style than body image. Example they gave was a slighty overweight guy with a active life may live longer than a thing couch potato. I believe this is true. I know many people who eat what ever they want and never exercise because they never gain weight. Take it into a persepctive of getting a job. If there are 2 people competeing and one may happen to be overweight there is a judgment agaisnt this. As many people in our class are health majors what would we think about over weight doctors. Would we think that they aren't taking care of themselves and question why we even listen to them. I am glad that these articles points out that being fat doesn't primarily lead to chronic diseases. Obesity is strongly stigmitized and linked to various things. It is also hard on people who are overweight to keep up with society's norms and expectation exspeically women.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else, I too have found these articles to be very interesting. We have all been told that being overweight/ obese is unhealthy and is linked with chronic health conditions such as heart disease. Emphasis on healthy diet and exercise has also been promoted for as long as I can remember... and even more so in today's society. We are so concerned with our physical appearance and being thin that sometimes we fail to recognize that overweight individuals may be healthy regardless of their size.
ReplyDeleteThere are lucky individuals in our society that have great genetics and are graced with having a high metabolism. Being so lucky, they choose to eat whatever they want and don't realize that they may in fact be putting themselves at risk for chronic diseases associated with obesity.
I think it is important for more people to understand that with proper nutrition and physical activity, overweight individuals can be healthier than someone who may be thin. Our society needs to be more accepting of all people regardless of their size and shape and focus on living healthy.
In our society, being healthy is equated with being thin. People who are overweight or obese are looked at automatically as being unhealthy, or even as being sick. Even if we look at health and fitness magazines, the models are generally very skinny. These studies point out that being overweight does not necessarily mean that you are unhealthy. Our societies idea of being healthy, isn't necessarily true. We look at health and beauty as being the same thing, and right now being beautiful is being skinny, but that doesn't necessarily mean that skinny people are healthy.
ReplyDeleteNutritional meals and exercise are very important, and I think that as long as you are free of health problems, then it should not matter what the scale reads.
I really enjoyed this article. This study did a wonderful job depicting that an overweight individual does not mean that the person is not healthy. I was really captivated by the study which noted that there is no significant differences between thin and overweight people when it comes down to clogged arteries. I’m not going to lie; I was pretty surprised by those results, in a good way though. Society creates so much language around health that sometimes it makes it difficult to see what the actual reality is. So much emphasis is placed on people to exercise and lose weight to stay fit and healthy; however sometimes that could be even more harmful than good. For instance, take the weight loss shows on TV. They all promote losing pounds fast. It is not healthy for a person to fluctuate so drastically in numbers. As well, all these health food diets focus on losing weight rather than eating a healthy and a balanced diet.
ReplyDeleteOn a different note though, I definitely agree with the article in that weight does not constitute a person’s fitness or lifestyle. I consider myself a pretty thin person; however, I do not think I am healthy at all. I know I am probably a higher risk candidate for disease than many other individuals (thin or not thin). Though people cannot physically see the effects of my poor lifestyle choices, I am sure I will feel it in the future. For instance, my eating habits are horrible, I have been very sedentary for the past four years, and I have gotten blood work done which shows that I have very high cholesterol levels. This still does not deter me from eating fast food throughout the week or a lot of animal protein and dairy products. In the end it is really not how we look, but what we do that contributes to our health.
Weight is a major contributing factor to control health associated with many associated factors. Diet obviously is one of the largest factors with this, along with the sedentary lifestyle going along with that unhealthy diet. If we fixed the way we ate, we could reduce the cholestrol and blood pressure levels in our body, both indicators or poor health. Just because someone has a higher metabolism, or has a thinner framed body, this does not mean they are healthy. They may appear healthy on the outside, but inside their cholesterol levels and BP might not be resembling that same health. Health is not based on our outside appearance, health is dependent on how we treat our bodies, what we feed it, and what activities we do.
ReplyDeleteI thought that the articles were interesting. Americans are really focused on body image and how to get rid of fat. There were a lot of statistics in the paper that supported that being "fat" didn't actually kill people as much as most people assumed. There are lots of problmes with being really thin. The "ideal" weight that most people want to obtain is a lot lower than in the past and is reinforced and seen as a norm through tv and the media. Mainly like one article says "it's fat in the diet- not fat on the body-that is the primary cause of blood lipid abnormalities." If Americans just fixed their diets and combined that with exercise, they could get normal desirable results that would benefit them without hurting their body. Many times obesity and all the hazards are extremely exaggerated. This unfortunately is due to the environment that surrounds us. Our culture and people are brought up to think that obese is bad and only thin and lean is good. And that obesity is what causes death. But to be obese is just to portray a certain characteristic, the persons diet and physical activity are the behaviors they do. It would be unfair to equate them and say that obesity causes death. It is important to exercise and eat right to maintain a healthy body and eliminate the stimatizime of being "too fat" if you weigh more than someone else.
ReplyDeleteThis article and information discussed in class has changed my way of looking at this. I am attending graduate schooling for clinical nutrition and one of the classes is strictly related to obesity. I read these articles and took a lot of it in for future classes. Obesity is becoming a huge issue and it some how needs to find a way to stop.
ReplyDeleteThese articles hit close to home for me due to the fact that I am on the heavier side but I eat healthier then most of my friends and workout too. Even though most of America views ideal weight as super thin, with modeling and actresses showing it off, does not mean they are ideally healthy. Everyone has different genetics that take a role in how their bodies function, and sometimes people just can not lose weight not necessary because they are unhealthy or lack of exercise, but because of family history. Americans need to continue to focus on the proper eating habits and exercise rather then focusing on how to lose weight fast and easy, because that is what truly is unhealthy.
ReplyDelete