Obesity worse than terrorism

[Diana]

"America's obesity epidemic will dwarf the threat of terrorism if the country does not reduce the number of people who are severely overweight, Richard Carmona, the US surgeon general, said yesterday."

From the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1722464,00.html

[catgurrl978]

I think Richard Carmona may get some negative flack for saying anything will dwarf 9/11, but at least hes calling attention to an obvious problem.

[Diana]

Has 9/11 become some sort of sacred cow? Like Mohammed for the Muslims? And the Holocaust for the Jews?

[catgurrl978]

Has 9/11 become some sort of sacred cow? Like Mohammed for the Muslims? And the Holocaust for the Jews?
GW seems to think so.

[Fyvel]

The number of people dying from obesity-related diseases absolutely dwarfs the number of people who died during the 9/11 attacks.

If the money spent on the Iraq war was put into prevention of disease..:dizzy:

[Life2k]

The man is comparing oranges and apples. 911 was an external attack. Obesity is mass suicide with a spoon.

[organica]

The funny thing is, we are not instructed to be supportive of terrorists, but we are constantly bombarded with messages to eat junk food (& "SuperSize" it wherever possible) & accept the obese as being sexy, healthy people.
I read a study somewhere that said North Americans are becoming more accepting of obesity- as in dating the obese, hiring the obese for appearnace-related jobs, etc.
Personally, I want my a$$ kicked until I get slim, not acceptance of my obesity.

[rainbowmoon]

I think that health programs should advise people of the dangers of being obese and offer help but not demonize them until they hate themselves enough to lose weight. Plenty of people who are obese have a serious mental illness that causes them to continue eating...and just as "tough love" hasn't worked with drug abusers (strict prision/three time loser laws) its not going to work with the clinically/chronically obese. The obese SHOULD still be able to get jobs, find lovers, ect.- because they are still human, just weak in one area like many people are! I understand the health complications of obesity and the consequences for the health care system, but in my experience love, guidance, and help will always win over fear tactics and discrimination, which perpetuate problems and don't solve them.

[gaya]

I agree with you rainbow but I don't think it's health programs, or the health sector that is demonizing obese people. It's the media, fashion and entertainment industry that is doing that.

[Astarte]

Gaya, I think you're right to a certain extent, but it isn't the entertainment industry that's actually literally telling us to lose weight. The medical field acts as if fat is the problem, when it seems more likely that fat is really more a symptom of it. If a person is overweight or obese but exercises every day and eats a healthy diet, they generally aren't going to have the health problems associated with being overweight. I heard a study which suggested that overweight individuals who led a healthy lifestyle actually had a slightly lower mortality rate than "ideal" weight people who led the same lifestyle.

It's the lifestyle that usually causes obesity that's the problem, not the fat itself.

About the OP, definitely an apples to oranges situation. Far more people die from complications of poor diet/lack of exercise in the US alone than die from terrorism worldwide. It's just a ludicrous comparison.

[The Rev]

Overweight terrorists, of course, are the biggest danger (no pun intended).

:D

The Rev

[gaya]

Gaya, I think you're right to a certain extent, but it isn't the entertainment industry that's actually literally telling us to lose weight. The medical field acts as if fat is the problem, when it seems more likely that fat is really more a symptom of it. If a person is overweight or obese but exercises every day and eats a healthy diet, they generally aren't going to have the health problems associated with being overweight. I heard a study which suggested that overweight individuals who led a healthy lifestyle actually had a slightly lower mortality rate than "ideal" weight people who led the same lifestyle.
If I'm recalling the same study, that study was based on subjects in their 70's which implies they were much thinner in their youth and they were not obese. People tend to gain weight as they grow older...naturally. That's not new news. The idea that people use this study to represent the entire population is lame. Also, it's rare that a person who eats well and has a daily exercise routine will be obese. I'm not saying it never happens but it's simply not the norm.


It's the lifestyle that usually causes obesity that's the problem, not the fat itself.
I don't understand your point here. Of course obesity is usually the result of poor life style habits and excess fat causes problems.

[rainbowmoon]

So what is the point of demonizing obesity- shouldn't we be treating and dealing with the lifestyle/emotional/mental issues CAUSING the obesity?

In addition, there was a study showing that being " modestly overweight" may not be all that harmful because the standard for normal (often determined by insurance companies) is set a bit low.
article found here- http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/19/health/main689523.shtml
This study was not about people over the age of 70. I don't think that any health experts disagree that being truly obese is a health risk, but this study says that being a little overweight if you still eat well and exercise is probably not that big of a deal.

"The new analysis found that obesity — being extremely overweight — is indisputably lethal. But like several recent smaller studies, it found that people who are modestly overweight actually have a lower risk of death than those of normal weight.

Biostatistician Mary Grace Kovar, a consultant for the University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center in Washington, said "normal" may be set too low for today's population. Also, Americans classified as overweight are eating better, exercising more and managing their blood pressure better than they used to, she said. "

[gaya]

I don't think anyone has a problem with the mildly over weight category outside the anorexic fashion industry.

[Astarte]

I don't understand your point here. Of course obesity is usually the result of poor life style habits and excess fat causes problems.

You're right it's not the norm, but it does happen. A person can become overweight eating healthy food too! My point is similar to what rainbowmoon just said (only she said it better :D). The message I get from all sources seems to be the "if you lose weight, you will be healthier" one. I'm sure most of us here know it's not true, but a lot of people don't. A person could lose weight eating nothing but cookies if the calories were low enough, but it won't make them healthier. Yet some people still seem to have that idea!

This fat=bad has a way of demonising fat people in a way that's really unfair, and I think the health profession is at times almost as guilty as the entertainment industry for perpetrating that idea. Though doctors may mostly be at fault for overestimating the average person's common sense.

I wonder if you got two people of the same age, same lifestyle and same diet.. the only difference being that one is average weight and the other is overweight, would there be any difference in overall health? Is it really the fat that is bad for us, or is it the lifestyle?

Not to say that the lifestyle won't most of the time lead to being overweight, but I think centering on peoples' physical appearance isn't a very productive thing. Better to focus on behaviour. If you change your lifestyle to be more healthy, that's great whether you lose weight or not.

[gaya]

You're right it's not the norm, but it does happen. A person can become overweight eating healthy food too! My point is similar to what rainbowmoon just said (only she said it better :D). The message I get from all sources seems to be the "if you lose weight, you will be healthier" one. I'm sure most of us here know it's not true, but a lot of people don't.
I think sometimes I can be in denial about how stupid people can be? Is that it? I mean, if you have some one who eats like cr*p, doesn't take care of themselves and compare it to a person who's a bit over weight but exercises and eats well then imo it should be a no brainer. der.

btw, we had this discussion last year with the same news article in the heap. It got out of control lol. Any way, this all has a taste of psych issues, maybe eating disorders or something.


This fat=bad has a way of demonising fat people in a way that's really unfair, and I think the health profession is at times almost as guilty as the entertainment industry for perpetrating that idea. Though doctors may mostly be at fault for overestimating the average person's common sense.
yea, maybe so tho that's really weird.


I wonder if you got two people of the same age, same lifestyle and same diet.. the only difference being that one is average weight and the other is overweight, would there be any difference in overall health? Is it really the fat that is bad for us, or is it the lifestyle?
One thing that makes me personally weary of having fat is that an increased size of adipose cells makes the cell insulin resistant. The increased surface area causes some kind of a malfunction. I actually new why at one point because I posed the question in one of my classes but I can't remember now lol.


Not to say that the lifestyle won't most of the time lead to being overweight, but I think centering on peoples' physical appearance isn't a very productive thing. Better to focus on behaviour. If you change your lifestyle to be more healthy, that's great whether you lose weight or not.
I agree 100%

[Tesseract]

Of course, there's a fine line to walk between acknowledging the very real health crisis we have in obesity, and a sick obsession with being thinner than we actually need to be for good health. I think many people in the US are falling off the line in both directions.

[gaya]

You are so right tess.

[rainbowmoon]

Of course, there's a fine line to walk between acknowledging the very real health crisis we have in obesity, and a sick obsession with being thinner than we actually need to be for good health. I think many people in the US are falling off the line in both directions.

I think thats really on point. These days it seems like everyone thinks they need to be thinner- even people who I think look incredibly healthy! Rather than focusing on the crisis of obesity and poor habits, we're all focused on looking like Heidi Klum, which makes the problem worse, in my opinion. Our society is truly nuerotic about weight.

[Diana]

I wonder how many millions of people die due to obesity every year. Must run in the millions.