[PUG] Expert says the Obesity Epidemic is grossly exaggerated
- Thread starter Quinlan
- Start date
It seems to me that here, in the US, more people are much fatter than they were 20 or 30 years ago. The US military has found that recent recruits are fatter and in worse shape than ever before, and this is considered a "threat to national security," believe it or not. I remember in the 60's and 70's, obese people were rare, and, indeed, a curiosity. Now, I see morbidly obese people every day. My experience may be anecdotal, but it comports with my wife's experience, and she's been a physician for more than 30 years. The incidence of Type II diabetes, which is related to obesity, is sky-rocketing. Part of the problem is that the more overweight people there are, the more people change their perception and expectation of what is an acceptable weight. But, obesity is a multi-variate problem, which is, actually, quite interesting because it touches on so many fields such as physiology, exercise, psychology, food production, economics, etc. Obesity is definitely a significant and growing public health problem in many countries and something that is costly to society. We all pay for it.
The other thing to keep in mind is the food supply. Most of our food has additives in it that either directly causes obesity or indirectly causes it through messing up the body's hormones. I have had doctors think it's amazing that I'm not a size 24 with the fact that I have both Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and hypothyroidism. Granted, I have recently lost a lot of weight (through odd means at that) but I'm still not as small as I should be. I should probably be a size 8-12 instead of a 12-16, even though I am larger built in my rib cage than most women of my height.
Obesity still is a curiousity, it's just that the sideshow has moved to TV in the form of reality tv and "biggest loser" shows.
Could it be that your perception has changed? Since health officials and the media have touted the dangers of obesity and the epidemic "explosion" you're now more aware and concious of fat people, obesity becomes something significant in your perception.
For example if there was a sudden barrage of media reports that red hair was a severe health risk and that it is spreading at an explosive rate and that it could be spread by social networks, all of a sudden I would see redheads everywhere all of a sudden something I've always ignored or not noticed becomes significant. If something is on your mind the more you'll notice it.
It's true that say in the very highest bmi categories (the top 1 or 2 % of people) there has been quite a big increase, but this is still a very small group of people. The exaggeration comes into play when health officials/the media use this very extreme and tiny minority as typical of the all people that have a BMI over 30 (1/3 of the population).
Because fatness is a continous trait that is measured by a fixed threshold (bmi 30+) and that trait is normally distributed, the obesity epidemic could be reversed overnight by all the people with a bmi just over 30 losing a few pounds to get to BMI of 29.9.
The fact that a BMI of 29.9 counts as not obese and a BMI of 30 does count as obese has been widely abused and has led to a lot of inaccurate conclusions.
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My wife is an endocrinologist, and, through many years of osmosis and table conversations, I've learned enough to appreciate your situation. You have my sympathy. For many reasons, for many people, it is very difficult to lose weight, and if one does, to keep it off. But, my wife often says that if a patient can lose just 5% or 10% of his or her weight (even if they are still over weight), this can make a significant improvement in the patient's health in terms of tangible measures. For example, a Type II diabetic might be able decrease his or her insulin dose. Or, one's blood pressure could decrease to a healthy range. And, even if one continues to be "over weight," it is still important to exercise and be fit. So, it sounds like you're making some really good progress!
What you say is probably true. But, like all scientific studies, methods count. So, using a cutoff like you discussed, certainly would lead to statistical results that would belie the fact (and I think it is a fact) that people weigh more than they did 20 or 30 years ago, and that obesity is more prevalent. It's all in how the study is done and, then, how it is reported. Few science reporters critically analyze and accurately report the limits of a scientific study in the news.
But, you're right that perception changes and this is for many reasons. No doubt about it.
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[MENTION=46]Quinlan[/MENTION],
That's interesting, but I doubt it's true. Obesity rates are indeed climbing. I'm a student in a health care profession, and I've heard nothing but talk of obesity rates not only climbing, but at an accelerating rate. I tried to access your link, but it's giving an error message. Where did they get the stats to decide obesity is dropping?
That's interesting, but I doubt it's true. Obesity rates are indeed climbing. I'm a student in a health care profession, and I've heard nothing but talk of obesity rates not only climbing, but at an accelerating rate. I tried to access your link, but it's giving an error message. Where did they get the stats to decide obesity is dropping?
Just google obesity rates falling or obesity rates steady.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Financial-Industry/Obesity-rates-in-US-steady-over-past-10-years
To keep the research grants and healthcare funding flowing in the face of this fact, more and more cherry picking of certain states or minorities is going on.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Financial-Industry/Obesity-rates-in-US-steady-over-past-10-years
To keep the research grants and healthcare funding flowing in the face of this fact, more and more cherry picking of certain states or minorities is going on.
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It's interesting that another link on the same site says they're on the rise:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Financial-Industry/Obesity-rates-rise-across-US-finds-report
And this one is more recent.
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Financial-Industry/Obesity-rates-rise-across-US-finds-report
And this one is more recent.
It's interesting that another link on the same site says they're on the rise:
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Financial-Industry/Obesity-rates-rise-across-US-finds-report
And this one is more recent.
Like I said, cherry picking of certain populations or years rather than looking at overall trends, and the overall trend for most western countries is a flat one.
It's like saying climate change isn't happening because the weather this year or in a particular state is mild and ignoring the overall trends.
The truth is, it's harder to get funding for obesity research or treatment programs (or getting people through your gym or diet clinic doors) if there isn't some sense of urgency so that's why people are still banging on about a so called epidemic that happened way back in the late 80s early 90s.