Obesity Paradoxes
Journal of Sports Sciences
Volume 29, Issue 8, First published 2011, Pages 773 - 782
In this review, we examine the original obesity paradox phenomenon
(i.e. in cardiovascular disease populations, obese patients survive
better), as well as three other related paradoxes (pre-obesity, “fat
but fit” theory, and “healthy” obesity). An obesity paradox has been
reported in a range of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular
conditions. Pre-obesity (defined as a body mass index of 25.0-29.9 kg
· m-2) presents another paradox. Whereas “overweight” implies
increased risk, it is in fact associated with decreased mortality risk
compared with normal weight. Another paradox concerns the observation
than when fitness is taken into account, the mortality risk associated
with obesity is offset. The final paradox under consideration is the
presence of a sizeable subset of obese individuals who are otherwise
healthy. Consequently, a large segment of the overweight and obese
population is not at increased risk for premature death. It appears
therefore that low cardiorespiratory fitness and inactivity are a
greater health threat than obesity, suggesting that more emphasis
should be placed on increasing leisure time physical activity and
cardiorespiratory fitness as the main strategy for reducing mortality
risk in the broad population of overweight and obese adults.
However, if you do, perhaps you’ll be able to vote “boo” on the video since it could use some more “againsts.”
I tried to leave the following comment but don’t think it worked:
What a shameful video of scare tactics.
Of course it’s a good idea to cut down on sugary drinks and drink more water, but it’s linguistic sleight of hand to say health problems like obesity.
Obesity means fatness. Fatness is not a health problem. It’s being fat and being fat is a descriptor about a physical bodily characteristic like being blond, tall or big-nosed. There are health conditions ASSOCIATED with fatness (“obesity”), like Type-II Diabetes but that doesn’t mean that only fat people get Type-II Diabetes or that fatness causes Type-II Diabetes. In fact, it’s the sugary drinks that are part of causing Type-II Diabetes and as every thin person with Type-II Diabetes could tell you (and there are plenty out there), “obesity” doesn’t have to come between sugary drinks and Type-II Diabetes. Thus, linking the fatness to this and then showing those pictures of the toes of the Type-II Diabetic is just typical fear-mongering.
Yes, we should all strive to be healthier by reducing our intake of sugary drinks but there’s no reason to indict fat people in the meantime.
]]>“Nothing About Us Without Us,” says the Association for Size Diversity & Health in demanding that the voices of fat people and their advocates be heard in the national conversation about “obesity intervention and prevention” policies.
REDWOOD CITY, CA—The voices of fat people and the organizations advocating for their rights and health—at every size—must be included in the national conversation about “obesity” intervention or prevention policies, the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) demands.
Programs such as First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, efforts to establish “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month” in September, and legislation to establish BMI as a health “vital sign,” continue to move forward without any meaningful input from fat children or adults, who must every day confront being marginalized in educational, economic, civil, cultural, political, social, and medical arenas.
“It is imperative that we include fat people in the decisions that directly impact their quality of life and access to essential services,” ASDAH President Deb Lemire says.
It is time to replace the medical model of obesity with a human rights model, and ensure that discriminatory social and cultural norms not be institutionalized by law.”
“No policies should be decided without the full involvement of members of the groups directly affected by such policies,” Lemire adds.
“Have legislators considered asking fat children how they will feel returning to school in September during “Childhood Obesity Awareness” month?” Lemire asks. “Has the issue of bullying caused by stigmatizing children with larger bodies even been discussed?” “Recent studies - to be published in the June 2010 issue of Pediatrics - document that fat children are now 63% more likely to be subject to bullying because of their body size than are children perceived to be of ‘normal’ weight.
ASDAH supports Surgeon General Regina Benjamin in her charge to “change the national conversation from a negative one that focuses on disease to a positive conversation about being healthy and fit.”
Further, Lemire and the ASDAH leadership ask if policy makers really want to throw money into ineffective weight-focused programs when they could invest in the economically sound and evidence-based programs of Health At Every Size.
ASDAH is an international organization comprised of health professionals, scientists and activists committed to promoting all aspects of health and well being for all populations. Its guiding principles of Health At Every Size” recognize and promote the multi-dimensionality of health, including enjoyable and balanced eating and movement, without a weight-loss focus.
It’s a great article that brings up a lot of different points about fat discrimination and what fat people go through. Nice work.
Your thoughts?
]]>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Deb Lemire
Peggy Elam
877-576-1102
media at sizediversityandhealth dot org
“Health At Every Size” Offered as Solution to Harmful “Obesity” Strategies
Eating Disorders Organizations Supported in Call to Shift Focus to Health
NASHVILLE, TN˜The Association for Size Diversity and Health joins
national and international eating disorders organizations in urging school
administrators, employers and health policy makers to focus on health
rather than weight in all populations.
“We offer as a resource in this shift the principles and science behind
Health At Every Size that are available at our website,
http://www.sizediversityandhealth.org,” ASDAH president Deb Lemire said.
The weight-neutral Health At Every Size (HAES) movement calls for size
acceptance, an end to weight discrimination, and lessening of the cultural
obsession with weight loss and thinness.
Last week the Academy for Eating Disorders, Binge Eating Disorder
Association, Eating Disorders Coalition, International Association for
Eating Disorders Professionals and National Eating Disorders Association
issued an unprecedented joint press release expressing concern that
strategies in the global “war on obesity” fuel weight prejudice and contribute
to negative self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and eating-disordered behavior.
Their concern aligns with ASDAH’s position that weight-focused health
messages and practices harm the health of people of all sizes by increasing
body shame, eating-disordered behavior, and health care avoidance, and
by failing to address the health needs of all people of all sizes.
ASDAH is an international organization composed of health professionals,
scientists and activists committed to promoting all aspects of health and
well-being for all populations. Its basic principles of Health at Every Size
recognize the multidimensionality of health and well-being and promote
balanced eating and enjoyable physical activity, rather than eating or
exercise focused on weight loss.