Do you think someone can be obese and healthy?
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Just from my own experience with my family/relatives-no. But, for them they gained weight for several years and then in their 40s that's when they started having all the health issues, mainly type 2 diabetes. I was following the same pattern-weight crept on over several years and was overweight by my young 30s, and surprise surprise, started having glucose numbers in the pre-diabetic range. I was right on track to also developing type 2 diabetes like they all had. Except I decided to say 'screw that' and I lost the weight (first one in my family, except for my sister, to do that for several generations).
Now my fasting glucose level is around 89. I don't know how big of a role genetics will play a roll, but I'm pretty sure my chances are better now to avoiding some of the health problems my family has had to deal with, than when I was overweight. Because of my family history my doctore has labeled me high risk for type two diabetes. But every single family member of mine that has/had type two diabetes is/was obese. So is it really genetics, or is it because they're all obese? Time will tell!0 -
It depends. How, exactly, are you defining "obese?"
Also, how, exactly, are you defining "healthy?"
^^^This.
By definition (BMI), I'm obese.
Same here. Technically obese....resting pulse of 48 (pre-pregnancy...i'm 23 weeks now), good cholesterol, normal to low blood pressure, awesome aerobic threshold and metabolic test results, normal sugar levels. It's totally possible....My husband is technically obese, also, and has raced two half iron mans, dozens of triathlons, marathons, mountain bike races (placing in his age group), all his medical results are normal and healthy. So, totally possible...
I think you're basing the definition of obesity on weight. Obesity is based on fat percentage. Your hubby is not obese. He may weigh more than is recommended, but those recommendations do not take into account muscle.
You can be obese (30% body fat or over) and be HEALTHY, but only because of youth and genetics. You cannot be obese and be FIT. It's impossible. The definition of fit means having less than 30% body fat.0 -
It depends. How, exactly, are you defining "obese?"
Also, how, exactly, are you defining "healthy?"
^^^This. I know overweight people who run marathons and people in the healthy weight range who can barely walk up a few flights of stairs without having to take a break.0 -
I wanted to hear others general opinion on obesity and health, that's kind of why I left the question so open.
Obesity is a specific measurement of body fat content. Anyone over 30% body fat is obese. Can someone be healthy and be obese? Sure, but they won't be for long. They are usually young and relying on genetics. You CANNOT under any circumstances be obese and be FIT.0 -
You'll have to define "healthy". For most of human history, if you weren't packing an extra 20-30 pounds, there was a good chance you weren't making it through the winter.0
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The definition of fit means having less than 30% body fat.
Whose definition?0 -
Healthy compared to others in your same category yes, healthy compared to yourself at a healthy bf% no!0
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Thats a question for a doctor, I have a couple of medical conditions that are otherwise well managed, but slows the metabolism conciderably and makes it difficult for me to sustain an elevated heart rate, and have weak connective tissue. According the the BMI I am obese, but have excellent cholesterol, blood pressure, have a healthy diet, am fairly active. In fact, other than painful knees sometimes, which is as much a result of poor connective tissue as it is the weight I carry, which I am focusing on strength training to counteract, and not being able to sustain longer periods of intense activity, which wouldn't be any better no matter my weight, I have no weight related health problems or health risks for heart disease, diabetes, etc. My doctor has pronounced me healthy.0
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Probably not. The frame of the body isn't designed to support that kind of mass which is why ALL obese people have joint and pain issues. Not to mention if the weight is "pushed" against the internal organs, it's going to affect the efficiency of how they work.Do you? Please give reasoning as to why or why not
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
no
studies say so0 -
I have been obese all my life, and by a doctor's definition, I am healthy. I have great cholestorol, great blood pressure, normal sugar levels, etc. The doctors were actually surprised to report how healthy I was. I am also only 22 years old. If I continue to be obese, chances are I am not going to stay anywhere near healthy when I get older. It's all very relative.
This. It's just a matter of time before your body just can't take it any more, as I learned the hard way.0 -
no
studies say so
Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.0 -
It depends. How, exactly, are you defining "obese?"
Also, how, exactly, are you defining "healthy?"
According to the Oxford Dictionary definitions, obese means "grossly fat or overweight" or "very fat, in a way that is not healthy".
So going by the dictionary definition, no, someone cannot be both obese and healthy.0 -
The definition of fit means having less than 30% body fat.
Whose definition?
The AMA, for starters. ACE...ACFF,...NASM.
Pick one.0 -
You can be medically classed as obese (weight) and be healthy.
I went to a doctor with a back injury, after being pulled around he
then weighed me and told me to lose weight as I was obese,
about 25 lbs over top end of ideal weight.
I laughed a lot and told him I can bench press 260 lbs run a mile
in 6 minutes and have a BF less than 20% and limped out the room.
The point is that weight, obesity is not a gauge of health, body fat,
blood pressure etc are the true gauge for good health and I'm not
sure if some doctors have caught up that fact yet.
Body builders are generally classed as medically obese but I would
not class a body builder as unhealthy.0 -
You can be medically classed as obese (weight) and be healthy.
I went to a doctor with a back injury, after being pulled around he
then weighed me and told me to lose weight as I was obese,
about 25 lbs over top end of ideal weight.
I laughed a lot and told him I can bench press 260 lbs run a mile
in 6 minutes and have a BF less than 20% and limped out the room.
The point is that weight, obesity is not a gauge of health, body fat,
blood pressure etc are the true gauge for good health and I'm not
sure if some doctors have caught up that fact yet.
Body builders are generally classed as medically obese but I would
not class a body builder as unhealthy.
You're not medically classified as obese just because of weight. Anybody that says different is just wrong. 20% of body fat does not make you obese.0 -
If your body fat % is at 20%, you're far from obese.You can be medically classed as obese (weight) and be healthy.
I went to a doctor with a back injury, after being pulled around he
then weighed me and told me to lose weight as I was obese,
about 25 lbs over top end of ideal weight.
I laughed a lot and told him I can bench press 260 lbs run a mile
in 6 minutes and have a BF less than 20% and limped out the room.
The point is that weight, obesity is not a gauge of health, body fat,
blood pressure etc are the true gauge for good health and I'm not
sure if some doctors have caught up that fact yet.
Body builders are generally classed as medically obese but I would
not class a body builder as unhealthy.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
How many active, obese, senior citizens do you see? Keyword active. Youth is forgiving of poor body maintenance, just not for long...0
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I laughed a lot and told him I can bench press 260 lbs run a mile in 6 minutes and have a BF less than 20%...
You can do those things and still be unhealthy. I'm not talking about you specifically, I mean in general.
If your skeleton is carrying significantly more weight than it is designed for, it doesn't matter how much you can bench press, you're a medical accident waiting to happen. And we see this all the time with professional athletes in sports that accentuate asymmetric body development (i.e., American Football) - "healthy" for a few peak years and then decades of health problems as a direct consequence.0 -
Do you? Please give reasoning as to why or why not
My fiancé's mom is really overweight (I feel obese would be too extreme of a term for her size, but she's quite big), and she always comes back from the doctor and says "I'm healthy! They always tell me I'm healthy even though I'm overweight." The only problem she really has is that she has chronic knee pain. However, I think this "healthy" state can't last forever... so in short, my answer is no...0
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