Getting this off my chest...

emkrichardson

Before I begin, let me just say that I AM obese, and I AM on a journey to lose weight. Now, to my issue...

I'm really tired of people spouting off that obese people MUST lose weight because they ARE going to get heart disease/diabetes/etc. Or implying that it's all but guaranteed.

I read an article about whether there is such a thing as being healthy and obese at the same time. The article basically said no, because even if you're healthy now, you probably won't be later. I'm pretty sure they can't predict exactly what someone's health will be later. They can make an educated guess, but it's not for sure. So if you're healthy now, that makes you healthy. Smokers aren't automatically considered unhealthy because they'll probably get cancer down the road.

Yes, studies have show that being overweight increases your risk for certain health problems, but that far from guarantees it. Just as there are life-long smokers who live into their nineties and are hardly sick a day in their lives, there are obese people who live a full and healthy life without any major diseases. On the flip side, I knew a man who was in wonderful shape, who had a heart attack and died on the spot during an evening run.

To me, messages like those mentioned above are condescending, implying that fat people are too stupid to get out of their own way, so they need fitness experts and other related people to tell us what we should be doing. Is anyone else irritated by this messaging, or am I being too sensitive?

_Zardoz_

Before I begin, let me just say that I AM obese, and I AM on a journey to lose weight. Now, to my issue...

I'm really tired of people spouting off that obese people MUST lose weight because they ARE going to get heart disease/diabetes/etc. Or implying that it's all but guaranteed.

I read an article about whether there is such a thing as being healthy and obese at the same time. The article basically said no, because even if you're healthy now, you probably won't be later. I'm pretty sure they can't predict exactly what someone's health will be later. They can make an educated guess, but it's not for sure. So if you're healthy now, that makes you healthy. Smokers aren't automatically considered unhealthy because they'll probably get cancer down the road.

Yes, studies have show that being overweight increases your risk for certain health problems, but that far from guarantees it. Just as there are life-long smokers who live into their nineties and are hardly sick a day in their lives, there are obese people who live a full and healthy life without any major diseases. On the flip side, I knew a man who was in wonderful shape, who had a heart attack and died on the spot during an evening run.

To me, messages like those mentioned above are condescending, implying that fat people are too stupid to get out of their own way, so they need fitness experts and other related people to tell us what we should be doing. Is anyone else irritated by this messaging, or am I being too sensitive?

So why are you here if everything is perfect? Also remember an exception does not prove a rule

OkamiLavande

It's a common misconception. A lot of people I know don't think an overweight/obese person can be healthy. I know plenty of overweight people who are very healthy as in they workout on a regular basis and eat a diet of moderation and what they consider health foods such as quinoa and kale, and the like. It just depends on your physical fitness. Just because you have a bit or a lot of excess weight doesn't mean you can't be physically fit. You can be physically fit but maybe not like someone who is 10-15% body fat and lifts heavy. But if you can walk long distances and make it up several flights of stairs without being winded I think you're pretty healthy. It's all in perspective.

Unknown

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Strokingdiction

Per: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hdw/atrisk.html

Who Is at Risk for Heart Disease?

Overweight and Obesity (among other risk factors)

The terms "overweight" and "obesity" refer to body weight that's greater than what is considered healthy for a certain height.

The most useful measure of overweight and obesity is body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated from your height and weight. In adults, a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.

You can use the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI's) online BMI calculatorexternal link icon to figure out your BMI, or your doctor can help you.

Studies suggest that where extra weight occurs on the body may predict CHD risk better than BMI. Women who carry much of their fat around the waist are at greatest risk for CHD. These women have "apple-shaped" figures.

Women who carry most of their fat on their hips and thighs—that is, those who have "pear-shaped" figures—are at lower risk for CHD.

To fully know how excess weight affects your CHD risk, you should know your BMI and waist measurement. If you have a BMI greater than 24.9 and a waist measurement greater than 35 inches, you're at increased risk for CHD.

If your waist measurement divided by your hip measurement is greater than 0.9, you're also at increased risk for CHD.

Studies also suggest that women whose weight goes up and down dramatically (typically due to unhealthy dieting) are at increased risk for CHD. These swings in weight can lower HDL cholesterol levels.

Obesity and Cancer Risk
Per: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity

Obesity is associated with increased risks of the following cancer types, and possibly others as well:

Esophagus
Pancreas
Colon and rectum
Breast (after menopause)
Endometrium (lining of the uterus)
Kidney
Thyroid
Gallbladder

One study, using NCI Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, estimated that in 2007 in the United States, about 34,000 new cases of cancer in men (4 percent) and 50,500 in women (7 percent) were due to obesity. The percentage of cases attributed to obesity varied widely for different cancer types but was as high as 40 percent for some cancers, particularly endometrial cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

A projection of the future health and economic burden of obesity in 2030 estimated that continuation of existing trends in obesity will lead to about 500,000 additional cases of cancer in the United States by 2030. This analysis also found that if every adult reduced their BMI by 1 percent, which would be equivalent to a weight loss of roughly 1 kg (or 2.2 lbs) for an adult of average weight, this would prevent the increase in the number of cancer cases and actually result in the avoidance of about 100,000 new cases of cancer.

Several possible mechanisms have been suggested to explain the association of obesity with increased risk of certain cancers:

Fat tissue produces excess amounts of estrogen, high levels of which have been associated with the risk of breast, endometrial, and some other cancers.
Obese people often have increased levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in their blood (a condition known as hyperinsulinemia or insulin resistance), which may promote the development of certain tumors.
Fat cells produce hormones, called adipokines, that may stimulate or inhibit cell growth. For example, leptin, which is more abundant in people, seems to promote cell proliferation, whereas adiponectin, which is less abundant in obese people, may have antiproliferative effects.
Fat cells may also have direct and indirect effects on other tumor growth regulators, including mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and AMP-activated protein kinase.
Obese people often have chronic low-level, or “subacute,” inflammation, which has been associated with increased cancer risk.

Other possible mechanisms include altered immune responses, effects on the nuclear factor kappa beta system, and oxidative stress.


I don't play Russian roulette because I don't like the odds. Remaining obese is just a physiological game of the same game. Is ill health guaranteed? No. Do your odds climb drastically? Yes.

Railr0aderTony

My doctor said I was the healthiest 380lb guy he ever seen but it would not last. As i started to age the signs were there. I have sleep apnea, My blood pressure was starting to climb and it was a matter of time before other health issues were going to start to arise. Just because you are healthy today while young and overweight does not mean it will last. I have lost over a 100 pounds and still have a bunch to go but I am getting my health back slowly but surely.

OP good luck but do not kid yourself. Being Obese is a health risk.

emkrichardson

I'm not even talking about physical fitness--though you're right, it's all on a case-by-case basis. I'm talking about BP, Cholesterol, heart rate, all that jazz. If all that is in acceptable ranges, how do you not qualify as healthy?

ndj1979

I am confused..if there is nothing wrong with being obese, then why are you trying to lose weight?

emkrichardson

I'm not saying being Obese isn't a risk. I myself am obese and trying to lose weight. I'm under no delusions that there are zero health risks associated. I'm just seeing too much stuff lately that basically says "YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT OR YOU'LL DIE!"

I'm not getting my point across well, and that's my own fault. My issue is the sort of all-or-nothing language tied to the issue.

ndj1979

I'm not saying being Obese isn't a risk. I myself am obese and trying to lose weight. I'm under no delusions that there are zero health risks associated. I'm just seeing too much stuff lately that basically says "YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT OR YOU'LL DIE!"

I'm not getting my point across well, and that's my own fault. My issue is the sort of all-or-nothing language tied to the issue.

Ok - so now you are admitting that being obese carries certain health risks? I believe that is the point of all the studies/claims that obesity leads to cancer, heart disease, etc; they are pointing out that you have a greater risk...

I have never seen anyone say that "you need to lose weight or you are going to die" nor have I read that anywhere..

Kimdbro

What?

trinity5703

I think what happens to many people is they confuse the word "risk" with the word "will."
Yes, people who smoke have a higher risk of developing lung cancer
Yes, people who are overweight/obese have a higher risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
They forget that genetics also plays a part in our health over the long term, as well as our diet/activities

Case in point: My mother never smoked a day in her life. Neither did her parents. She didn't care to be around smokers as well, it played havoc with her allergies so she would remove herself. She passed with lung cancer.

My Dad had a physically demanding job, wasn't overweight, didn't drink, didn't smoke, and ate healthy all his life. His diet comprised of mostly veg and fruit, chicken, fish, very little red meat an very few sweets. He wasn't a fan of fast food, always said it didn't taste right, so he rarely ate it. Heart disease killed him at age 60.

After looking into my family history I learned that there is evidence of heart disease and various cancers stretching back several generations. So what does that tell me? It says that my genetics could play a significant factor in my long term health. It says that I have a higher risk for those diseases. What can I do about it? I certainly cant change my genetics, its there and it is what it is. I can however... reduce my RISK. I can eat healthier, exercise, I avoided taking hormone replacement during menopause (breast and uterine cancer are a risk for me) I want to do everything I can to insure that I die as a old old woman

Strokingdiction

I'm not saying being Obese isn't a risk. I myself am obese and trying to lose weight. I'm under no delusions that there are zero health risks associated. I'm just seeing too much stuff lately that basically says "YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT OR YOU'LL DIE!"

I'm not getting my point across well, and that's my own fault. My issue is the sort of all-or-nothing language tied to the issue.

So you want statements to be followed by a disclaimer like this:

Obesity will increase your chances of getting xzy diseases.

*Not all obese people will suffer from xyz*

parkscs

I'm not even talking about physical fitness--though you're right, it's all on a case-by-case basis. I'm talking about BP, Cholesterol, heart rate, all that jazz. If all that is in acceptable ranges, how do you not qualify as healthy?

The question is would your numbers be even better and would you be less at risk going forward if you were at a healthy body fat percentage. Let's say I smoke 2 packs a day and I send you a chest x-ray and say "BAM! No cancer! How do I not qualify as healthy?" Just because you don't have a terminal illness today doesn't mean you aren't at a higher risk for developing one in the future. Or let's say you do have high blood pressure - does that in and of itself make you unhealthy? Or does it just mean you have an increased likelihood of developing a medical condition later in life? If you did have high blood pressure, your doctor would likely take steps to reduce it to a healthy range in order to mitigate your risks later in life. The exact same logic applies to your weight.

SezxyStef

I'm not saying being Obese isn't a risk. I myself am obese and trying to lose weight. I'm under no delusions that there are zero health risks associated. I'm just seeing too much stuff lately that basically says "YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT OR YOU'LL DIE!"

I'm not getting my point across well, and that's my own fault. My issue is the sort of all-or-nothing language tied to the issue.

don't kid yourself...being overweight and/or obese does mean health problems...I was overweight for 20 years...

I am 41 years old and I had high cholesterol, issues with my joints, my nerves in my legs, exercise enduced asthma...and I was headed for heart disease...and strokes...

It is an all or nothing thing...what you don't get is this...you might be fine now but what about in 5 years if you are the same weight or 10 years...

My brothers (2 of them ) are headed for heart attacks before they are 50 due to weight...obesity and/or being overweight is a path to an early death even if you don't want to admit it...

To me, messages like those mentioned above are condescending, implying that fat people are too stupid to get out of their own way, so they need fitness experts and other related people to tell us what we should be doing. Is anyone else irritated by this messaging, or am I being too sensitive?

Yes you are being too sensitive...a lot of overweight/obese people think because their blood work and numbers are fine they are fine just the way they are...and need to be told differently...if you get that you are too stupid from those messages...Yah that's your issue not the issue with the message.

satisfyingmyinnerfatkid

I'm not even talking about physical fitness--though you're right, it's all on a case-by-case basis. I'm talking about BP, Cholesterol, heart rate, all that jazz. If all that is in acceptable ranges, how do you not qualify as healthy?

Well because it all has to do with chance. You are healthy for the moment but doesn't guarantee you'll stay that way, especially as obese people age their chance for disease increases more than people without extra body fat. Extra body fat can signal hormonal changes on aging cells which can cause malfunction which in turn lead to metabolic disease (diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, etc.)

But I'm curious what you think a normal heart rate is... because truly healthy people's heart rate is like between 60-80. I highly doubt yours is that low if you are obese since carrying a ton of extra weight makes your heart pump faster/work harder therefore raising your resting heart rate. Even if your resting heart rate is say 85 or near there, it's a true mark of health/fitness if you can get it as low as you can :-)

parkscs

I'm not saying being Obese isn't a risk. I myself am obese and trying to lose weight. I'm under no delusions that there are zero health risks associated. I'm just seeing too much stuff lately that basically says "YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT OR YOU'LL DIE!"

I'm not getting my point across well, and that's my own fault. My issue is the sort of all-or-nothing language tied to the issue.

I think you're reading more into those articles than is there. What they're saying is there's a great risk associated with carrying around a lot of extra body fat (particularly visceral fat) and they're probably trying to "scare" their audience by playing up what such risks can entail. At the end of the day, you can get as healthy as you want and you'll still die. It's all a matter of risk.

levitateme

I'm not saying being Obese isn't a risk. I myself am obese and trying to lose weight. I'm under no delusions that there are zero health risks associated. I'm just seeing too much stuff lately that basically says "YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT OR YOU'LL DIE!"

I'm not getting my point across well, and that's my own fault. My issue is the sort of all-or-nothing language tied to the issue.

People claim that all obese people need to lose weight for health reasons for the same reason that people yell at and berate smokers without even thinking about it. I smoke and am perfectly healthy but am told all the time that I am "killing myself" and "giving myself cancer." Obese people are killing themselves too, it's just rude to say so if you're not a doctor, and apparently, even then it's rude.

hkristine1

I'm not even talking about physical fitness--though you're right, it's all on a case-by-case basis. I'm talking about BP, Cholesterol, heart rate, all that jazz. If all that is in acceptable ranges, how do you not qualify as healthy?

These things do not give a full account of healthy. Think about all the extra pounds of pressure you're putting on your joints? I read somewhere (sorry, can't provide the citation and am too lazy to try to go find it again) that for every pound of body weight you have, you're putting 4 lbs of pressure on your knees. So, if you're carrying around an extra 50 lbs, that's equivalent to an extra 200 lbs of pressure on those knee joints. That is not healthy, even though it wouldn't affect your blood pressure (until your knees hurt so badly that you can't walk around and therefore get no exercise, which is bad for your blood pressure - not to mention your mental health).

In addition, can you get down on your hands and knees to play with kids? Is it comfortable? Can you do it for more than 10-15 minutes at a time? Can you spend an entire day at Disneyland, walking around, without being physically beat up? (sure, pretty much anyone would be physically fatigued after such a day, but some folks more than others...)

I simply cannot imagine that being obese does not, in some way/shape/form effect your quality of life even if it doesn't show up in a blood test.


ETA: I'm not really talking about YOU specifically - but folks, in general, who fall into the obese category.

Soccermavrick

Ok, articles are not normally written based on one person, if they were few if anyone would read them. Health articles are generalities. They look at percentages and what not. Just because my grandmother lived to be 90 smoking two packs a day since she was 20, almost never being sick, do I think smoking was good for her. (She died from Lukemia from smoking, btw.)

Our health plays a huge roll in future out comes. So do a number of other factors. I take responsibility for my bad decisions, and I move on. Do some articles reach a bit, maybe, but to mention things increasing the risks of health issues, it is true, for the majority. Whether you are in the majority or not, only time will tell, but the odds are against you. Honestly maybe we are not following the same stories, but I cannot say that I am noticing much.

wilsoje74

I'm not even talking about physical fitness--though you're right, it's all on a case-by-case basis. I'm talking about BP, Cholesterol, heart rate, all that jazz. If all that is in acceptable ranges, how do you not qualify as healthy?

being obese increases your risk of developing certain medical issues. Not all obese people will but their chances are higher. It's been proven and just is fact. Just like smoking increases your chances if developing cancer, copd, asthma, and heart problems. If course you might not develop these issues, but your chances are higher.

satisfyingmyinnerfatkid

I'm not even talking about physical fitness--though you're right, it's all on a case-by-case basis. I'm talking about BP, Cholesterol, heart rate, all that jazz. If all that is in acceptable ranges, how do you not qualify as healthy?

These things do not give a full account of healthy. Think about all the extra pounds of pressure you're putting on your joints? I read somewhere (sorry, can't provide the citation and am too lazy to try to go find it again) that for every pound of body weight you have, you're putting 4 lbs of pressure on your knees. So, if you're carrying around an extra 50 lbs, that's equivalent to an extra 200 lbs of pressure on those knee joints. That is not healthy, even though it wouldn't affect your blood pressure (until your knees hurt so badly that you can't walk around and therefore get no exercise, which is bad for your blood pressure - not to mention your mental health).

In addition, can you get down on your hands and knees to play with kids? Is it comfortable? Can you do it for more than 10-15 minutes at a time? Can you spend an entire day at Disneyland, walking around, without being physically beat up? (sure, pretty much anyone would be physically fatigued after such a day, but some folks more than others...)

I simply cannot imagine that being obese does not, in some way/shape/form effect your quality of life even if it doesn't show up in a blood test.


ETA: I'm not really talking about YOU specifically - but folks, in general, who fall into the obese category.

Well said on the additional points :-)

PJPrimrose

OP states : "To me, messages like those mentioned above are condescending, implying that fat people are too stupid to get out of their own way, so they need fitness experts and other related people to tell us what we should be doing. Is anyone else irritated by this messaging, or am I being too sensitive?"


I think you have a valid point. All the "omg omgomgomg!!!" in the media gets pretty damn old. Hysteria and fear sells. It's a fact.

Meanwhile, Smoking, being overweight, and not exercising decreases your quality of life. It's not how long you live it's HOW you live. Being out of shape and obesity causes joint pain, shortness of breath, over heating and just general problems in nearly every area of your life. It's even hard to find cute clothes.

You could be perfectly healthy and run the hell over by a bus tomorrow! How was your life today?

pkul85

See, the thing is when you say things like " all that jazz"-- i dont know if its because you dont believe in that jazz, or u dont knwo what it is? You have kinda opened up a discussion that is ALMOST all black and white . Bottom line- if u are obese, chances that your triglycerides are SUPER HIGH, are actually super high . Increased LDL and triglycerides = increased risk of heart disease, period. If you have increased TG, you most likley have metabolic syndrome ( which is the rest of "all that jazz" that you are mentioning).
If you are obese, you most likely have
-abdominal fat ( notice, i said 'most likely')-- increased abdominal fat ( abdomen is where are of your important organs are located : pancreas , liver, stomach, kidneys -- kinda, they are in the back)--leads to organs not functioning properly.
- increased body weight- puts pressure on your bones leading to early osteoarthritis
- increased fat : poor glucose metabolism due to insulin resistance -- high chances of type 2 diabetes
-do i need to state the obvious ones too ? affects ur heart ( heart attack, artery disease), increased risk of some cancers ( breast most notably), can cause u to have reflux problems ( acidity), high blood pressure..
- if you are obese and SEDENTARY : CLOTS IN UR legs, lungs.

It is black and white. The grey area are simply outliers , OR these people are maybe 'technically' obese on the BMI scale, but they are healthy, workout and are just "big boned".-- mind you, these are outliers. Maybe you are seeing so much of this on tv because we are seeing so much of it in society now and more people need to get the message. "too much weight, and u will die"- it may not be today, or in 10 years, or u may live a normal life span-- but be open to being REALLY SICK when it finally hits and hating your life. (i dont mean u personally, but u get the point)

leggup

I know the study you’re talking about. The reason that the news is reporting that there is no such thing as healthy obesity is because they tried to study people who would classify as health-obese: individuals who were obese but had normal blood pressure and cholesterol. That’s the classic example, right? Obese but with no tell-tale warning signs like diabetes, elevated blood pressure, etc. The study found that even those individuals were at a higher risk of dying from heart disease than their non-obese counterparts.

The study found that people who are obese are more likely to have hidden plaque build-up in their arties, compared to people of normal weights. That plaque causes atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, you name it. Having excess plaque can come with no symptoms. My father in law died of atherosclerosis. He was more tired, but we all thought it was because he was in in 70s. He died a few hours after chatting with my husband like any other day.

If you are obese, there is not a 100% chance you will die of heart disease. However, people who are obese but appear otherwise healthy are statistically more likely to be at an elevated risk for plaque build-up and the resulting conditions.

I brought up the anecdote of my father in law not because he was overweight or obese (I don’t know which he was), but because even blood pressure can’t tell you just how healthy someone is. He had recently gotten his blood pressure and cholesterol under control.

looseseal

I think what happens to many people is they confuse the word "risk" with the word "will."
Yes, people who smoke have a higher risk of developing lung cancer
Yes, people who are overweight/obese have a higher risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
They forget that genetics also plays a part in our health over the long term, as well as our diet/activities

Case in point: My mother never smoked a day in her life. Neither did her parents. She didn't care to be around smokers as well, it played havoc with her allergies so she would remove herself. She passed with lung cancer.

My Dad had a physically demanding job, wasn't overweight, didn't drink, didn't smoke, and ate healthy all his life. His diet comprised of mostly veg and fruit, chicken, fish, very little red meat an very few sweets. He wasn't a fan of fast food, always said it didn't taste right, so he rarely ate it. Heart disease killed him at age 60.

After looking into my family history I learned that there is evidence of heart disease and various cancers stretching back several generations. So what does that tell me? It says that my genetics could play a significant factor in my long term health. It says that I have a higher risk for those diseases. What can I do about it? I certainly cant change my genetics, its there and it is what it is. I can however... reduce my RISK. I can eat healthier, exercise, I avoided taking hormone replacement during menopause (breast and uterine cancer are a risk for me) I want to do everything I can to insure that I die as a old old woman

^ This.

shawmutt

What we really need:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_acceptance_movement

spirytwynd

I am glad you were able to get that off your chest. And I hope you feel better. No, I am not being condescending or patronizing. Serious, I am glad you got to vent. You are also right, we can't predict the future. While I could be on my way to a heart attack, I could get flattened by a car or a bus before I get there. Happened to a friend of mine. However, on the side of risk mitigation, the odds of bad stuff happening are greater the more risk factors you have. I am glad to see that you are making the effort to reduce your risk factors.

I was overweight and fat. It was well distributed throughout my body and I carried it well, so no one thought I was fat. However, I knew. I was the heaviest I had ever been. Running became a struggle. Not a good thing when you are in the Army. Push ups, sit ups, pull ups, yep, I felt every extra pound with every repetition. With sit ups, there was the belly bubble that kept getting in the way, right in the middle. I knew I had to make a change. And I did. That was 40 pounds ago. Amazing how everyone tells me how much better I look now. Now, instead of a belly bubble, there is a six pack without enough insulation to keep it cold. I may die today or tomorrow. But I will die feeling better, healthier and happier. Yes, it is worth it to me. I hope your journey is worth it to you.

And now that we have shared and gotten it off our chests. Group hug! Cool, now that is done, let's stop talking and get out there and DO something about it. :-) Have a great and blessed day.

MinnieInMaine

Yup, it's semantics - risk doesn't mean you will definitely develop diabetes or heart disease but you definitely have a better chance when you're obese. Just as smokers have a better chance of developing some sort of cancer. Genetics and other lifestyle factors play a part of course. There's no need to take it personally. If you know you're healthy, who cares what other people say?

Look, I get it, I was obese for nearly 20 years and was pretty healthy for most of that but I can tell you it started catching up to me and that's a major part of the reason why I decided it was time to finally make a permanent change. I have a genetic risk for heart disease and my cholesterol and blood pressure were slowly increasing. I also have a slight genetic risk for diabetes and cancer and being obese doesn't help with either of those. There were never any huge red flags but I could see the trends and knew I had to change or pay the price.

Also, I noticed that tasks started getting harder to do. I'd always been able to get around and do pretty much everything even with the extra bulk but it was starting to affect my mobility and ability to do things as time passed. And again, after a while I just couldn't deny it anymore. One shouldn't get winded and tired arms just changing out the shower curtain liner...

As others said, you might be able to say you're fine now but wait another 5 or 10 years and see if you can say that honestly. All that weight will eventually take its toll.

vastiris

I'm in the healthcare field (overweight, so it's hard to practice what you preach), but a lot of times the message also includes this:

Like you said, there are plenty of people who suddenly and tragically die from, for example, heart conditions who seem perfectly healhty (ie: runners), and unfortunately, a lot of times this is due to OTHER risk factors such as environment and genetics. And yes, you are right, being physically fit is not a free pass from getting cancers, cardiac issues, kidney problems, etc. But along with the "higher risk", which is statistically true (unfortunately), being overweight or obese also to a certain extent increases what we call 'morbidity', or in other words, being 'sicker'. The best example I can give of this is with Type 2 diabetes. We all know that being overweight increases your chances of being type 2 diabetic, but the difference sometimes between people who try to stay physically fit and those who tend to stay more overweight is often the kinds of complications that pop up, and how long they last for. In this case, a person who eats right and takes better care of themselves and adheres to medication if they have any will likely spend less time 'sick' as someone who doesn't - meaning that their circulation, blood sugar numbers, and overall symptoms will be lessened. Now, take that same person who is now overweight - they can take all the same steps and wind up in just as good health as the first person, but it will be a longer journey to get there, and in the meantime, you're adding all the 'risks' of being overweight to the 'risks' of unchecked diabetes, so that journey could have more bumps in the road. There are very healthy overweight and obese people in the world, but when you add other factors (many that we have NO control over), the risks start to add up, and the total sickness and sometimes severity is greater.

Does that make any sense?

Rags2Righteous

Most of us are members of the MFP community for health, fitness, and accountability, so in some way we can generally agree that getting nutrition and physical activities in order is a good thing overall. With that said, even science (as a discipline) is not without its biases and cultural worldview (although some would make you believe otherwise). Although I do believe the research that obesity *does* come with increased health risks (as mentioned in this thread), I also see what the original poster is saying. Even if it's not scientists, I have personally witnessed people speak in terms of absolutes that you *will* die if you are overweight (as if the rest of the population is somehow immortal, lol). Yes, the folks who engage in behavior that risks their health while managing to live a long time are outliers/an anomaly, we cannot look at someone's body and know exactly how much time they have left on earth.