FAT PEOPLE CAN BE AS HEALTHY AS THIN PEOPLE

peterdt

What's the benefit of being fat or being thin? Thin people can be as unhealthy as fat people.

1) Fun clothes to to wear. It’s so much more fun to show off a cute figure if you are at your happy weight.

2) You fit nicely into an airplane seat.

3) You can sit on any kind of furniture without fear of breaking it.

4) You fit nicely into a movie theater seat.

5) You can wear any necklace, bracelet, ring or watch you desire.

6) You fit nicely into a booth in a restaurant.

7) You no longer worry about stares or comments from people about your weight; if anything they will be telling you how good you look!

8) At job interviews, you don’t have to worry if being overweight will be a factor in deciding whether or not you will get the position.

9) If you are trying to date, being thin helps.

10) It is easier to keep a thin body clean.

11) It’s easier to go to the bathroom.

12) It’s easier to have sex. Sex is better.

13) It’s easier to enjoy any kind of physical activity that is fun, like riding a bike, taking a walk, swimming, hiking a trail, etc.

14) The thought of being seen in a swim suit in public does not sound mortifying. Buying a new swim suit might even be kind of fun! You might even plan your next vacation at the beach.

15) You can go up a flight of stairs without feeling like you are going to die. You might even seek out the stairs, because it is good exercise and will burn calories.

16) You eat in front of people now, not worrying what they might be thinking.

17) You are happy to see people you haven’t seen in a long time, not worried anymore about what they might be thinking of your weight gain. You are thin now.

18) If you have suffered from sleep apnea, it gets better now, maybe even goes away entirely, and breathing at night gets easier (OK, this is technically kind of a health one, but who doesn’t want to get a good night’s sleep?)

19) You fit into a cars nicely.

20) You will most definitely like yourself better, and feel better about things — everything.

I agree with most of these points. But many have to do with your own thoughts about yourself. Which you can eliminate with the right frame of mind. I could add many points to the list too. Quality of life is definitely affected for most overweight people.

The article says nothing to the "quality" of life. It just says that longevity is about the same if you maintain a pretty healthy lifestyle but just happen to be fat.

One of the potential benefits of an article like this is to accept and love yourself now, as you are. Fat and all. With this new better self esteem it is much more empowering for the obese person. With this guilt gone I think losing weight and/or maintaining a healthy lifestyle is much easier.

I'm personally still working hard on losing the rest of the weight. But it does feel good to know that the changes I've already made have had a significant positive impact on my life.

firstsip

What's the benefit of being fat or being thin? Thin people can be as unhealthy as fat people.

Come zombie apocalypse, people with a higher body fat % will have an edge (provided they are not zombies).

peterdt

I have a really hard time believing that article. Overweight and over fat are always unhealthy, period, end of that story!

If you don't believe it then look into the study. Read it. It looks pretty solid to me.

If you have another study that refutes this one I'd love to see it. I really would.

LuckyLeprechaun

How many obese 90 year olds do you see around?

quoted for absolute perfection

PikaKnight

What's the benefit of being fat or being thin? Thin people can be as unhealthy as fat people.

Come zombie apocalypse, people with a higher body fat % will have an edge (provided they are not zombies).

QFT

peterdt

How many obese 90 year olds do you see around?

quoted for absolute perfection

that's a very good question. there should be a study on that too. i think it is unwise though to assume the answer to this question as it seems you are doing.

peterdt

What's the benefit of being fat or being thin? Thin people can be as unhealthy as fat people.

Come zombie apocalypse, people with a higher body fat % will have an edge (provided they are not zombies).

Except for Otis in the Walking Dead. It killed him.

stephgas

i doubt that anyone here on mfp would see this title and say, 'oh, then i can go eat what i want and be healthy'. it's about sharing information that helps motivate us. are there specific health concerns that overweight/obese people have that thinner people do not? yes. but there are so many health concerns that have nothing to do with weight. based on my measurements, i'm morbidly obese - but have spectacular blood work, normal blood pressure, etc. the only medical problem i have that's directly caused by my weight is pain in my hips. however, i have other medical problems that are NOT HELPED by my size - degenerative arthritis, to name one.

does that mean i'm healthy? no, it doesn't. but being thin doesn't mean you're healthy either. when my father was at a healthy weight, he was practically dying from diabetes. smokers, drinkers, thin people with high cholesterol - fat or thin does not mean healthy or unhealthy.

what saddens me the most after reading through posts like this is how so many people take what was meant to be a motivating idea - that just because we're fat doesn't mean we can't be as healthy as others - turns into a 'who would even want to be fat anyway?' discussion. i am fairly confident that none of us here set out to get fat. i know some people would tell me to pull up my big girl panties and suck it up - people are mean to each other on the internet. i just don't understand why anyone would be here and not be supportive of others.

peterdt

i doubt that anyone here on mfp would see this title and say, 'oh, then i can go eat what i want and be healthy'. it's about sharing information that helps motivate us. are there specific health concerns that overweight/obese people have that thinner people do not? yes. but there are so many health concerns that have nothing to do with weight. based on my measurements, i'm morbidly obese - but have spectacular blood work, normal blood pressure, etc. the only medical problem i have that's directly caused by my weight is pain in my hips. however, i have other medical problems that are NOT HELPED by my size - degenerative arthritis, to name one.

does that mean i'm healthy? no, it doesn't. but being thin doesn't mean you're healthy either. when my father was at a healthy weight, he was practically dying from diabetes. smokers, drinkers, thin people with high cholesterol - fat or thin does not mean healthy or unhealthy.

what saddens me the most after reading through posts like this is how so many people take what was meant to be a motivating idea - that just because we're fat doesn't mean we can't be as healthy as others - turns into a 'who would even want to be fat anyway?' discussion. i am fairly confident that none of us here set out to get fat. i know some people would tell me to pull up my big girl panties and suck it up - people are mean to each other on the internet. i just don't understand why anyone would be here and not be supportive of others.

I think you get the point. Thank you!

mallen404

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/12/31/evidence-that-fat-people-can-be-as-healthy-as-thin-people/

This article was very encouraging. It's all about the lifestyle change. Certainly it is important to lose the weight for a lot of reasons (like stress on knees, making more money, a better self-image).

Also, the survery says nothing to quality of life or the fact that obese people are treated with much less respect in general in society.

But for those of you in a huge rush to lose the weight so you can be healthy guess what? The changes you have hopefully already made already are giving you a much longer life.

check out the graph in the article and it is quite surprising.

The 4 measured factors for prolonging your life:
1. eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables daily
2. exercising regularly
3. consuming alcohol in moderation
4. not smoking

Do you notice that it's not a medical research journal study that was done.. it's an internet site.. you can't believe everything you see on the internet.

All those 4 things, will lead to weight loss- I lost 10 lbs by eating better

xaMErica

I have mixed feelings about this. But I think you can be over weight and healthy. Talk to your doctor.. Its the people that are over weight that are eating junk and never exercising that are unhealthy.

SanteMulberry

I honestly believe this. I work with someone who is literally like 100 lbs. I am 150 lbs and for some reason she feels that she is healthier than me. She has asthma, bronchitis, and is hypoglycemic.... and I hightly doubt she can do too much as far as the physical activity/exercise that I do. I, on the other hand, have no health problems such as she does... And I am also very able to exercise for a reasonable amount of time and a reasonable pace... and still be okay afterwards.

I understand that the obese tend to have more health problems than smaller people... However,

WEIGHT is not a good way to determine ones health. (I can weigh 200 lbs and be pure muscle rather than be overweight.)

I think there is certainly such a thing as being too thin for health (otherwise, no one would be concerned about anorexia). Bodybuilders who get their body fat down to very low levels are not doing it for health, but for their sport. I heard a doctor talk about one of his patients who was a bodybuilder. The man had a LOT of health issues that came directly from the punishment that he was inflicting on his body.

I exercise, eat no junk food, and am in reasonable shape for a woman my age (even though I am overweight--but down from obese). The other day, I was surprised, when climbing the stairs next to a very thin woman that I know, (I suspect that she may have some anorexia issues). I wasn't even breathing heavy when we got to the top of the stairs and she was looking very winded (and she's probably 20 years younger than me). I asked her if she was okay and she said that she was. I've seen what she eats at lunch---almost nothing.

sweetzoejane

So, 14 drinks every Saturday is OK?

Awesome.

http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#moderateDrinking

I guess I shouldn't have said "on average." That must have thrown you off.

peterdt

I have mixed feelings about this. But I think you can be over weight and healthy. Talk to your doctor.. Its the people that are over weight that are eating junk and never exercising that are unhealthy.

yes, this is the one of the takeaways from the article.

peterdt

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/12/31/evidence-that-fat-people-can-be-as-healthy-as-thin-people/

This article was very encouraging. It's all about the lifestyle change. Certainly it is important to lose the weight for a lot of reasons (like stress on knees, making more money, a better self-image).

Also, the survery says nothing to quality of life or the fact that obese people are treated with much less respect in general in society.

But for those of you in a huge rush to lose the weight so you can be healthy guess what? The changes you have hopefully already made already are giving you a much longer life.

check out the graph in the article and it is quite surprising.

The 4 measured factors for prolonging your life:
1. eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables daily
2. exercising regularly
3. consuming alcohol in moderation
4. not smoking

Do you notice that it's not a medical research journal study that was done.. it's an internet site.. you can't believe everything you see on the internet.

All those 4 things, will lead to weight loss- I lost 10 lbs by eating better

look more closely. you will see a link to the medical study.

this looks pretty official to me.

http://www.jabfm.org/content/25/1/9.abstract?etoc

Otterluv

Fat me is probably healthier than a lot of thin people my age (according to labwork, fitness tests, blood pressure, etc.). But, fit me would be able to kick fat me's rear.

I am not comparing myself to others, most people are sedentary. Why would I be satisfied with being fat and relatively healthy when I could be so much more fit than I am now? Forget that.


But yes, technically being at a healthy body composition is part of the equation to health, not all of it.

peterdt

Also, I just got my bloodwork back. Everything was spectacular. Doc was very happy and surprised. But still recommended to lose the rest of my weight of course.

But I was already doing all 4 of the recommendations. I would actually say now that overall I am living healthier than most "thin" people. I get more exercise for sure than the average person. Eat more healthy foods (most of the time). I don't smoke. Rarely have a drink. It shows in the bloodwork too.

Of course losing the rest of the weight is my plan. But I am happy that in the meantime everything looks pretty good and that my risk factors for premature death are prettimuch the same as someone who is thin.

JingleMuffin

thin people can be as unhealthy as fat people too fun fact

Hanfordrose

Hover round!!!! (one of my favorite commercials) :laugh:

Now Carry on!

There is a great argument for AGE, but it does not really reflect HEALTHY people. Those folks need their wheelchairs, because of leg or back problems. The fact that most of those folks in the Hover round commercial are AVERAGE WEIGHT does not serve as an good argument for 'fat people over 90'.

Ever been to walmart on a saturday?

Now, you are talking about FAT people of all ages. Those Walmart electric scooters are in full use all the time. Some of the users are FAT and handicapped, like myself; but most of those folks in the Walmart scooters are not 90 years old. They are just FAT and/or don't feel like walking.

The original question still applies.

How many obese 90 year olds do you see around?

You would have to check out the senior citizens housing units and hospitals to get a better answer for that question.

Guess what? Most geriatric patients are NOT fat. Their bodies could not support that additional weight. It would be too big of a burden on their heart and lungs. Active senior citizens are not fat. Check out your local senior citizen center. Now days, they tend to have gym equipment and lists of activities for keeping folks active, on their feet and on the move...not sitting around watching TV or playing video games. Those are the curses of the younger population.

90 year old folks grew up without TV or computers. They grew up with real food not TV dinners and fast food. Grandma didn't have McDonalds. She was taught to cook and maybe even grow her own food. Grandpa had a radio, but he walked more than he sat.

Fat, senior citizens (even under the age of 90) are usually suffering with bad knees, circulation problems and back problems from years of carrying around excess weight.

I am 68 years old and have been obese to severly obese for most of my life, starting in my teens. My cholestrol level is fine. I am NOT diabetic, though I got close a couple of times. I don't have high blood pressure; but don't check my blood pressure, if I am forced to climb up stairs. I am crippled by years of damage to my knees. That is why I am in a wheelchair right now. I can only get my double knee replacement surgery, if I lose 70 pounds. Then, I can stand and walk again without pain.

Will I be healthy? No. I would still be 200 pounds, and that is NOT a healthy weight. I would just be a FAT senior citizen with new knees. If I live to be 90, I will be lucky. In my family, we have a history of everything from heart attacks and strokes to cancer. My mother was NEVER over weight, and she died of bowel cancer at 66. My dad was heavy all of his life, had several heart attacks and even a stroke; but he died in the Northridge earthquake. He had skin cancer and heart problems, but that didn't kill him.

The author of the question about 'fat 90 year olds' IS RIGHT. Fat and 90 is rare. Reaching 90 years old takes a certain amount of concern for your health, starting with your weight. You may not be able to stop cancer or an earthquake or a car wreck from killing you; but you can try to keep your weight in a range that won't wear out your knees and back. You can eat healthier to reduce the chance of blood clots forming in your blood. You can make choices to NOT SMOKE and DRINK ALCOHOL, because neither of those choices are going to make you healthier. They only add to the risk of you NOT REACHING 90.

Thanks to the writer of this post. You reminded me of WHY I MUST LOSE WEIGHT. I would love to have another 20 or so years to spend with my hubbie Ed. Ed's Papa is still alive at 94, and he isn't fat. Papa was a hard working dairy man for most of his life and not fat. Papa's beautiful wife is a petite 90 something herself. They are both healthy for folks in their 90's and still living in their own home. If either of them were fat, I don't think that their life would be what it is today.

marycmeadows

This is true. I have a friend who is 5'3" and is overweight. She is the perfect picture of health on the inside. But her weight is causing her some knee issues and her hip has been acting up lately. Her doc says that she needs to lose weight to see any improvement in the pain in those two areas. Because she is healthy, outside of her those listed issues, she won't lose the weight.

So, yes, fat doesn't mean unhealthy.

she will probably develop health issues as she gets older. a ton of health issues are linked to being over weight. I, personally, lost weight because my mom and dad (my mom is over weight and my dad always was) both have health issues..... between the two of them - diabetes, heard disease, chronic back/knee issues, high blood pressure, etc. I'd rather lower my risk for these things. Also, medical stuff aside, I feel freaking amazing compared to how I used to feel. I didn't realize I felt like crap, I just thought that's the way it was - but obviously it's not. and I think that's the thing with most people. they don't realize how much BETTER they could feel because they don't realize how bad they currently feel ((about me: 30 y/o female, 5'6'', start weight 303.4, current weight 186.4 and counting down)).

and yes, thin people can be just as unhealthy as fat people, which is also why I believe skinny does not equal healthy or beautiful.

FIT IS (and should be) THE GOAL