FAT PEOPLE CAN BE AS HEALTHY AS THIN PEOPLE

weird_me2 · February 2013

Yes if it wernt for the fact that they were over weight..... over weight will always mean you are unhealthy

I think it is important to define what we mean by "overweight". My husband, who has always been a trim athlete, has also always been "overweight" by the standard tables because he has a big bone structure (a pediatrician once described his bone structure as "dinosaur bones") and is heavily muscled. He has a trim waist. Generally, what we mean by "overweight" is really over-fat. I think that is an important distinction. People who are over-fat tend to have lots of abdominal fat and health authorities say that abdominal fat is the bigger health liability (rather than the fat that women gain in their thighs and buttocks).

QFT.

I think everyone forgets the distinction between "overweight" by BMI standards and "over-fat" based on body fat %. Overweight by BMI standards but otherwise have a healthy lifestyle? Probably healthier than the skinny by BMI person who has several unhealthy habits. Over-fat and overweight or over-fat and skinny? Both have similar health risks.

SanteMulberry · February 2013

well I will agee to disagree...

This thread seems like a cop out to me ..if you want to tell yourself that being over weight is as healthy as someone who is not overweight then more power to you...

If you believe that I got a bridge to china in my backyward to sell you...

I agree somewhat. Of course a fat person can be healthier than a thin person. The thin person could elderly and dying. They could have been born with type 1 diabetes, or be thin because they have cancer and the chemo makes them sick all the time, they could have any number of diseases that cause them to be thin. And the fat person may be young and hasn't yet developed the obesity related diseases which are likely in his/her future.

But if you take 2 healthy people with all things being equal other than weight, where one is fat and one is not, the thinner person has a much greater chance of remaining healthy than the fat one.

It is much like smoking. The increased risk of developing lung cancer from smoking doesn't happen for years. The longer you smoke, the greater your odds of developing it. The longer you are fat, the greater your risk of obesity related disease.

It all comes down to how much you want to gamble with your health.

True. I was just speaking to a friend who lost her 38 year-old nephew from complications of his severe obesity. His parents begged him to address his obesity but, in the end, it killed him. He was food-obsessed. His Facebook page constantly referred to the rich food he was cooking or consuming at restaurants. He would make attempts to exercise but he just could not keep it up with his increasing levels of body fat (and likely, declining muscle mass because he was extremely sedentary. He worked from his home office--from the computer and telephone and played video games and watched television for entertainment. Very sad and such a waste. He was a very kind and likeable young man.

BarbieAS · February 2013

I sort of agree, I sort of don't.

I'm 60 pounds outside of a "healthy" weight range. A couple of weeks ago, I had some routine testing/bloodwork done at the doctor - just a physical. My blood pressure was 110/68. My total cholesterol was 181, with an HDL of 69 and triglycerides of 67 (truly excellent numbers). My fasting glucose was 81. Everything else fell into a normal range (except for a severe vitamin D deficiency, but that's not weight related). I have no signs of any typically obesity-related diseases - my risk factors for heart disease are very low, no signs of diabetes. Technically, from that perspective, I am as healthy or healthier than many people at a healthy weight.

But, it doesn't change the fact that I'm 60 pounds overweight. I'm only 32; those test results can (and probably will) change drastically as I get older if I continue on at this weight. Plus, even if I physically feel fine now, this extra weight is putting pressure on my bones and joints. Eventually, I'm going to be in pain. And the weight slows me down - I'm sure that as I lose weight I'll have more speed/strength/endurance.

So, I guess, that just because you're overweight doesn't mean that you currently have a number of specific health problems. But believing that just because you don't now means that you never will if you don't lose the weight is idiocy.

weird_me2 · February 2013

People who think being fat is healthy are delusional. Have we as a society become so overweight that we are starting to consider it normal? BTW, healthy is a subjective term that is not clearly defined in any health journal but what we do know as fact is that an overweight person is more likely to get diabetes or heart disease. The stats don't say every single fat person gets theses diseases, it says tthat they have a higher chance of getting them when compared to someone of a smaller frame.

I don't think people who think "fat" people can be healthy are delusional at all. First, the original post stated fat CAN BE healthier than thin. And it can. As many other people have posted, having healthy habits is probably a better indicator of health than size. Do we not hear over and over on here people going on about how the BMI isn't accurate for individuals?

Well, guess how they determine who is fat and who isn't? BMI. They don't go and measure everyone's body fat and say okay, you are 5'5" 125 pounds and 35% fat, you're obese and they don't say you're 5'5" 160 pounds and 20% fat, you're healthy. No, they say the 125 pound person is at a healthy weight and the 160 pound person is overweight. Who is most likely healthiest? Probably the person with 20% body fat because they probably have worked to achieve that.

We hear people on here all the time encouraging others to not focus on the scale and to not judge based on their weight or BMI but to focus on fitness and body fat %. So, to arbitrarily say that a person who is deemed as "fat" using BMI is delusional in thinking that they can be healthy is arbitrary. With my current LBM, in order for me to get to a "healthy" BMI range, I'd have to have less than 6% body fat (as a woman). Even if I lose 10% of my LBM (which I've done a good job of maintaining to date), I would have to get down to less than 15% body fat to be at a "healthy" weight. I will probably end up in the middle of the "overweight" range as I am working very hard to maintain my LBM and get more fit as I lose weight. I will always be "fat" by BMI standards but I can guarantee you that I will be more healthy than many, many "thin" people.

I think it's more likely that you are overestimating your LBM. It would be pretty hard for a 5'5" woman to have 20% BF and weigh 160 lbs. And darn near impossible for the same woman to have 6% BF and weigh > 150 lbs without some type of enhancer like steroids, which carry their own health risks.

I'm not 5'5", I'm 5'10" and I doubt I'm overestimating my body fat %. I realize that most methods do have room for error, but through various tracking methods I've used over the past 10 years, my LBM has stayed within a 5 pound range even though my weight has fluctuated by over 100 pounds. My body fat % has varied greatly, but when worked out, my LBM has not fluctuated greatly. My health markers are great, I eat a healthier diet than most people I know, and I workout about 5-6 hours per week and lift weights. Yes, I'll be a healthier ME at a lower weight, but even now I'm still healthier than many "thin" women.

I also don't believe it'd be all that hard for a 5'5" woman to weigh 160 and have a 20% body fat, especially if she works out and does strength training. Yes, not all or even most women that are 5'5" will achieve 20% body fat at 160, but that's kind of the point. Using the scale to determine fitness or fatness is not a great tool. I know many people who are in the "healthy" BMI range but are over-fat. My DH is one of them. He's only over-fat by a bit, but his health tests show that he is over-fat as he has several markers for "obesity related" diseases without being obese by scale measurements.

bcattoes · February 2013

People who think being fat is healthy are delusional. Have we as a society become so overweight that we are starting to consider it normal? BTW, healthy is a subjective term that is not clearly defined in any health journal but what we do know as fact is that an overweight person is more likely to get diabetes or heart disease. The stats don't say every single fat person gets theses diseases, it says tthat they have a higher chance of getting them when compared to someone of a smaller frame.

I don't think people who think "fat" people can be healthy are delusional at all. First, the original post stated fat CAN BE healthier than thin. And it can. As many other people have posted, having healthy habits is probably a better indicator of health than size. Do we not hear over and over on here people going on about how the BMI isn't accurate for individuals?

Well, guess how they determine who is fat and who isn't? BMI. They don't go and measure everyone's body fat and say okay, you are 5'5" 125 pounds and 35% fat, you're obese and they don't say you're 5'5" 160 pounds and 20% fat, you're healthy. No, they say the 125 pound person is at a healthy weight and the 160 pound person is overweight. Who is most likely healthiest? Probably the person with 20% body fat because they probably have worked to achieve that.

We hear people on here all the time encouraging others to not focus on the scale and to not judge based on their weight or BMI but to focus on fitness and body fat %. So, to arbitrarily say that a person who is deemed as "fat" using BMI is delusional in thinking that they can be healthy is arbitrary. With my current LBM, in order for me to get to a "healthy" BMI range, I'd have to have less than 6% body fat (as a woman). Even if I lose 10% of my LBM (which I've done a good job of maintaining to date), I would have to get down to less than 15% body fat to be at a "healthy" weight. I will probably end up in the middle of the "overweight" range as I am working very hard to maintain my LBM and get more fit as I lose weight. I will always be "fat" by BMI standards but I can guarantee you that I will be more healthy than many, many "thin" people.

I think it's more likely that you are overestimating your LBM. It would be pretty hard for a 5'5" woman to have 20% BF and weigh 160 lbs. And darn near impossible for the same woman to have 6% BF and weigh > 150 lbs without some type of enhancer like steroids, which carry their own health risks.

I'm not 5'5", I'm 5'10" and I doubt I'm overestimating my body fat %. I realize that most methods do have room for error, but through various tracking methods I've used over the past 10 years, my LBM has stayed within a 5 pound range even though my weight has fluctuated by over 100 pounds. My body fat % has varied greatly, but when worked out, my LBM has not fluctuated greatly. My health markers are great, I eat a healthier diet than most people I know, and I workout about 5-6 hours per week and lift weights. Yes, I'll be a healthier ME at a lower weight, but even now I'm still healthier than many "thin" women.

I also don't believe it'd be all that hard for a 5'5" woman to weigh 160 and have a 20% body fat, especially if she works out and does strength training. Yes, not all or even most women that are 5'5" will achieve 20% body fat at 160, but that's kind of the point. Using the scale to determine fitness or fatness is not a great tool. I know many people who are in the "healthy" BMI range but are over-fat. My DH is one of them. He's only over-fat by a bit, but his health tests show that he is over-fat as he has several markers for "obesity related" diseases without being obese by scale measurements.

We will have to agree to disagree. While what you describe may not be impossible (though frankly, I'd have to see the overweight woman with 6% BF to believe it), it is exceedingly rare for a woman. The scale is a pretty good measure for women.

Men are a different story.

LuciaLongIsland · February 2013

I wouldn't think that working in a nursing home would be a good sample set. What about 90+ year olds that don't live in nursing homes. My great grandmother is 99, still lives on her own, still dances and does kicks, and challenges men to arm wrestling.

That is wonderful. However, not typical of the general population.

fitfreakymom · February 2013

bump

twelfty · February 2013

surely it depends what healthy habits are adopted? and surely if one of those is eating healthier foods the person in the bmi of 30 would be moved to mid range bmi if consistently stuck to? the results are saying that someone who adopts healthier lifestyle choices will stay at a bmi of 30 and i just can't see that, encouraging people that the fact they're overweight they will less likely die early is just plain stupid

for the people on here who are doing well with their weight loss programs have adopted one or most likely two healthier habbits are on the middle of that table are probably feeling good and i completely agree being too skinny is just as dangerous as being overweight as we see it's actually more in the middle of the table

the other two ends of the table are completely unfounded.... one end you've got someone who is skinny but does nothing at all to be so they miraculously over eat and remain sedentary most days and stay skinny and the other you have someone 1/3 over their normal bmi eating salads and doing 10 mile runs every week....

also this says a bmi of 18.5 is healthy which it quite clearly isn't for the average person i have a bmi of 21/22 and feel too skinny... my ex was a bmi of 19 and was told by her doctor to put on a stone minimum so the "evidence" isn't really evidence it's just a retarded way of looking at the facts lol

fitfreakymom · February 2013

This is a tough one, I do not go by BMI because Bmi can say that a bodybuilder is over weight, I won't say that a fat person is as healthy as a person that is just slim but does nothing to be slim BUT I will say that a fat person is not as healthy as a fit slim person who works out. I have about 20lbs to lose ( maby a little less) I work out as hard as I can daily and for the most part eat healthy and within my caloric range but I would be kidding myself if I thought I was as healthy as say for example Tosca Reno. At the same time anytime I have asked my friends ( most being far bigger than me who think they are healthy) to come out for one of my heart pounding 5 to 10k walks, they don't come because they know that they are not nearly as fit as me and cannot keep up.
Anytime they have come for one of my walks they feel like they are holding me back and I feel like I have to wait on them so no a fat person is not as healthy as a person who is slimer and fitter. Part of being healthy is being at a healthy body weight and having a good cardio system which is only acheived by working out and eating healthy.

AbsoluteNG · February 2013

Someone said it here earlier. You're only healthy until your test come back positive for diabetes and heart disease which generally show up after the age of 30. If you want to be delusional and pretend that just because your tests say that you are fine being fat then I'm not going to stop you but each and everyone one of us know that a fat person has a much greater chance of getting said disease.

Queen_JessieA · February 2013

How many obese 90 year olds do you see around?

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

Now Carry on!

Ever been to walmart on a saturday?

I dunno about obese 90 year olds...but I see a fair amount of heavier 60-80 year olds!! Usually the 90-100 generation is a bit on the thinner side. Most of them would be in nursing homes.

And I disagree with obese people being healthy. You may convince yourself of that and make healthier choices, but you will not be healthy when your heart is having to work extra hard to get you from point A to point B.