Look at this visual 250 lb woman vs 120 lb woman (pic)

It is not just the adipose tissue that sets them apart. Look at the hip, knee and especially the ankle joints. All look compressed and out of alignment. I would like to see a back view as well because I know my back suffered with the extra weight I was carrying and is much better now.

Seeing this really brings it home the kind of damage being overweight can do to your body, damage that we can't see. Just because you do not have diabetes or high blood pressure etc does not mean you are healthy on the inside.

I was definitely going to point out the ankles, but you're spot on with the knees and hips.

even the brain looks soemwhat differnt

Very useful post. Lots of food for thought. There are political and business reasons for calling obesity a disease. It may or may not be in reality. Personally I think it's mostly a self-inflicted health issue and probably is a disease. More than likely it's a syndrome that leads to real diseases.

Thanks for posting.

ok what is that black turdey stuff in that 250 pound woman's stomach area? ewww..

By the way, inside both of them are a 120 pound woman, the one on the left just has more padding to get to it.. but inside, they are the same really.

:huh: Really? It's poop and gas. You're full of it too (no pun intended :laugh:) just like everyone else. Everybody poops. lol.

And no, the bodies are not the same minus the "padding." The obese woman has cardiomegaly (which resulted from her body requiring her heart to pump harder to perfuse blood to her excess tissues), her lungs cannot fully expand (because of displacement from visceral fat), and she has extra visceral fat, predisposing her to T2DM, insulin resistance, and other obesity-related diseases.

yeah and what I was trying to say was that inside every 250 pound woman is a 120 pound woman (or 150 or whatever is your ideal weight).

Hmmmm on 2nd thought, the 250 pound woman has her organs overworking, and probably damage to parts like knees due to extra weight and the heart having to pound extra hard, so perhaps there is more than we can see, based on deterioration and wear and tear of the overweight body.

Whoops! Sorry, I misunderstood your 120lb-in-a-250lb-woman statement! My bad!

But yeah, this is the perfect example of why it's important that the medical community has deemed obesity a disease. Her organs are working harder, certainly. You can really see the difference in the livers, too. I wish there were a posterior shot so we could see the kidneys and the spines to compare. I'm trying to track down the original but I can't find it yet... The photo itself is at least 3 years old.

Yeah, but this is only going to be used an excuse for people and doctors to give the OKAY on prescribing "diet" pills... No what people need is support, personal trainers, and nutritionists so people have an IDEA on how to be healthy. Some people can't afford this, so yeah... health insurance should cover this part of it... They need to know that healthy eating habits are cheaper than eating a bunch of junk (and I don't me versus medical bills). Also they need to learn how to COOK healthy.

Drugs? No... but it will happen, you watch... there will be this "miracle" pill they'll try shoving down our fat throats just to squeeze more money out of someone because fat people are desperate.

Making obesity a diagnosable condition means that it becomes a treatable condition for doctors and nurses. Some health insurance companies are also incentivizing weight loss, preventive care, and health-improving measures - without drugs.

There are already diet pills abounding, and desperate people don't need a doctor with a prescription pad to get them- just a computer with internet access. There will still be quacks writing scripts, I'm sure, just as there are doctors that overprescribe narcotics. Medicalizing obesity means health care professionals can start a serious dialog about losing weight and preventing obesity-related diseases, instead of simply saying "Lose the weight" at every weigh in. It opens the door for educational discussions. Maybe some of these patients do need to be seeing specialists (a nutritionist or therapist or endocrinologist). If having that diagnosis means they can get the referral and get the visits covered by insurance, I'm all for it.

You're right, a lot of education needs to happen. This is part of that process, explaining how obesity affects the organ systems, lifespan, and quality of life. And these doctors and nurses who will be leading this education won't be limited to fancy-pants health spas and clinics in Beverly Hills. These doctors and nurses also work in free clinics.

fascinating

Wow ~ an eyeopener for sure!

Thanks for sharing!

All of that white material is fat. I am in the medical field and have done MRI exams on patients. You can see the white "bright" fat on certain scans. It is always an eye opener and for me. I am apple shaped (hence the username "maineapple") and carry my extra weight around my midsection. I am at greater risk for diabetes and heart disease than others who carry their weight around their hips (pear shaped folks).

Kinda blew my mind.. I thought u all would like it as well!

These two pictures show body scans of two women approximately the same age and height. The one on the left weighs 113 kg (250 lbs), while the one on the right weighs 54 kg (120 lbs). Accumulated adipose tissue is not the only difference between the two; the obese woman has an enlarged heart and her lungs are somewhat restricted.

Obesity has recently been declared a disease by the American Medical Association. While this does not have any legal ramifications, it may encourage doctors and insurance companies to take more steps in treating and preventing obesity. However, many disagree with the AMA's definition, citing that obesity is a complex issue with multiple causes and treatment options.

Obesity is defined as having a body mass index over 30 kg/m^2. It greatly increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and osteoarthritis.

More info: http://bbc.in/14whyV6

Posting this again as a Reminder of Why this Journey Is Worth It!!

I startd this journey at 260.9 pounds, so just 10 pounds heavier (and 2 inches shorter, per the magazine page above). Talk about an eye-opener.

Woah!

Fascinating.

Yet scary.

This never gets old. When I see my imperfect, aging body in the mirror and feel my knees giving me hell even though they aren't carrying an extra me around, I can still come look at this image and realize how much I've done for myself by losing the weight I've lost.

I saw this picture online once. It was referencing how some people blame their obesity on being "big boned:"

This is rarely ever, or never ever, the case.

Wow... talk about motivation! I think I need to print out a copy of that.

False, I have more muscle than that 120 lb chick.