Anyone seen this article on obesity?

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Replies

  • Jolinia
    Jolinia Posts: 846 Member
    WalkingAlong wrote: »
    "the average adult with sustained obesity has less than a 1% chance of reattaining and maintaining a healthy body weight without surgery."

    I think you have to realize it's not a win/lose situation like those sort of statistics make it sound. You don't have to be morbidly obese for life OR be a healthy BMI forever after weight loss. Losing down to just 'overweight' BMI has huge health benefits, from obesity. Losing and then regaining over and over is even preferred to what is the alternative for many-- simply gaining and gaining.

    This is true, but I agree with someone else (some documentary or research paper or other) who said that a lot of people get discouraged if they're still overweight after all their effort because they want to be a healthy BMI and look good, and this can cause some people to give up and go back to their old eating habits. I know I didn't work this hard becoming half the woman I used to be just to end up chubby, so I am one of those people.
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    WalkingAlong wrote: »
    "the average adult with sustained obesity has less than a 1% chance of reattaining and maintaining a healthy body weight without surgery."

    I think you have to realize it's not a win/lose situation like those sort of statistics make it sound. You don't have to be morbidly obese for life OR be a healthy BMI forever after weight loss. Losing down to just 'overweight' BMI has huge health benefits, from obesity. Losing and then regaining over and over is even preferred to what is the alternative for many-- simply gaining and gaining.

    More people need to understand this. I lost about 300 after RnY. I've gained back to a size 22, while my lowest was a 16. Some people look at that and insist it's an example of surgery not working. From my perspective, I'm still more than 200 lbs less than I was before, and I'm not debating between buying clothes in a 5X or a 6X. That's an entire person gone, and no intelligent argument can suggest that I'd have been better off not doing it at all.

    More importantly, I have a condition that was never diagnosed because it was camouflaged by the fat. If I hadn't lost the weight, assuming I didn't die of a heart attack before I turned 30, it's highly likely I would've died from DVT complications or developed one of the cancers that can occur if it goes untreated. The number on a scale is probably the least important thing anyone should be worried about in the grand scheme of things.
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
    WalkingAlong wrote: »
    "the average adult with sustained obesity has less than a 1% chance of reattaining and maintaining a healthy body weight without surgery."

    I think you have to realize it's not a win/lose situation like those sort of statistics make it sound. You don't have to be morbidly obese for life OR be a healthy BMI forever after weight loss. Losing down to just 'overweight' BMI has huge health benefits, from obesity. Losing and then regaining over and over is even preferred to what is the alternative for many-- simply gaining and gaining.

    This so much.
  • Lissa_Kaye
    Lissa_Kaye Posts: 214 Member
    The thing that bothers me about this stuff is no one teaches children how to control their weight in school. You don't learn true good nutrition in school. That's when you need to learn it, before it becomes a serious health problem. There is no money in it.
  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
    I think it is a very ingrained psychological thing. Comfort eating, not realizing how much you are putting in your mouth (and not caring either) is VERY hard to overcome. I think that some therapy and behavior conditioning should be included in a prescription for weight-loss. And honestly, in my opinion, it all starts with parents. Parents to get their kids outside, to cook with them, shop with them, teach kids the importance of portion sizes and doing active hobbies.

    I was not raised with proper perceptions of food. Food was a reward, a show of love, "starving kids in Africa" stuff. My son will be taught different, and hopefully we can break the cycle of morbid obesity in both mine and my husbands family.
  • Lynette4321
    Lynette4321 Posts: 37 Member
    That 1% statistic is very discouraging.

    I gained back the 80 lbs that I lost in 07 and then some. I just want to get back to a size 18 or 20 again. It's so hard to maintain. I did for a few years and then I had to take meds that put on the pounds.
  • jesiann2014
    jesiann2014 Posts: 521 Member
    dougpconnell219 wrote: »
    I think the problem is our quick fix culture treats obesity like an acute problem when it isn't.

    It isn't a disease... It is a natural consequence of certain lifestyle decisions.

    If you change those habits permanently, you will keep the weight off. If you go back to your old choices, you won't.

    That simple (absent certain medical conditions).

    Agreed
  • lisawinning4losing
    lisawinning4losing Posts: 726 Member
    I call BS. The body's natural state of health is to be a healthy weight.
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