Weight loss, "diets" and media

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Weight loss, "diets" and media
8
Fri, 05-14-2004 - 1:22pm

Now I hesitate posting this here due to it could cause a controversy (Hope not!) but Ive been reading a book called "The Obesity Myth" by Paul Campos.

  Shawna-- Proud Cl for 100 Pounds or More to Go 

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Registered: 03-20-2004
Fri, 05-14-2004 - 1:57pm
I haven't read the book, and it doesn't sound like one I'd spend time on. But as to whether obesity is a "myth" or not, I think all we have to do is take a walk and look around us to see the truth. America is getting fatter, and I don't think there's any "myth" about that.

Forte

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Registered: 07-31-2003
Fri, 05-14-2004 - 2:54pm
This is an interesting subject. First let me comment on the study in norway depicting people with lower bmi than whats ideal. Did this study indicate how many of those people were already ill? People lose weight due to cancers and other chronic illnessess. If the researcher has not eliminated those subjects from their data, or say they decide to even be purposefully deceptive and target people in their study who they know were underweight due to illness, well that would make the results of the study useless. same goes for the overweight subjects. did they seek out a broad range of subjects? or only subjects who were very healthy, no hypertensives, dieabetics, or heart patients? I'm not saying this was the case at all, but i have learned that research studies can be altered in many ways to get a desired outcome. We also need to take in account what types of food make the norwegians fat? Stidues have shown that certain cultures live longer because of their diet. I think I would have been more impressed with a study done on a different culture, like japanese who are known to live longer than average. you also have to look at what types of carcinogens the subjects are exposed to v.s. what we americans are exposed to. So much of the american diet is processed foods containing known carcinogens that I think it would be difficult to compare a study in norway to a study in the u.s. I would be very interested to see the same study conducted here in the u.s.a . As far as weather or not one can maintain good health and still be obese depends on many factors. If someone has a long family history of relatives dying young from high blood pressure, heart attacks, or diabetes related complications, then I would say that you are really playing russian roullette with your life. we have tons and tons of long term published studies showing the link with obesity to make your health problems worse. I don't think that can even be disputed. If you are talking about a person who is obese, in great health, no health problems or family history of health problems, or joint pain, or lack of energy from being obese, than I guess for that person weight loss may be optional. I personally can't say i know anybody who would fit that category, although im sure a minority of people in the world would. To shift gears a bit, i am blown away by the amount of very overweight kids at my kids school. My oldest is in a class of 30, and there are ten kids who are very overweight. my daughters third grade class has several obese little girls. now, when i was in elementary in the 70's there were maybe 2 or 3 kids who were fat in the whole school of the same size. now we have nearly 1/3 in every class who are fat. I firmly believe this is gonna be negatively impacting their longevity. studies are out that diabetes type 2 is increasing by a lot in kids. they used to never see it in kids, as diet plays a huge role in getting it and most kids weren't as fat as they are now. I do however believe the media routinely twists inforamtion to gain ratings. non/published research makes it on the news. research that has never been published in any reputable major scientific journals. thats why you hear the media report so many conflicting "new evidence" on this or that health or diet issue. okay thats my opinion. sorry so dang long!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 05-14-2004 - 5:16pm

Thank you for the reply Jen!

  Shawna-- Proud Cl for 100 Pounds or More to Go 

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Registered: 11-04-2003
Sun, 05-16-2004 - 11:19am

This is really interesting to me.

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 05-16-2004 - 12:32pm

Thank you for point that out Rely....I wasnt saying that there wasnt a health problem in the US....


1.

  Shawna-- Proud Cl for 100 Pounds or More to Go 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
Sun, 05-16-2004 - 8:44pm
Hey Shawna! I was at the Border's in Tempe, AZ and picked the same book up and read through it a bit.

I have to say I agree and feel the same way you do...there is MAJOR money to be made from the 'diet' industry, from phamaceutical companies offering kickbacks to doctors that sell and push prescription weight loss aids..I mean, this is a FORTY BILLION dollar industry we are talking about!


My thoughts:

1. We are all going to die. How fast you get there is up to you.

2. Your lifespan will not dramatically increase if you lose weight, unless you are

genetically predisposed to killers like high BP, diabetes, or any cardio-pulmonary

disease.

3. Being skinny does not mean you will live longer.

4. Working out five to seven days a week for two hours a day will not increase your life

span enough to make a noticable difference. Just the opposite may happen.

5. Quitting smoking WILL make a difference. By SEVERAL YEARS as a matter of fact.

6. Stress takes years off your life. Birthday cake does not.

7. An example - Karrie, our dear Texan, who is a bit overweight but ACTIVE every darn is a 1000 times healthier than my ex-hole Bill, who is 6'0, 137, a couch potato and a smoker. (I now refer to him as Billifer because I found out he's gay now. Hope I wasn't the responsible party!)

8. No one ever got cancer of the fat. Lipids cells are innocuos and very neutral.

9. HOWEVER, not weighing ENOUGH if you get sick leaves you screwed.

10. Change how you SEE, not how you LOOK.

And for all of you out there about to enjoy a delicious puffy treat, put it down!

(Kyle is mid-quit and having a nic fit and doesn't want ANYONE, including the smokers on this board, to enjoy a butt if HE can't. Anyone want his email? LOL)

HUGZ,

Shark Puss

Avatar for mundy2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-20-2003
Mon, 05-17-2004 - 10:21am
Hi Shawna!

I have just finshed the " Fat Girls Guide to Life", and really liked it. Wendy says things that got me thinking, and one thing she said was exactly this "media conspiration" ...

U know, I hadn't thought of it till I read the book, but one thing I'm sure: such books are also media and that's something we must not forget; just like the weight loss industry, the "non diet buddies" are also making money out of us, it's just a matter of choosing which one ur gonna give ur money to I stick to the buddies anyway.

There is a kind of thought very related to this modern world we live in: the one that says u must be healthy and young forever, and beautiful meanwhile. We just musn't forget that. And that's one of the greatest reasons obese people are so threatening.

Now I'm readint " Just the weight you are" and what they say is basically the same, and I think the same way. We spend our whole lives trying to diet and not succeeding! So, why not try a different approach.

I myself, have the very same fast food problem. I don't feel very enthusiastic about cooking at home, I love cooking, but food in my house gets bad usually, because I rarely have a meal at home, except for breakfast. But I'm trying to change that...

Anyway, thanks again for mentioning the Guide, it really helped me! (I l-o-v-e-d the tips she give about shopping!!!)


Mundy

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-31-2003
Mon, 05-17-2004 - 12:54pm
There is another benefit to weight loss that wasn't really hit upon in these posts. That is quality of life from being obese. Putting the health problems aside for a moment, and focus on how quality of life including,spiritial and psychological, improves with no longer being obese. most of us have discussed them here. example, not being winded going on walks with signifant others. Being able to play with our kids, and being a healthy role model. The vanity reasons that effect self esteem like not wanting to wear oversized clothes in the summer to hide our figures. wanting to look good in the mirror in the clothes we buy. the pleasure of feeling attractive to the opposite sex. Not being ruled by a unhealthy relationship with food. Feeling healthy in our bodies. Not being obssessed and ruled by our thoughts regarding food. I read an article about a lady who lost a lot of weight, who said something to the efffect "Instead of having a relationship with food, I wanted a relationship with my god, my family, and my friends". Man, did that ever hit home with me. When I would go to a party or family event, the first thing in my mind was I wanted to really focus on eating. It was nice visiting family, but it was secondary to the food on their table. That was exactly what I did. Occassionally I still do. reminded me loosely of the bible passage"no one can serve two masters. Food has definetely been my master, and I can't believe that is good for "MY" own mental or spiritial health. I think when we only focus on the health ramifications we are quite assuredly missing seeing the whole picture. Anyway, i understand that some of you don't feel the above issues are issues for you, so I hope nobody thinks im implying otherwise. These are my own issues and thoughts about my obesity. have a good day everyone.