Cure for obesity: Health at Every Size

 I am writing a grant and it is due in 6 days and for the last month I have been reading and writing about "Obesity."  I have been immersed in studies and statistics about obesity: the obesity epidemic, obesity related diseases, obesity and all-cause mortality.

The grant funders want to fund projects that abate (slow down/reverse) or prevent obesity. That's what the grant is supposed to offer, an intervention to cure obesity.  After a month of reading and study, I have changed my mind and my entire approach. I can't offer a cure for obesity because 1) obesity is not an illness and 2) there is no external cure.

I know that I may not get the grant by adopting this view- that obesity is not an illness, nor is it bad, ugly or morally bankrupt. But I want to broach the topic in this grant proposal of thin privilege, where the perception of thinness, just like other privileges  and ranks of status (race, wealth, gender) is given meaning by the culture. I understand that I will be holding one tiny candle up to the torrential wind of a culture in which you "can't be too thin" But the other side of that coin is the marginalizing and demonizing of fat people and instead of 'internalized oppression"(a product of racism) we have internalized "OBSESSION" with thinness. 

However, just like any other prejudice, thin privilege is predicated on lies. Here are three, just off the top of my head.

Lie #1 Thin is healthy and healthy is thin.
Not necessarily. Ever seen a thin smoker? or heard of binging and purging? I rest my case.

Lie #2  The BMI categories are correct and meaningful
Nearly all my life, I have fought with my body and my appetite because I didn't want to be fat. I've never wanted to be fat and yet, according to all of the BMI (Body Mass Index) studies I am fat.  I have a BMI in the "overweight" category and I have since I was 11 years old. It has only been in the last two years, since adopting Sacred and Fit, that I have begun to question what this number means.

When the BMI is used as a measure, Black people and white people differ on what is underweight, normal, overweight and obese. According to the statistics,  Black people's normal weight (lowest mortality) corresponds with white people's overweight category. But since it is the white people's "normal" number that is almost always used, this may result in a statistical over estimation of the number of overweight and obese African Americans.

Lie #3 Everyone should have a BMI that is "normal", regardless of race.
There may be racial differences in weight gain and weight retention
In a study just published, black adolescents did not loose weight as did their white counterparts who were monitored for two years, even thought they ate about the same amount of calories every day and had similar high levels of physical activity.  Read more here....

Because poor and minority people are more likely to be obese, there is a risk for race and class prejudice to influence the debate about the cause (no self control) and cure (just exercise and eat less ) for obesity. When in fact, study after study shows that periodic dieting almost guarantees failure to obtain long term weight loss due to diet-induced changes in metabolism. Also, strenuous exercise does little in terms of obtaining weight loss because it takes a whole lot of time effort to burn enough calories to lose one pound and yet 1 minute and 1 Snickers can undue the entire effort.  Note: regular exercise that causes you to break a sweat does help  retain weight loss when used in combination with healthy food choices. 

I won't even mention the role of public policy in creating "obesogenic" environments (lots of fast food, few parks and grocery stores) or the influence of lobbyists who advocate for "pizza" being considered a school lunch vegetable (just happened) or other larger cultural influences.

The only possible Cure for Obesity- Stop believing in the numbers.
If I didn't believe in the numbers from the BMI, the dress tag, the tape measure or the scale I could perhaps believe in my own health and well-being.  I could believe in my own God-given gifts and talents. I could believe in my purpose and my calling. I might believe that the size I am is the size I am, nothing more. I could focus on loving myself. I could increase my peace of mind.  I would be part of a new movement.

Next time, more on the new movement and the manifesto- HAES. Health at Every Size.
  Read more here...