They were soundly and justifiably mocked on Twitter, but since 280 characters really lacks in nuance, I wanted to get into it here.
According to the most recent report from the CDC, compiling mortality and health data from 2016, thirty percent of Americans are obese. Add in an additional forty percent who are overweight and you get the mind-boggling percentage that seventy percent of Americans, seven out of ten, are carrying around more weight than is healthy.
No doubt I’m aware of it, as I’m one of them. I talk a lot about fitness in my vlogs, and am finally making good progress to get back into shape, but I’ve been overweight most of my adult life. Never quite obese, but definitely not healthy.
Here’s the thing about body positivity – I’m all for it. I don’t think anyone should feel ashamed of their body, whatever size they are. Shame, anxiety, fear of what others will think, too often get used as reasons to avoid the gym, hide the treadmill, or stay away from the pool, and they shouldn’t be. I see some dude bigger than me sweating away on the treadmill, or lumbering the other way on a jogging path, and I want to give him a high-five, because he’s Doing Something!
But let’s not kid anyone, being fat is not a healthy lifestyle, any more than smoking or rampant alcoholism is a part of a vibrant long life. Weighing twice as much as a healthy person doesn’t make you part of some protected, persecuted minority any more than smoking two packs of Camels a day. I’m not saying you can’t do it, but in the same way that I don’t enjoy being in close proximity to folks who prefer to get their air through dirty little tubes that are on fire on one end, I don’t enjoy being squeezed into Seat 19C on an Airbus next to someone who literally can’t help spilling over the armrest into my space.
Recovering alcoholics go to meetings where they’re reminded that sobriety is a daily battle. They don’t gather around to tell each other that they’re just fine, everything is okay, and the world just needs to understand and accommodate their need to start drinking at 10am. Sure there are groups like that, but no one holds up college fraternities as pillars of healthy living.
Of the top ten causes of mortality in America (from the same CDC report) six are often exacerbated by obesity. That list includes heart disease (#1 killer), cancer (#2), stroke (#5), and diabetes (#7). Of the remaining four two (accidents and suicide) have nothing to do with anything. That means that in four-fifths of the leading causes of death that a person can actually do something about, simply losing weight will dramatically reduce the odds of death from that particular cause!
“Hey, easy for you to say, you privileged white guy!” I can almost here someone protesting. “You have the luxury of good nutrition, and working a 9-5 job where you can exercise after work. Some people live in food deserts where McDonalds and convenience stores are the only food options, and can’t exercise outside.”
You can lose weight based on a diet comprised largely of Twinkies and other snack foods. For someone with access to a McDonalds, even three meals off the value menus can be done on the cheap and with less than 1500 calories. Just don’t get fries, and drink water. For anyone who isn’t morbidly obese due to some kind of disease or genetic disorder, the biggest factor for weight loss isn’t exercise, it’s diet. Exercise helps, but it’s not the critical component. And as far as exercise goes, anyone with a smartphone can download any number of apps to help get in shape, even without leaving the house. And that’s not even getting into the number of exercise videos available on streaming services, or DVDs and even VHS cassettes still lining the shelves of stores, second-hand shops, and homes all around the country.
Again, because this is a sensitive topic for a lot of people, I don’t want to be misunderstood: fat shaming is bad, and judging people based on their size is wrong. We are all God’s children, after all, and He loves us no matter what size we are. But the danger comes in twisting a positive message (you are valuable however you are) into some sort of sick encouragement to a lifestyle that shortens lifetimes, and ruins quality of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment