Are we over-tolerant to obesity?

by Martha Edwards (Subscribe to Martha Edwards's posts)
Sep 21st 2007 10:31AM

Scotland's Sunday Herald has printed a fairly scathing article on our attitudes to obesity, claiming that we are far to tolerant to fatness in North America and the UK. In other parts of Europe, the writer argues, fatness would be not be as acceptable -- hence less people are obese in such countries. But in the US and UK, being unhealthily obese is perfectly ok. In her words, it is a 'comfortable' experience to be obese.

What do you think about this? On one hand, I think the writer has a point -- obesity is not as socially acceptable in Europe. In France for instance, normal-weight people like myself even feel uncomfortably large compared to the svelte Parisians. But I don't think ridiculing obese people and making them feel out of place is the answer. Still, what is?

(Via Diet Blog)

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Comments (16)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jessica 9-21-2007 @ 12:51PM

Are you kidding me?! Being overweight is NEVER comfortable, societally speaking. Sure it might be more unusual to carry a few extra pounds in most European countries, but I strongly disagree that obese Americans feel nice and comfy in the States. Something about the fact that the number of people in America diagnosed with eating disorders has doubled in the past 30 years doesn't say "I'm comfortable with my body size" to me...

robin 9-21-2007 @ 1:08PM

I couldn't disagree more with the above comment. We make chairs bigger... we have carts for people to rent that are too heavy to carry themselves through the grocery store (obviously they are meant for the disabled, but they are used for heavy people most of the time). There is vanity sizing to ensure that we poor Americans don't get upset about being fatter.

Sure, Hollywood doesn't stand for obesity at all and the models are skinnier and skinnier than they used to be. But in normal day to day life? Just take a look around.

Bunny 9-21-2007 @ 4:03PM

I disagree VERY strongly with Robin. No one wakes up and says, "I want to be overweight"...... in fact, if you ask anyone who is "overweight", they would prefer to be "normal weight". There are MANY reasons why someone becomes overweight...... probably why it is VERY difficult to overcome....... I do NOT think that increasing social pressure will magically, overnight, "cause people to become "normal weight""....... I think that what we need is LESS cruelty to people and better insurance coverage for medical interventions [such as surgery, medicines] that have been proven to help people lose weight.

Pam Ellis 9-21-2007 @ 4:03PM

I think the Scottish newspaper is correct, we are too tolerant of obesity in this country. The cost to taxpayers in health care is immense, not to mention the cost to society of people not able do ordinary task because of their weight. It seems from all the television shows that feature the extremely obese that it is now almost a matter of pride to weigh so much that you appear on Dr. Phil, The Discovery Channel, or The Biggest Loser. Let's stop celebrating obesity and condemn it instead.

Richard Day Gore 9-21-2007 @ 5:15PM

I think we need to wage war on obesity itself--not on obese people. A healthy society is a more productive one, period. Having spent my youth obese, I can vouch for the fact that stigmatizing obese people in many cases only exacerbates the problem. Anyone who thinks overweight people "choose" to be that way should give it a try and see how much fun it is.
Regards,
Richard Day Gore

Andi 9-21-2007 @ 4:49PM

i dont think anyone has pride in being huge . what would be the point? i mean to me it would be a major low to me to be on shows that said i was a large person.
the opportunities to get help are good .. if it is there some are going to use it some wont though. you cant make a person be what you think the mold is.
a person has to be ready on their own. and you cant make them be .

Angie 9-21-2007 @ 10:51PM

I am not obese; I believe I am of "normal" weight. I don't feel that obesity is accepted at all in this society. I don't know a single woman who can say that they have never felt pressured to diet and lose weight. I also don't think that condemning obesity is going to motivate people to become healthy (if this is in fact the reason for their obesity; there are many reasons). I do not feel like the "obesity epidemic" in this country is interfering with my life in any way; therefore I don't know if we can assume that it has a negative impact on society or our rising insurance rates. I believe someone should conduct a professional study on how often and to what extent people at various BMI's seek medical treatment.

As Andi said in her comment above, you cannot make someone fit a certain mold. Its unclear as to why so many Americans feel that it is their duty to mobilize people to become fit and healthy. We don't have control over people like that and we shouldn't want to. We should focus on ourselves.

Angie 9-21-2007 @ 10:51PM

Correction to the second to last sentence in my comment that reads "We don't have control over people like that and we shouldn't want to". Should read "We don't have control over people in that way and we shouldn't want to."

Sorry. The way it was written the first time sounded like I wrote "people like that".

Gerry 9-22-2007 @ 1:45PM

Why can't we all just get along?

Do we really want to encourage MORE people to be disdainful of obese people than already exist? Is it still
acceptable to laugh at blondes, or flat chested women or people that stutter? Is it acceptable for "jocks" (male or female) to laugh at the non-athletic? I guess some folks always need some reason to feel superior to others.

Why do we care how much a person weighs? Aren't
their enough sad folks (of all weights) with all kinds of eating disorders (too much, too little, eat then barf, eat nothing but candy, etc.)? Do we really want to put more pressure on those that have body image problems?

Rather than focusing on how much some people
weigh what if we spent that same energy on trying to change our cultural outlook on what kind of food we all consume and do what we can to change the current culture of cheap junk food and overly processed factory foods in general.

I also always love when people throw out the conventional wisdom that fat folks cost society more
money despite some studies that show they in fact are likely to cost society less due to their generally earlier mortality. A fat guy that dies at age 52 due to a heart attack isn't going to be collecting Social Security or using Medicare like someone that dies in their 80's.

Annie Row 9-22-2007 @ 3:01PM

To some extent i agree with the article. I mean, people do look down on extremely obese people but ususally behind closed doors. Otherwise if someone is really overweight their freinds and family generally try not to hurt their feelings and what's worse, people actually incourage it. I have worked as a waitress as well as at an ice cream store and larger people are frequent customers who come in with their freinds and no one tells them "You shouldn't eat all that. At this point it's going to kill you." Food has become like a drug to some people, as in they are addicted to it. Yet, if we see people abusing alchohal, drugs, or smoking, people will have something to say. But when an unhealthily obese person buys a large meal, with extra meat, a soft drink and dessert no one is going to tell them not to. Frankly I dont think people who are morbidlly obese should be served the oversized amount of food they ask for- for their own health. The most disturbing thing is when obese people bring their young overweight children and feed them excessive amounts of junk food. That is just wrong. By no means am i saying people should try to be un naturally skinny, but neither should they be overwieght. There's a place in between and its called healthy.

Angie 9-22-2007 @ 7:17PM

Annie Row,

The difference is that drugs are illegal and food is not. We would all be miserable if we took it upon ourselves to judge the content of what others are eating. It is not our responsibility and to be honest people are never inclined to lose weight or stop eating junk because someone told them to. I have a brother who is addicted to drugs and he doesn't stop because we ask him to (actually, we beg, drag him to psychologists and drug counselors, etc.) Wanting to eat and become physically healthy is inside all of us and is an extremely personal decision and experience.

finagle38 9-22-2007 @ 11:27PM

I don't support "condemning Obesity" but I do find many obese people to be very obnoxious towards anyone who is not. Seriously. In a the US 66% of the population is overweight which means physical fit people are going to be in the minority wherever they go and have to deal with a lot of mob-majority attitudes from overweight people who consider themselves to be "normal". I've worked in an office full of overweight women so believe me, I know. To me the issue is not whether or not society is too tolerant of obesity. Obesity is a personal lifestyle choice. The issue is whether or not obese people themselves are tolerant of the fact that not everyone wants to look like them.

trica 9-23-2007 @ 1:48AM

well hey world, I'm fat. Do I want to be....no. Can I change it....not so far. Do the doctors know why I can't lose......sure I am insulin resistant...........can they fix that.....no not really. I eat less than a small child.

Peoples metabolism and genetics decide if you gain easy or not. Some of you seem to think that most fat people are out just gorging themselves to death and that your criticism is called for. Until you have truly walked in anothers shoes your judgement is immature. The lack of being able to see all aspects of this problem shows how little the box one lives in.

michelle 9-24-2007 @ 5:57PM

I am sick and tired of obese people. They hog my seat in planes, they run into me in the shopping carts that are there for disabled people, not those who think 2 Big Macs for $2 is the way to go. If it were a health issue, there'd be few of them instead of the incredible amount of them around. Cold states seem to have more fatsos as if wearing more clothes hides it. Thank heavens they do have to wear more clothes or we'd have to see their fat all the time. Fat people actually wear revealing clothing like they're attractive and we have to look at their fat rolls, sick!!!

richard day gore 9-24-2007 @ 6:07PM

Gee, Michelle, it sounds like you'd like to put them into camps and ovens. How dreadful for you that God just went ahead and put other people in YOUR world.

Gerry, I couldn't agree with you more--

"Rather than focusing on how much some people
weigh what if we spent that same energy on trying to change our cultural outlook on what kind of food we all consume and do what we can to change the current culture of cheap junk food and overly processed factory foods in general."

That would be a tough battle but one worth fighting.

Chris E. 9-27-2007 @ 10:23AM

I agree that everyone has a different set of genes and this affects their tendency to gain weight or be large. I also believe there are "very few" that can't do something about their weight.

I am 5'8" and I weight 148lbs currently and I work extremely hard to stay between 148-158. My identical twin was 220 lbs for years and has recently dropped to 170. The men in my family have a tendency to be large. I excercise and eat primarily healthy to stay in shape. I am not a diet or exercise freak either.

To those who just want to find excuses for everything I say "leave it and do something for yourself!"