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Is the "obesity epidemic" blown out of proportion?

Posted on Feb 5th 2008 1:30PM by Adams Briscoe

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment, Nutrition & Supplements

You've heard the reports, seen the headlines and even figured out which states weigh the most. There's definitely a growing trend among American (and UK) waistlines, but this article poses a great question: Are the claims talking about an obesity epidemic being exaggerated?

The British Medical Journal thinks so. Researchers argue that these claims are blown out of proportion in order to send an urgent message about health. Evidence linking mortality and body mass index draw random connections, they say, in regards to how we label people who are "obese." People can look at various reports, statistics and numbers to debate this issue all day. In the end, however, it boils down to what people are doing to curb this "epidemic" and whether or not we as a society are buying into the claim.

This type of question requires a personal stance too: Do you think the "obesity epidemic" is being exaggerated?

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2 Comment

Tags: obese, obesity, weight

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

amandacbauer 2-05-2008 @ 4:36PM

What about this story that says that overweight people have *LOWER* medical bills? http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1709882,00.html

Between the two, it makes me think we *have* overblown the obesity "epidemic." Also, I recently saw an article that correlated health more closely to *fitness* than to weight, though I can't remember where I saw it. Basically it was better to be a little overweight & able to run a marathon than to be "normal" weight but winded when you climb a flight of stairs.

Judy 2-05-2008 @ 5:15PM

Well, apparently I live in an are with one of the highest rates of obesity in the country. Sunday, I sat in the car while my husband grabbed a couple things in the grocery store, and I watched the people as they were coming out to their cars. It sure seemed to me that the numbers are pretty accurate. By my observations, it was the roughly thirds breakdown I know I've heard before - 2/3 overweight, half of those being obese.

I did find that story linked to interesting, but a story I read on the topic mentioned that lung cancer is a very inexpensive illness to treat, because people don't live very long. I don't know about anyone else, but I'll take the long, more expensive, healthier life, than the shorter but less costly one that comes with being obese!