Alright, so a few minutes ago whilst perusing CNN, I came across an article titled “Should all obese people lose weight?” by Madison Park.
Written quite seriously, the article talks about a few studies done and included some quotes such as…
“Our study challenges the idea that all obese individuals need to lose weight,” said Dr. Jennifer Kuk, assistant professor in York University’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science in Toronto. One in five obese people may not have medical problems, the authors estimated.
This just ticks me off. Big time. Understand that I am viewing this article through the lens of someone who has several family members who suffer from obesity. So, my reaction to that particular quote was to want to reach out and smack Dr. Kuk. Her study challenges the idea that all obese individuals need to lose weight? I’d like to know just how many times Dr. Kuk was dropped on her head as a child.
There should be no challenge to the idea that all obese individuals need to lose weight. If you are obese, you need to lose weight. Point blank. I’m not going to get into the reasons why people are obese, and I’m not placing blame on people for being obese. I’m stating the simple fact that even if you aren’t suffering from problems now, you will be. Excessive weight causes problems. It might be as simple as breathing or hip/joint pain, but it does cause problems. If it hasn’t caused you problems, and you’re obese…just give it a few years. Wait, don’t give it a few years. Do what you need to get it under control NOW before it becomes a problem. For Dr. Kuk to suggest that we are torturing those individuals who are a ‘healthy obese’ by driving them to lose weight… Well, I want to know what she was smoking, and where I can get some of that!
Let me state that I do not agree with the way that society views obese individuals – as disgusting, lazy, etc. I do think, however, that we need to provide support and encouragement for these individuals to lose weight. Not only for themselves, but for their loved ones as well.
Then there was a quote from this individual…
“The key message is I can’t tell you how healthy someone is if you tell me height or weight on a scale,” said Sharma, chair for obesity research and management at the University of Alberta. “I have to do additional tests for other health problems.”
Really? Okay, doc, so if I step on your scale at 5’6” and weigh 400 lbs, you are not going to tell me that I have problems? You’re going to have to do ‘additional tests for other health concerns’. Wow, buddy, you need to get out of the lab and into the real world! Lets face it – if I stepped on your scale and weighed 400 lbs, there is something going on there. It might be a mental illness, it might be a physical illness, or something else, but there is something going on there that needs to be addressed. You might have to do additional tests to determine exactly what the problem is, but 400 lbs? 5’6”? That should be a BIG sign screaming at you that “HELLO! I HAVE PROBLEMS!”
Luckily, there were a few quotes from people who seems to have their head screwed on right, like Dr. Allan Rader.
Dr. Allen Rader, a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, noted that a patient could need weight loss intervention even in the early stages of disease risk to “prevent or delay progression.”
Thank you, God. Someone with more than two brain cells and a PhD to rub together!
One of the closing quotes was that “Doctors agreed that there should be a more sophisticated method of assessing risk in obese patients, rather than just weight or BMI.” Oh. My. God. I think this is a case of too much education just makes you stupid. I really do.
Anyway, feel free to contribute your 2 cents!