mta
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response 28 of 61:
| Sep 11 21:36:18 UTC 1998 |
OK, John, I finally found a definition for fatness and obesity on the U of
Chicago web site.
* Fat is defined as a body mass index 25 or above.
* Obesity is defined as a body mass index 40 or above.
Sindi, You're right that that book makes some pretty insulting assumptions --
most of them are pretty blatent, though. ;)
The problems they describe are almost universally those of lack of fitness!
The xtra weight on the front of the body could certainly be a problem if you've
less the abdominal muscles and the back muscles atrophy. And certainly in that
case a person with a large belly is going to be in more trouble than a thinner
person (or a person who carries their fat better proportioned over their body.)
The exception is the assumption that fatness causes diabetes. They have that
backwards. Excess insulin in the blood causes fatness, and in the eearly
stages of diabetes when the cells have become somewhat insulin resistant, but
the pancreas has not yet become exhausted, a pre-diabetic may have *a lot* of
spare insulin running around loose that the cells aren't able to use -- thus
packing on the pounds.
These finding came out of research done when doctors began to realize that the
changes recommended to the diabetics lifestyle began to make significant
improvements in blood sugar levels long before (and regardless of whether) any
weight was lost. The researchers came to the conclusion that the lifestyle
changes may result in weight loss, but that the weight loss was not the cause
of the improvement in blood sugar levels.
There appeared to have been a correlation, but it was more likely that the
change in lifestyle ws the cause of both.
Obesity as inconvenient? I suppose it is occasionally -- but being very thin
looks equally inconvenient. (I'm rarely cold. My thin friends are often cold
even in summery weather.) The major inconveniences I see are the limited
clothing styles available at reasonable prices and the occasional rude
comments.
As to being more or less mobile, I will admit to being a bit less flexible than
some of my slender friends -- but I move pretty easily in anything short of
yogic ways.
(Gads, can anyone tell that these clowns hit my hot buttons? <g>)
As to whether obesity is psychologically destructive, it depends on how often
we fat people have to deal with bozos like those fatphobic authors. <g>
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