Obesity Is Not My Friend
A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that obesity is a social problem, and that people often gain weight when those around them are fat, as it becomes something of a cultural norm.
Being somewhat heavy myself, I took this article to heart. My husband is a large man and when we got married, I was of an average size. Of course, having children has affected my body, but I do see the way I've gained weight through the years by living with someone who is not careful about how they eat.
We've tried to diet off and on, but the truth is our busy lifestyles are conducive to bad habits. Fast food happens more often than I'd like to admit, and I will confess to making dinners that serve more as comfort than nutrition. It's no secret that food can be a form of stress relief.
Most of our friends are a bit overweight, and the study seems to imply that a good way to change things is to do so as a collective. I wonder if that wouldn't be smart, since the will of the individual can be stronger when it's part of a greater good. Still, there is the risk of alienating dear friends who may be in denial of their problem, or who may not share your zeal.
Regardless, I think the study is an important new way to look at obesity, which is an epidemic in this country. Did any of you read the article? What is your opinion? As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.
posted by Anne @ 8:48 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I disagree with the article.
Do you avoid hanging around with smokers so you don't smoke, or drinkers so you don't drink?
Many of the people in our office (including myself) are overweight. I don't believe it's considered the cultural norm, as we all are VERY aware of our size, and wish to do something about it. I think it has more do with modern lifestyles, and employer demands. People have long commutes (few calories burned)and sedentary desk jobs (few calories burned). In addition to that, many employers do not encourage healthy habits, do not include health club memberships as an employee benefit, don't allow flex hours (so less time in car- more time to be active). And of course, even though we are sedentary, we eat like we are not.
It's a complex problem.
In most cases obesity is a choice, a choice that we make, not our employers or friends etc. We live in a time where there is not much time to dedicate to personal fitness when you work full time have a family, etc. but I am sure we all have 30 minutes to sit and watch a TV program, so we all have 30 minutes to dedicate to personal fitness at least three times a week. Even if you only have time for fast food, almost every fast food chain offers some healthy alternatives to hamburgers and fries. We in the healthcare industry make tough decisions everyday, our personal health should not be one of them.
I wonder why the reverse isn't true. If obese people hang out with "skinny" people, why aren't they picking up their healthy habits and losing weight? Interesting that the study presents this as a one way street; my husband loves to work out and I tend to go with him to the gym so we can spend time together; if he weren't going, I might not either.
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