Obesity – Have we Become Too Hard on Ourselves?

We all know the seriousness of obesity and it's current epidemic. It doesn't escape us provincially, nationally or globally. With all the efforts and attention towards fighting obesity, one has to wonder when enough is enough and when things have been taken a little too far. Obviously maintaining a healthy weight is important on many levels, but contrary to what many think, it isn't the rate limiting factor for health. Increasing obsessions with weight have lead many of us to be 'Obesophobic'. I'm wondering when it was I missed the news story 'beyond all else weight is the only thing that matters'? Just when you think you've heard it all, you haven't. That couldn't be more true for some of the  outrageous 'obesophobic' occurrences the past few weeks. 

A group of doctors and activists in the US have joined forces to demand that President Obama pass up any future photo ops that may involve junky food. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has circulated a petition in hope First Lady Michelle Obama's efforts for good nutrition will extend to the campaign trail. I can somewhat understand the logic, but really, if the president is photographed eating a burger is it really the end of healthy weight individuals in America as we know it? He is human after all and healthy eating is about moderation. Even dietitians enjoy burgers and fries from time to time. For someone living in a spotlight there is constant societal pressure to be perfect. The good news is nobody is perfect, no matter who they are.

This constant battle for perfection has driven eating disorders and when you think about it obesity too. Consider this disordered eating trend – Orthorexia nervosa, or people who develop an obsession with avoiding foods perceived to be unhealthy. It's not recognized medical condition like other well known eating disorders namely anorexia and bulimia, but none the less an unhealthy preoccupation with weight and health. As a very soon bride-to-be I will be the first to admit I've been a little more conscious of food choices lately. But did I go on a diet for the big day? Nope. Bump up my exercise routine? Perhaps a little. Consider a nasogastric tube feed, aka the K-E diet? Absolutely not. There's a new tube feed diet making rounds in the US with brides that claims to drop twenty pounds in ten days by 'eating' through a tube placed in the nose and directed to the stomach. Extreme, expensive, shocking, and honestly gives me a little sadness to think people feel they have to going through such extremes. If someone wants to marry you, certainly they love you the original way you are.

You can guarantee the love from family, but employers perhaps not so much. In addition to a cover letter, resume and references, don't forget to throw your BMI on your cover sheet when applying for a job in Victoria, Texas. A policy with the Citizens Medical Center requires potential employees to have a body mass index of less than 35. It states that an employee’s physique 'should fit with a representational image or specific mental projection of the job of a healthcare professional,' including an appearance 'free from distraction' for hospital patients. I'm sure it's with good intention, but a couple points. BMI is not always the best indicator for weight, other medical conditions can lead to weight gain, and perhaps more importantly it's clearly discrimination.

Which brings us to the most important point. Health at any size should perhaps be our focus. Support people in adopting health habits for the sake of health and their well-being, rather than that number on the scale. Fighting fat hasn’t made it go away. Being thinner won't necessarily make us healthier or happier. The war on obesity has taken toll and left us with wastage that's hard to recycle. Food and body preoccupation, eating disorders, discrimination, poor health... Instead of focusing solely on the pounds and 'bad' foods let's support all people of all sizes to get healthy by adopting new healthy behaviours.

As seen in The Telegram May 21, 2012