Issue 130 Obesity Myth's!? July 29, July 29, 2013

Well as it turns out obesity is not yet a fully proven science. Though, no science is fully proven because with each new discovery, the rules and concepts and even supposed facts may be completely changed. So let us get started.

A little fat is good: According to an epidemiologist Katherine Flegal who works for the Center of Disease Control and Prevention excess weight might actually be good for you. Her team used data going back to 1971 (this was a 2005 study) and found that in some cases people who were over weight may have been saved from dying early by that extra bit of flab. Her study was disputed and so her team collected data from 97 other studies with over 2.9 million case histories and found that modest excess weight extended some peoples lives. Those people who lived longer had grade 1 obesity (body mass index of 30 to 35). However, those with a body mass index over 35 face "mortal danger."

Fat may not be making people sick: Did you know that obese people are prejudiced against and which may be just as damaging as being excessively fat. Obese women for example are more susceptible to breast and cervical cancers, but that is not a result of being fat apparently (according to a study). In a 2000 study of 8000 women it was determined that patients who were obese were less likely to get a pap smear of mammogram "in the preceding two to three years" (researchers controlled for socioeconomic and insurance status). Surveys have found that "many health care providers consider the obese lazy and weak willed, and therefore consider treating them to be a waste of time." Also, over weight women apparently make less money and are less likely to get married than their "slimmer peers." The science is still being tested on this though.

Fat people won't bankrupt us: Guess what, while it is costly to cover obese people up until age 56, their health care costs plummet after that age on average. The study looked at healthy sized smokers, healthy size non smokers and obese non smokers and found that after age 56 these obese people along with smokers cost less later on in life to treat. As to the reason, well the smokers and obese are not going to like it, it is because they typically die a lot earlier. This complicates the whole obese people costing the nation more money and the whole preventative medicine idea.

Genetics: James V. Neel hypothesized 50 years ago that genetics allowed us to get fat so as to account for the possibility of famines which weeded out our skinnier compatriots. But the theory fell short as to why today "two thirds" of American adults don't become obese. Biologist John Speakman believes that this is due to our species need to be nimble to get away from predators. However, as the threat of predators diminished our ability to fluctuate in size increased.

Over eating problem!?: While most people associate getting fat and obese to over eating, too many sweets, un-healthy diets and lack of exercise, there may be another (unproven possibility). That other possible factor is "viral infections and endocrine-disrupting chemicals" in our natural environment. Looking at animals that may be facing the same plight (body size data from captive feral monkeys, chimps, dogs, cats, mice and rats) they found that the fat crises extends to these animals as well. About half the animals studied tended to lean toward the heavier side from "one decade to the next. Interestingly, this is despite "the fact that many of these animals haven't changed the way they eat and exercise." More studies are needed, but being fat may not mean it's necessarily your fault.

Conclusion: Fat science is not exact, and neither is any science for that matter. In this case, fat may not be the main culprit to a lot of our problems and our getting fat may not be our fault. Just thought I would share what hasn't been said by the talking heads of news organizations, and politicians who use facts and "figures" (pun intended) to get their agenda passed. For the actual article that I took this from see the magazine the "Pacific Standard" May June 2013 issue article name "Pound Foolish: The causes and consequences of obesity are settled science, right? Wrong." Enjoy the interesting read.