Mirror, Mirror

Getting obese patients to lose weight is tricky to begin with for physicians and dietitians both but health professionals have a bigger battle when clinically obese men and women think they are already at a healthy weight. New research reports that many people who weigh more than they should based on health standards see themselves very differently. A study was conducted of more than 2000 obese people, all of whom measured a BMI of 30 or higher which is clinically obese. When asked to compare themselves to illustrations of different sized silhouettes, only about 8% of them choose pictures that were the same or bigger. (http://healthland.time.com/2010/10/19/study-many-obese-people-think-they-look-great-the-way-they-are) It is healthy and important to be happy with who we are. There are many different body shapes and sizes that are indeed healthy. However, it is also important that we take responsibility for ourselves and our health and that begins with looking in the mirror and honestly assessing where we are and where we want or need to be in order to achieve the level of health we need or desire.

Note that the word "health" is used not "look" or "shape" we desire. The objective here is to improve health - doctors don't care what we look like they care about how what we weigh is effecting our health. In other words, does the extra weight increase risk for chronic disease.

Eat for the health of it, not for what the scale says. Choose food and activities that will improve health status and ultimately desired weight will be achieved.

Similar research done in 2007 found that exposure to obesity also impacts perception. In other words overweight people who have fat friends are less likely to see themselves as overweight. It is called the "contagion effect" and this research found that obesity spreads more efficiently through networks of friends than family members (despite genetic links). With rates of obesity reaching 2/3 of adults it seems that being obese is becoming the new normal.

Buck the trend - choose health! Happy, healthy eating and living...

Marcia