American Public Media--the folks who bring us such well-loved public radio shows as Marketplace and Speaking of Faith--have begun a national reporting project on the state of weight in this country. In true public radio form, APM is going far beyond the plain old stats and health info we all already know. The facts they're highlighting--at least the ones in an email the group sent around inviting participation in their survey--are more about how our growing waistlines are affecting business, industry, and perhaps the culture as a whole:
• The home furnishings market now offers specially designed toilets, bathtubs and all sorts of products to accommodate larger people.
• The Honda Accord sold in the United States is two inches wider than the similar model that Honda sells in Europe and Japan. (Source: American Public Media)
Reading these stats, I'm torn. As a generally compassionate person--and someone who used to have a significant weight problem--part of me thinks, Good! Finally! Large people should never have to suffer the indignity of feeling too big for cars, for planes, for life, for the world. I sort of equate it with the fabulously cute "plus size" clothing designs at Lane Bryant and Torrid--it's about time larger people had the same comfort and choices that smaller ones do.
Another part of me--the recovered binge eater who knows that for some people the reasons behind obesity are often deep, hidden, scary and very emotional--is wary: Wait! We're normalizing obesity! Without these societal and physical cues, will people be less likely to want to investigate the reasons behind their body size, this part of me wonders? Less likely to discover possible eating disorders like the one I had? Less likely to delve into their feelings and do the important work of healing themselves from the inside out?
But here's where my two minds come together about this: Conversation. The APM survey goes on to ask "What conversations do you have--or avoid having--about weight?" I believe there is no conversation we shouldn't be having about weight. We should be able to talk about the fact that for most people, obesity isn't healthy. We should also be able to talk about the fact that the vitriol and bigotry some people harbor against the obese is toxic, too. We should be able to talk about how we can support people's desire to become stronger and healthier in body and mind--but also about how no one should never feel pressured to conform to a societal ideal of thinness.
There's a group of people who are speaking about all of this, all at once. And, surprise, surprise, it's on network TV! I'm talking about the creators of--and the actors in--ABC Family's new show, Huge. After overcoming my initial resistance to the idea of watching a show about teens at--shudder--a fat camp, I've been incredibly impressed. The show really isn't about weight loss at all. It's about everything I've spoken about here. It's about everything the APM's survey is going to dig up. It's about fatism and prejuidice, it's about self-love and health, it's about self-hate and jealousy--but it's got just enough sexual tension and puppy love to make watching it a real joy.
The latest episode is available on Hulu, and the next one episode airs on Monday, I hope you watch. But for now, I'd like to ask you: Are there conversations about weight you've been afraid to have, with family, your kids, the blogosphere? Are there things you do or don't do because of weight? The convo starts now!
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We have to be compassionate toward the obese because they are emotional eaters - many suffered traumas for which they never received counseling. However, when manufacturers start building very large dentist chairs, car seats, etc., we normalize obesity and help fat people delude themselves.
While teaching health literacy in Harlem, the Bronx and in Queens, I noticed that many of the obese women only wore leggings, which allowed them to gain weight without thinking about pants size and they avoided going to the doctor unless they were in pain. One of the students in the program who weighed over 350 pounds had stomach aches and headaches but didn't go to the doctor for months; when she went, she found out she was pregnant. She was so disconnected from her body that she didn't notice a pregnancy.
Emotional eating has to be considered an anxiety disorder so people can receive treatment like an alcoholic or drug addict would receive.
However, I do have a serious problem with the normalization of fatness. In addition to all the eye-sores everywhere, the normalization of fatness also means the normalization the diet and habits that lead to fatness. For example, it's almost impossible to "go out" and be social without being around copious amounts of junk-food and alcohol being consumed: from house parties to music venues. It's taken as a given that everyone will be there drinking it up, and shoving gobs of junk down their gullets.
And while I don't really care about the health of the general public, it's difficult to get/help the people I know and love stay healthy when the social pressure to normalize means eat terrible food and drink a lot in order to be social/normal.
We ought to be aiming for perfection (whatever your idea of that might be), not mediocrity, even when we know perfection is impossible. That's why it's perfection, it's a good goal.
Right now, I don't have to care how you treat your body. If all the sudden I'm helping to pay for your healthcare, then I'm going to care. And then all the sudden we're going to need a bunch of draconian laws to keep the fat-population of America from running up the bill for the rest of us. That sounds like a bad idea to me.
There's an epidemic of emotional eating out there. I watch my niece and wonder if she's unconsciously inducing insulin shock...? I wonder if people who are obese are using sugar like booze to induce insulin shock? Now, i know insulin shock is a precise medical term, but anyone can actually induce sleep by stuffing themselves. Are people in so much pain they are stuffing themselves to sleep like babies?
Healthy thinking on many levels! The real positive from your comment is the generational pass-down. When you, the parent, set the example, you improve the chance of your grandchildren setting that same example (good or bad) for their kids.
Today, if Dorothy Nolte wrote her famous poem about what and how kid's learn, she might be tempted to add the line:
"If a child lives with gluttony, he learns to over-eat."
This is a national multi-layered problem, and the approaches to it, varied and diverse, but the only sustainable influence is found at home. The effects of magic pills, psychological regressive therapy, ad campaigns, institutional intervention, healthy school lunches, tying one hand behind your back, or hiding the knives and forks all pale when compared to parents setting the right example at home, not just about eating, but about how to think about food.
Great job! Thanks.
Lawson Meadows
PS: Went to your site... liked it too!
America is schizo when it comes to fatness....and it's taking its toll on all of us and the next generation.
There is so much to be discussed on the subject of weight, but at least let's start a discussion.
Acknowledging that we (as a country) have a problem is the first step.
steps to getting lighter (pun intended). Keep up your important work! Hugs. Jan Shepherd
I wasnt one of them but there are kids that are ridiculed and put down at home too. That shouldnt happen. You cannot help an issue by making someone feel worse or less than human about who they are.
For me, since I was fat all of my life, there is a part of me that wondered why arent people liking "ME". As a kid, that was difficult to get my brain around.
Mass produced food; Ingredients in the US can be flavourless & pumped full of water & much food is full of junk that does the body no good. Local production would help but until that was the norm I understand prices for organic food would be higher than fastfood & hard for everyone to afford.
Consumerism-the more is better culture; More food on the plate must be a good thing, a sign of success/wealth. This could also relate to the food is not being as flavourful (as it is in, eg France where the obesity rate is much lower, 12% I think) so more is needed to feel satiated–quantity over quality.
The culture of the dinner table; as in the UK, the US is a fast paced, highly stressed nation so less time is taken to cook healthy meals & sit down & eat at a leisurely pace, as is the norm in Europe. Instead people favour convenience food on the go, full of salt&sugar to keep going until the end of the day.
The quality of the food & better education by parents & in schools would go some way to helping the Obesity epidemic now facing the West, but also allowing ourselves to slow down, de-stress & recognise that ‘more’ does not make us happy.
Another thing to think about is media portrayal of unhealthy food & the 'fun, fulfilled' lifestyle that goes with it. I don't know about the US but in the UK advertising of unhealthy food is banned during children's TV broadcasts...not sure if this helps or not - we need Jamie Oliver to the rescue!!