The Obesity Epidemic Isn't Just About Willpower

I am utterly appalled by some of these comments. It is very obvious who is skinny and who is overweight in these comments. It is NOT about willpower or self-control and to say it is shows how completely uneducated people are. If you were put on an island with no food and 5 days later a boat came by with food, would you be able to resist? I don't think so. The fact is you are not supposed to ignore what your body tells you. Yes, some people are overweight because they eat when they are not hungry or eat too much when they do eat but that's not always the case. Obesity is a very complex issue. I personally follow a couple of "health guidelines" that I am very strict about. I play tennis for an hour or more at least 4 times a week, I don't drink sodas or any prepackaged drinks, I only eat when my body says its hungry, and when I do eat I measure out my portions and am eating healthy foods, yet I still weigh 220 lbs. When I get hungry, I get really hungry, to the point where I feel like I'm starving, if I try to "be strong" and resist myself I get sick. I get weak to where I can't walk and I shake uncontrollably. Sometimes I can't even hold a conversation because I can't even think. I have accepted that my "slow metabolism" is why all my friends can go out to eat at nice restaurants and I'm stuck at home with a salad. I eat probably 1/3 as much as my skinny friends yet my weight doesn't budge. It really makes me angry when I hear people say that fat people are lazy because that's not always true. In fact, I can out run my best friend who only weighs in at 115lbs. It's not fair that people are so judgmental towards obesity because its tough being overweight. Its like being 8 months pregnant all the time. Your feet and ankles swell, you constantly carry an additional 50 lbs around (at least) and its really hard on all of your joints. As far as exercise goes, yes it is a lack in willpower, you have to push past the pain to get better. You have to sweat and ache but it gets easier every time you go back to it, but eating is not about willpower. Its not about self-control and I am not childish for feeling that way! You wouldn't deny your body water when your throat feels dry or sore, and it's the same concept. I believe that overweight people are getting hungry for other reasons, such as nutrient deficiencies. I don't think being overweight is genetic, but environmental. I personally am a very picky eater and I feel like that may be why I feel deficient of nutrients and why I get hungry as often or intense as I do. Either way, I am definitely not overweight due to lack of will power or unhealthy eating. I have more self-control than a lot of my skinny friends do. I think that people that feel that obesity is from lack of self-control should become bulimic so that they can use their superior will power to go against what their body naturally wants them to do!

Angela of LA 2:15PM March 31, 2011

It's bizarre that identifying a neurochemical pathway is seen as the end of the matter.

Actually I'm in charge of the actions of my body. Yeah there are limits to this, but for the purpose of knowing how the fridge got opened, and the cookie jar somehow got open - that wan't done by my neurotransmitters - I might have feel their urging, but I have a choice.

For the culture to fail to comment on this is no service to those struggling to manage the complex machine we call the human body.

So here it is.

If you are too fat, you are going to have to resist impulses.

This will sometimes feel wrong, sometimes difficult, and the results will take time - get over it - oh & get exercise. Regularly. - And build it up.

You CAN do it - you got fat a day at a time.

Reverse it a day at a time

Tom Midgley 5:25PM August 03, 2010

The "obese" have not doubled since 1980. The CDC redefined what obese means several times since 1980, lowering the methods of calculation and instituting the flawed BMI measurements. Just changing the BMI definition of obesity in 1997 "doubled" the number of Americans who were calculated to be obese, even though waistlines and weight had not changed, and in fact as gone down steadily for the past 15 years.

Every major scientific study done also shows that obesity does not contribute to heart disease, diabetes, or any other health problem. In fact, if you are classified as overweight or obese, you are more likely to survive any major health issue, from heart disease, to cancer, to diabetes, and you name it. Scientists and so called "health experts" call it the Obesity Paradox since it goes again the public perception, but there's no paradox in the science.

Being thin, underweight, or going on diets that yo-yo your weight (diets do not work over the long term, you are born to your weight like you are born to your height) are the things that will put your health into high risk categories. Articles like this are the true danger. Furthering the public myth that weight is unhealthy, which promotes the idea that dieting is good for you, sending people onto unhealthy diets which will ensure they have more severe health issues later in life. It also promotes the idea of government funding for anti-obesity programs which would be ineffective and only make our health worse - talk about a waste of public money.

The obesity epidemic has been manufactured by our desire to be thin and pretty, and by a public willing to believe that they change their bodies if they just try hard enough, and by a health industry that is making billions of dollars from that desire.

Alvin of CA 2:41PM November 08, 2009

I think there are several factors that contribute to obesity, but ultimately will power does have a lot to do with it. Everyone is built differently and will have to take care of themselves differently in order to prevent serious weight gain. Some people are lucky and are born thin and have to do very little in the way of exercise to maintain their physique and others are just he opposite…they will have to work extra hard just to maintain a healthy weight. I think the biggest problem is that healthier and organic foods have proven to be more expensive. It is almost if as a society we encourage people to be unhealthy…it seem counter productive. The last glaring problem is that most people work office jobs and are forced to be inactive 8 hours or more during the day while they are consuming the same amount of calories. I think offices should encourage lunchtime walks or some sort of activity.

Nellie of KY 2:24PM October 19, 2009