Viewing the trends of increase in body sizes has become a current trend in the United States. This is conducted by medical sources, media periodicals as well as commercial industries. According to American Obesity Association (2009), statistics are measured by the use of Body Mass Index (BMI). This index can determine the excess body weight through the differentials of weight. Reports indicate that 16% of the age bracket of 6-12 years are overweight or obese, and 16 % of youth in the age bracket 12-19 are also overweight, and the most affected are adults over 20 years with a percentage of 65 %.
Wann (1999) a fat activist and other fat activists who participate in the size acceptance movement comment that fat people are being discriminated against and mistreated because there is no longer a fat culture in the country. This is clearly illustrated when she says that there are no longer fat customs such as food or entertainment as well as tradition, and the community no longer accepts a fat generation (Wann, 121)
Wann’s message has made the other fat activists and the size acceptance movements make a significant step in raising the awareness of overweight oppression. According to American literature, there are claims that there is an obesity epidemic in the United States. The Literature States that over the last 30-40 years, people have gained 7-10 pounds. The BMI level of people’s weight has changed over time and indicates that half of the people in the United States have become overweight. Fat women who are proud of their sizes and have no intention of weight loss, and claim that heath in the United States has improved during this time of weight gain Cooper (1998) refutes this statement.
Wann (1999) also differs from the current scientific health information on the statement that increases in weight or rather an obesity is known to be a precursor for other diseases such as causes hypertension and diabetes. Wann points out that many diseases are associated with being underweight, while medium-weight people live for a shorter period than the overweight. She dismisses the argument that weight is an indicator of good health.
Wann (1999) also differs from the scientific health information on claims that thinness constitutes happiness. She states that a woman can be happy if she accepts himself the way she is. According to the scientific health information, there is complete evidence that quality of life is associated with non-overweight people. This is because they are well able to carry their day-to-day routines properly. This can include climbing several stairs, the performance of physical work or activities, other than the overweight women who are known to having body pains. Have fewer working hours due to low emotional problems, clumsy body movement, resting while walking for shorter distances, refraining from work, doing or having fewer responsibilities while working with groups, isolating and secluding themselves from communal work, acting impatiently with themselves, having shortness of breath, diabetes and among others.
In response to happiness, Wann (1999) differs with this analysis by claiming that the fat women are unique, they look younger than their age because they have no wrinkles, hugging is more comfortable when done with a soft woman. People get out of their way while they are in a hurry and so can perform tasks without obstructions, can not be mugged by robbers, always remembered by people, feel they are not tiny and helpless, and therefore feeling like women of substance.
Wann (1999) states that there is no standard gauge to know whether someone is overweight or underweight because every person has got his unique measure (Wann, 19). This contrasts with the scientific health information weight measurement tool.
According to the World Health Organization (2010), overweight is termed as an excessive accumulation of fat that puts the person at a health risk. WHO states that different methods are used in the measurement of standard healthy body weight depending on someone’s age. The most commonly used being the body max index (BMI)
According to Wann (1999), being overweight can not be clearly defined. She states that doctors can only know if a person is overweight only when they see the symptoms of overweight-related diseases. BIM It is commonly used by health insurance companies when they want to deny fat people a cover even though they are healthy (Wann, 19)
According to Medical News Today (2010), Obese is an accumulation of excess body fat that is higher than the normal weight measured by the BMI. This excess weight is claimed to be hurting someone’s health. Wann’s views contrast with the Medical News Today and claim that being above the weights stipulated by BMI is not only being healthy but also a moral about religious matters. She states that God cares about our weights and gives credit to heavyweight measures with the evidence supported by the Holy Bible. These examples include:
- Proverbs 13:4 says “that the soul of the diligent people shall be made fat” (Wann, 110)
- Isaiah 58:11 states that “the Lord shall make your bones fat as well as satisfy your soul” (Wann, 110)
- Proverbs 11:25 states that “the Lord shall make fat the liberal bones” (Wann, 110)
- Proverbs 28:25 states that “the person who trusts upon the Lord shall be made fat” (Wann, 110)
According to the National and International Health Organization, being overweight causes drastic health problems to the citizens of the United States. Wanns’ views contrast with this scientific health information on the claims that overweight and obesity are the major contributors to mortality. She points out that this campaign is driven more by cultural and political factors than any threat of increasing body weight may impact on health issues.
According to World Health Organization (2010) developed as well as developing countries are experiencing an overweight or obesity epidemic. This is opposed by women on claims that the average weight gained by American women can be explained by just an increase of 10 calories in a day, which is caused by fast food, and can be eliminated by an exercise equivalent to a few minutes walk every day (Manson & Amend, 2006).
Another explanation that shows a contrasting view with the scientific health information overweight definition is that a generation ago, our predecessors were maintaining weights only slightly lower than the weights which are now claimed to be an epidemic. There is no alarming epidemic of people slightly above the BMI level of weight measurement, and premature death can highly occur to people with a BMI measure which is less than 25. This is supported by an analysis of death caused by loss of weight. Therefore, recommends that the attention of the underweight people should be put into consideration when analyzing mortality.
Wann(1999) contrasts with the scientific health information by stating that fat is also beneficial in women’s bodies since the accumulation of it within the waist and hips is associated with higher HDL cholesterol levels. Women with an average body who are not overweight are likely to be associated with risks of heart diseases than women who are claimed to be overweight and have a concentration of fat at the hips and legs (National task force on prevention and treatment of Obesity, 2005)
Wann (1999) points out that being overweight is not an epidemic that needs controls since these controls would even lead to higher health risks. This is because the weight reduction pills contain chemicals such as phenylpropanolamine, which puts the person at risk higher than obesity and related overweight diseases. The health experts should concentrate on the risks associated with the weight reduction pills and emphasizes exercises and nutrition which can reduce blood pressure without even loss of body weight or fat weight (Healthy Parks, 2010)
Wann (1999) disputes the use of BMI as the measure of body weight since there is also a distinction between body mass and an excessive amount of fat. This may conclude that the causes of obesity are a result of body mass rather than body fat. Obesity may be a symptom of diabetes but not the underlying cause since the gene hypotheses that mutation favoring fat storage and famine survival can also be a cause of diabetes. The relationship between weight and behavior is what matters.
Wann (1999) points out that obese people who have a stable body weight have no mortality risks. Many tools for reducing body weight are found to have adverse effects on the health of the individuals, and the health care attendants are only attempting non-achievable goals. In terms of treatment for the claimed overweight-related diseases, the treatment is done with no weight reduction which is not necessary since obese people are treated by lowering anti-hypertension without the reduction of weight from their bodies (Stunkard & McLaren, 2004). Other drugs are well known to increase body fats while treating diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Therefore, trying to make people thinner is only culture but not a health epidemic and to enhance the body image of women, which according to United States’ people, thinner women are considered as beautiful (Kazdin, 2003).
The answer as to whether obesity is a national and an international disaster lies remain to be a conflicting matter. This is because; its evidence are based on the economic interests as well as the personal interest or rather emotional judgments. The scientific researchers who have come up with criteria of explaining what constitutes obese or overweight may have received funding from weight loss pharmaceuticals industries to boost their image and therefore increase the sales of weight loss pills (Wilson, 2005). They can even overstate the consequences of being overweight and justify their approval to the government at hand as well as the insurance companies. Therefore, the World Health Organization could have been misinformed on issues relating to overweight or obesity.
On the other hand, Marilyn Wann as well as the other fat women activists may have emotionally judged their views, since if a person is connected with a certain situation; she is compelled to making judgments that will suit her, and will not bring any disadvantage towards her whatsoever.
References
Cooper, C. (1998). Fat and Proud: The Politics of size. London: Women Press
Giguere, K. (2005). Being the Fat Girl, Nashville, Ecm Group
Kazdin,A.E.(Ed.) (2003). Body Image: Encyclopedia of Psychology. Washington DC: Oxford University Press.
Mullahy, C., (2009). The Case Manager’s Handbook. Mayenne: Jones & Bartlet
Manson, J., & Amend, P. (2006). The thirty minute fitness Solution: A four step for women of all Ages. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
National Academies Press (2009). Improving data to analyze food and nutrition policies. New York: National Academies Press.
National task force on prevention and treatment of Obesity (2005) Medicare for Obese Patients: Advice for health care Professionals. American Family Physician 65:81-88
N.A., Medical News Today, Medical News Today, 2010. Web.
N.A., World Health Organization, Stop the global epidemic of chronic disease, 2010. Web.
N.A Healthy Parks, Healthy Community. Web.
Stunkard, A.J., & McLaren-Hume, M. (2004) The Results for Treatment of Obesity. Archieves of Internal Medicine 103:79-85
Tesh S. N. (1998). Hidden arguments: Political Ideology and Disease Prevention Policy. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Wann, M. (2004) Fat! So?: Because you don’t have to apologize for your size. Los Angeles: Ten Speed Press
Wilson P. (2005) The Fear of Being Fat, New jersey NJ: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers