9000 mile walk around the US to raise awareness about obesity

[Malene Rander Comes]

Hello,

On July 20th this year I start to walk the circumference of the US. This is an 9000 mile long walk that will take me 14 months to complete. I start and end in Bodega Bay.

I do this to raise awareness about obesity. Obesity killed 300,000 people last year. This is 10 times as many as died from breast cancer. However, contrary to breast cancer there are no fund raisers or awareness promotion events for obesity.

Obesity is a complex medical, hormonal, genetic, emotional and life style based condition, and the people who die from it are not just strangers. They are our friends, our fathers and mothers, our siblings and cousins. They are people we care about.

It is time we take the stigma out of obesity, start to have constructive conversations to help those who deal with obesity, and make resources available for people who struggle with obesity. I aim to do all of this with my walk.

However, at the moment I really need some help getting the word out about my walk.

I need speaking engagements about obesity in the north bay.

I need help with print expenses. I have several letters and fliers I want to use to get out the information about my event, but I can't afford the print expenses. Anyone with a working printer can help me.

If you just want to be kept up to date on my walk please join me on facebook. I can be found under Malene Comes.

I am fund raising for LiveFit Revolution. LiveFit is a wonderful organization that makes all the resources we need to lose weight available to us, completely free of charge. They are a 501(3c) charity so any donations are tax deductible.

My blog: https://traveltheunitedstates.wordpress.com/

Thank you so much to all of you.
Malene

[Dixon]

On July 20th this year I start to walk the circumference of the US. This is an 9000 mile long walk that will take me 14 months to complete...I do this to raise awareness about obesity.

Hold on a minute here! It's admirable that you're taking action about something of concern, but your concern about obesity is pretty much misplaced. Claims about the dangers of obesity are mostly based on crappy, biased research conducted by people who have a huge conflict of interest because they make big $$ from the weight-loss industry.

Obesity killed 300,000 people last year.

No it didn't; not even close. Those figures are grossly exaggerated. For clarification about this, read this article:
https://reason.com/archives/2006/10/...ff-the-fatties

Most of the research that claims to correlate obesity with death and other bad outcomes is flawed because it doesn't control for factors like diet and exercise. Obesity is somewhat correlated with diet and (lack of) exercise, creating the illusion that it (obesity) causes negative outcomes when it's actually poor diet and lack of exercise doing the damage, regardless of one's weight! When research is designed properly to control for factors like diet and exercise, the correlations between obesity and health problems (including death) disappear for all but the most extreme cases of obesity!

In fact, people whose BMI falls into the category of overweight or even mild to moderate obesity are likely to live longer, with less health problems, than those who are a bit underweight, or even at the so-called "ideal" weight! As far as weight classes go, underweight people are at much more risk than "overweight" ones, and the ones who have the most health problems and the shortest lifespans are those whose weights "yo-yo" (losing, gaining, losing, gaining).

The enlightened path is to forget about weight loss and pursue healthy diet and exercise habits. Then the weight will take care of itself. In many cases, this means you'll lose some weight, down to whatever is ideal for your own individual body-- for most of us, this is not likely to match the Hollywood ideal of skinniness.

I strongly recommend the book The Diet Myth by Paul Campos. He explains in detail how the research that purports to show that obesity is killing lots of people is flawed--often apparently purposely biased so that those who get rich from the weight-loss industry can make more $$, even as their customers nearly always fail to maintain their weight-loss, and shorten their lives by yo-yo dieting. He also goes into the sexist, racist, and classist underpinnings of our pathologization of so-called obesity.

It is time we take the stigma out of obesity...

What I see you doing, Malene, is supporting the stigmatization of obesity with your well-intentioned promulgation of misinformation about how it's supposedly killing 300,000 people a year, etc. I urge you to join me in actually destigmatizing it. Again, I recommend you start with the article I've linked to above and the Campos book...

Blessings;

Dixon

[Malene Rander Comes]

Dixon,

I live with obesity, I am 5'2 tall and weigh 300 pounds. My biological mother died at 56 years old and she weighed between 400-450 pounds. The mother who raised me got obesity related diabetes and is in kidney failure. In my world obesity sucks and it kills. I live with countless results of obesity - physical pain, an inability to do some of my favorite activities and discrimination among them. Given that my two favorite women has had their lives threatened by obesity I also live with the knowledge that I might follow in their foot steps. I do not think that talking about the effects of obesity - including possible death - stigmatizes it. Claiming that it is obese people's own fault they are that way stigmatizes. If we compare this to HIV, I do not think that talking about how HIV effects a person stigmatizes that person, but claiming that it is their fault they got it certainly does stigmatize them. Claiming that there are no effects in the lives of those who has HIV or are obese is simply silly.

Now, the number I quoted as death's due to obesity is according to the CDC. I do not give a rats back side about the politics of this. Of course people die from obesity. Heart problems, stroke, diabetes, sleep apnea, asthma, hormonal and metabolic disorders and some cancers are significantly worsened due to obesity,and sometimes caused by obesity. I am aware that arriving at a number of deaths due to obesity presents several practical obstacles of classification, for that reason people with a political agenda can skew the numbers different ways. It really doesn't matter much to me, because I know what it is like to live with morbid obesity, it is not any fun, and I know millions of people deal with it alongside me. I think we deserve more support than we currently get.

Obesity itself is a complex medical condition that is impacted by genetics, hormones, emotions and life style. I do this walk to empower myself and to empower others who would like to get some help and support. Those who do not want to or need to get in better shape does not have to participate. No one will be judged for participating or not participating. I am simply offering a resource.

Along the way I fund raise for LiveFit Revolution. They are a 501(3c) charity run by two neat people. Jason and Alysia has invested many thousands of dollars and hours into this and have never charged a dime. LiveFit Revolution has only been a money pit for them, they are not trying to get rich here. They provide no-cost, healthy resources for people who would like to get in better shape. Every single dime I raise will go directly to LiveFit Revolution. While I realize that weight loss is big business there are no-one here who are trying to make money on others. Quite on the contrary, we are trying to make resources available to everyone regardless of financial ability. I really want to help LiveFit Revolution take their platform to the next level so they can offer even more free resources.

I have invested thousands of hours and quite a bit of money into this endeavor. I will only indirectly see any money that I raise as some of my expenses will be covered by my fund raising. Trust me, this is not going to make me money. During the 14 months I am away I will not have he ability to make any money.

Encouraging people to make further resources available to people who deal with obesity does not stigmatize those who live with the condition. Pointing out that next to no resources are currently invested in to this, yet a lot of people suffer and die due to obesity does not stigmatize those who deal with obesity. Ignoring that obesity hurts others, and obese people deserve help results in no help offered to those who wants it. Ignoring the effects of obesity in people's lives - including the rampant discrimination - makes it easier to continue to discriminate. Which is why I want to talk about obesity.

Talking about obesity in a respectful way will help raise awareness that 1. Obese people should not be blamed for their weight and 2. Obese people deserves qualified help and support if they want it.

Finally, as I said, I don't care about the politics, and my blog is not a place for political agenda's. I pretty much do not care if you agree with me. For you to try and undermine my work on my blog is rude. For that reason your post will not appear there. My blog is a place to engage in a fun adventure and to offer support and empowerment. If you can't support what I do, at least do not undermine it.

Malene

Hold on a minute here!

[Dixon]

Malene, I stand by everything I said in my previous post, and nothing you say in your response refutes anything I've said. You seem to not have noticed that I acknowledged that extreme obesity (what you call "morbidly obese") is indeed a health risk, and I was explicitly addressing "mild to moderate" obesity--the vast majority of cases, including me. So we don't even disagree much on the dangerousness of morbid obesity. If you were just addressing morbid obesity instead of making blanket statements about obesity in general, we might be substantially in agreement, FWIW. (Also, a certain type of weight gain associated with the "metabolic syndrome" may be dangerous; I wouldn't dispute you on that.)

I do not give a rats back side about the politics of this.

Not even if the politics of this result in you getting misinformation which you then pass on to others? Not even if the politics of this result in your encouraging others to engage in diets leading to yoyo-ing weight which ultimately kills them?

Of course people die from obesity.

I never said otherwise. But more people die from being too thin or from frequently changing weight due to dieting, then regaining, then dieting, then regaining... Mama Cass, just for one example, died from a heart attack due to a crash diet (not from choking on a ham sandwich as the urban legend would have it).

Those who do not want to or need to get in better shape does not have to participate.

The program(s) you're endorsing may be good for the morbidly obese. But I'm suggesting that in many cases being defined as mildly to moderately obese doesn't mean someone isn't in good shape. The arbitrary BMI figures commonly prescribed are bullshit. Everyone is different, and for many the ideal shape to be in falls within the range called "mildly obese" or even "moderately obese". Assuming these people need to get into "better shape" is just wrong--and is kind of insulting to them.

And please know that I'm not accusing either you or the LiveFit folks of capitalizing on this issue, Malene. I'm referring to the weight-loss industry tycoons and the researchers who shill for them by biasing their research to make obesity seem like a much bigger problem than it is.

Ignoring the effects of obesity in people's lives - including the rampant discrimination - makes it easier to continue to discriminate. Which is why I want to talk about obesity.

Again, Malene, I encourage you to read The Diet Myth by Paul Campos. He analyzes various aspects of the discrimination against fat people, including racist, sexist, and classist aspects, very interestingly. I think you'd find it fascinating.

For you to try and undermine my work on my blog is rude. For that reason your post will not appear there.

Malene, your blog invites comments, so I commented. My disagreements were expressed civilly, not rudely. If you only want comments that agree with you, I'd suggest you state that clearly on your blog. But I'd also urge you to ask yourself whether responding with hostility to politely expressed disagreement is the most constructive, growthful attitude you can muster. I for one would be more impressed if you showed enough real concern about the issue to at least read the brief article I linked to in my previous post, if not the book I mentioned. Wouldn't it be a shame if you did this herculean walk around the country only to realize later that some of the ideas you were thus supporting were wrong, even destructive? Opening yourself up to other ideas at this juncture just might save you from that. It may be that simply abandoning inflated estimates of deaths purportedly due to obesity, and explicitly addressing morbid obesity rather than making scary claims about obesity in general would put you on the right track.

[Malene Rander Comes]

Dixon,

Some people show significant health related impact at levels of moderate obesity. My mom was moderately overweight when she got diabetes. I have seen people who are 50 pounds overweight get obesity related diabetes. I am not diabetic and I am 130 pounds overweight. As you said, we are all different. I understand that those who just carry a few extra pounds does not want to be hounded for their shape and shamed in to losing weight. I know with certainty that some people's supposed overweight might easily be normal for their build. I couldn't agree with that more. I also agree that the BMI is a ridiculous way to measure if a person is overweight. I remember as a teen being in an amazing shape, but because I lived in a country of all tall, blond, slender Scandinavians I was constantly hounded for my shape, and that too is wrong. In fact, I am all too happy to let it be up to the individual to decide when or if they need to lose weight. I think we know in our bodies when the weight doesn't feel good. However, when we reach the place that the weight doesn't feel good, then it might easily have already become exponentially harder to lose the weight. I also agree that it is possible to be overweight and in shape. For instance, I am able to walk six miles at this moment, and I know a lot of people who weighs a lot less than me can't come close to that.

That said - the one medical factor that impacts obesity the most is hormones. Hormones are stored in fat. At a certain point (and that point will be different from person to person) the stored hormones in a person's fat will have a negative impact on their health. This is in fact the foundation for the metabolic syndrome - due to the hormones stored in the fat tissues the body stops responding correctly to several hormones - including insulin. At that point weight loss becomes a lot more difficult and the weight gain can easily spiral out of control. It can happen at 30 or 50 pounds overweight, or might not happen until 100 pounds overweight, but with enough weight on you, it will happen eventually.

The program I am endorsing is simply healthy living. It is not a yoyo diet. It does not include any potions or strange ways to lose weight. It consists of physical training and healthy whole foods in the right amounts and in the right proportions to each other. The nutrition program is doctor and nutritionist sponsored and the training is offered free of charge by a professional trainer. Anyone no matter their shape or size can participate, and will see health benefits. You chastised me for not checking your resources?

I realize that different people have different goals for fitness, and I completely respect that. Some people are thrilled if they are capable of walking 0.5 miles and feel great with some extra pounds on them. This is great. Others wants to be body builders or athletes - that too is great.

I think the weight loss tycoons have seen a big problem, and have found a way to capitalize on it, instead of offering genuine help, and I think that is corrupt. That said, I think we generally under estimate the size of the problem, resulting in less resources available for those who needs the help. Again, I see several relatively smaller issues getting a lot more resources and attention, and I think that is due to the discrimination against obese people. It has become so easy to see obesity as only a life style related issue, and therefore we blame those who struggle with their weight and genuinely needs help. I am not here to support those who wants to capitalize on obesity, I am here to say "The US has a big problem, and if we don't invest more in to helping this problem then it will get worse". The CDC claims that 300,000 people die each year from obesity. I didn't come up with that number, but given that is the official number I will use it. Is the actual number 50,000, 100,000, 300,000 or 500,000? Does it matter? It's a big problem, and it is bigger than problems that gets 100 times more resources. Even if it was "only" 30,000 people who dies from obesity, we still need more resources assigned to help those who suffer.

Again, I have no interest in the politics of this. I have an interest in getting more resources to help people who feels it would have an positive impact in their lives. If that is not you, I have no problem with that. Why you would want to undermine getting resources for people who feels they need it, i do not know. You know if you want to lose weight or not. You know how your body feels, and if you feel your weight is at the right level, then that is fabulous.

You don't want to hear that obesity is a huge health related issue? Well, I am sorry, but the research I have seen as well as my personal experience in life makes it a giant issue. An issue I think we should not turn our back on, and right now, our collective backs are turned on the issue of obesity. An issue that I am willing to invest the next year and a half of my life focusing on, both for myself and others. I know more than anyone how much people turn their back on obesity as an issue. I know because I have spent many hours now talking with people about obesity. Many would rather go to the dentist than consider these issues.

You don't have to agree with me or like my message. My message is one of empowerment for those who has felt overwhelmed by their weight - no matter how much or little overweight they are. I do not support yoyo diets. I do not support strange potions. I do support people who would like additional help and support to lose weight - no matter if they are mildly overweight or morbidly obese. I definitely intend to talk about all the issues of obesity, and I intend to do everything in my power to show the size of the problem.

Malene

You seem to not have noticed that I acknowledged that extreme obesity (what you call "morbidly obese") is indeed a health risk, and I was explicitly addressing "mild to moderate" obesity--the vast majority of cases, including me. ...

[Dixon]

Malene, thanks for taking the time to compose a thoughtful response. I admire your willingness to work hard for something you believe in. There are still a couple of things I urge you to consider.

Some people show significant health related impact at levels of moderate obesity. My mom was moderately overweight when she got diabetes. I have seen people who are 50 pounds overweight get obesity related diabetes. I am not diabetic and I am 130 pounds overweight.

Malene, there is a positive correlation between sales of sunglasses and drownings, just as there is between obesity and diabetes. Of course, this doesn't mean that sunglasses cause drowning, nor vice versa! It's a secondary correlation: sunglasses sales are correlated with warm, sunny days, which are correlated with swimming, which is correlated with drowning.

By the same token, diet and (lack of) exercise are correlated with obesity, which can make it look like obesity itself causes diabetes (and other problems), when in fact it's the diet and lack of exercise that are the cause.
We know this because when studies are designed to control for confounding factors like diet and exercise in order to see if there's a real correlation between obesity and diabetes (or other problems), typically no correlation is found (except, for some problems, at morbid levels of obesity). So, if Campos's analysis is correct, and it looks convincing to me, there's no such thing as "obesity related diabetes". It's diet-and-exercise-related diabetes, mistaken for obesity-related.

The program I am endorsing is simply healthy living. It is not a yoyo diet. It does not include any potions or strange ways to lose weight.

If the goal is healthy eating and good exercise, you and I have no disagreement about it, Malene. Often such a program will result in some weight loss. At other times, the weight won't change, or will even increase as the person gets healthier. Usually the healthiest weight for the person will be more, often substantially more, than what's commonly considered "ideal" in this culture. Often the healthiest weight for an individual is well into the so-called "obese" range.

Apart from these instances wherein healthy diet and exercise levels happen to create weight loss, diets aimed at weight loss simply don't work for most people. They eventually gain back the weight, and usually after years of various diets they end up heavier than they would've been if they'd never dieted--and far less healthy due to the bodily stress of repeatedly gaining and losing weight. Their health and lifespan are lower than any other weight group with the possible exceptions of the morbidly obese or the anorexic. Even the rare ones who keep the weight off for years typically "succeed" because they're on a permanent diet, essentially starving themselves of both pleasure and needed nutrients forever. So if your program is about healthy diet and exercise, great! If it's about weight loss for anyone other than the extremely obese, it'll do more harm than good, and even for the extremely obese it'll rarely work. If these things worked, wouldn't you be a lot thinner than you are, Malene?

The CDC claims that 300,000 people die each year from obesity. I didn't come up with that number, but given that is the official number I will use it.

It's understandable that you would make that choice, but I urge you to consider that the CDC is about as subject to distortion by political and financial influences as is any government agency, and that's a lot! Again, it wouldn't hurt you to expose yourself to the other side of the argument; it could only improve your understanding.

Is the actual number 50,000, 100,000, 300,000 or 500,000? Does it matter?

What matters is that if you convince people who are mildly to moderately obese to lose weight, you're likely to do them more harm than good on average, even to the point of earlier death for some of them. (If, on the other hand, your program is about healthy diet and exercise regardless of weight, that's a different matter!)

Again, I have no interest in the politics of this.

And again, if you don't pay some attention to the politics of it in order to correct for the resulting distortions, you'll end up squandering your limited resources on windmill-tilting, and likely even hurt people.

Why you would want to undermine getting resources for people who feels they need it, i do not know.

Malene, the only thing I want to "undermine" is illusion and fallacy that hurts people. Is that more understandable?

You don't want to hear that obesity is a huge health related issue?

It is an issue, but most of the problems you attribute to it are actually due to other causes, mostly diet and exercise, and I hate to see a good-hearted and committed person like you squander your efforts and possibly hurt people by failing to make that important distinction.

Well, I am sorry, but the research I have seen as well as my personal experience in life makes it a giant issue.

The research you have seen is only part of the story. The Campos book can show you clearly how that research is flawed and biased. What would be the harm in reading it?

An issue I think we should not turn our back on, and right now, our collective backs are turned on the issue of obesity.

That's simply not true. Everyone from the Obamas on down is screaming about the "obesity epidemic" and all the harm it supposedly does. And the weight loss industry is making billions each year on the resulting anxieties.

I do not support yoyo diets. I do not support strange potions.

It's not about potions, Malene, nor about any specific kind of weight-loss diet. It's about the fact that weight-loss diets of any kind simply don't work for the vast majority of people, and hurt or even kill lots of folks.

In summary: Weight loss for morbidly obese people? Okay. Weight loss for those who are less than morbidly obese? A scam, and a harmful one at that! Healthy diets and exercise for everyone? Yes!!! (And I need to practice what I preach about that last one!)

[Malene Rander Comes]

Dixon,

It sounds like both you and this Campos person has a serious political agenda as well, and I don't care to spend my time one it.

Your argument about diabetes is completely silly, and contrary to all medical research that I have read so far. Diabetes is a metabolic and hormonal disease. As such it is impacted by many different factors. Diet and exercise is one impact, genetic predisposition, stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol again another. For some especially women the levels of progesterone and testosterone interacts directly with insulin as well. For most women the levels of progesterone and testosterone are based on genetics, not life style factors. All hormones including insulin are stored in adipose tissue and as such obesity directly impacts diabetes. This is not a simple cause and effect disease. Anyone who would make that argument has some nefarious purpose of their own. Which is why we have to get away from blaming those who deal with obesity and diabetes. We do need to empower people to take back control though.

The argument that most people's healthiest weight is within an obese range sounds ridiculous. In the end, I am not out there to judge where people's individual healthiest weight is, and I am happy to be supportive of individual choices, unless those choices seems to be fueled by an eating disorder. In that case I will happily recommend a person reach out to their qualified health care professional. I am not going to try and convince anyone to lose weight. That is not my place, I am not a doctor. It is not my goal to become "rail thin" either. My personal goal is to weigh between 170-180 pounds, at 5'2 tall that would be officially considered "overweight". I would consider it my ideal weight.

Healthy weight loss is the result for most people who significantly clean up their diet and start to exercise. For those who needs to lose weight that is a good thing.

While fad diets, crash diets, starvation diets and diets based on some strange potion or gimmick do cause health problems, a solid well designed diet based on healthy foods in the right portions and proportion to each other will assist with controlled sustainable weight loss, and for many people that is a healthy goal.

My message is simple. Obesity is a horrific problem in the US, one millions suffers from. Obesity causes many problems including physical health issues, mental health issues and a decrease in enjoyment in life. According to the CDC 300,000 people dies each year from obesity, and that is too many. We need more resources devoted to help with this medical issue. We need more awareness about the problems of obesity. We need to challenge the discrimination against obese people. I know we can all fight this medical problem and take back our collective power, with the right resources and by supporting each other.

If anyone do not feel that they are obese, then obviously the problems listed above does not pertain to them. If anyone worry whether they are obese or not, please speak with your health care professional.

Your arguments seem simply silly to me, and as such I need to get back to focusing on planning my trip. I am hoping that some of the many people who reads this will join me on facebook, or even reach out to get involved with the walk. My goal was not to get involved in a political pissing match. This walk is not political. My goal was to share with others my big plans, share the excitement and encourage anyone, of any size to join my work, whether they want to lose weight or not.
Malene

Malene, thanks for taking the time to compose a thoughtful response. I admire your willingness to work hard for something you believe in. There are still a couple of things I urge you to consider.

Malene, there is a positive correlation between sales of sunglasses and drownings,

[Dixon]

Your argument about diabetes is completely silly, and contrary to all medical research that I have read so far.

Malene, "...that I have read so far" is the important term here. You have yet to read the arguments on the other side, so your opinions are formed from just one-sided info. As long as you refuse to take a little time to look at the scientific data on the other side, my arguments will continue to seem "silly" to you. I entered this conversation on the assumption that you were interested in helping people with serious health issues. I see now that you have a particular ax to grind, such that you probably won't even bother to look at the info I cited. I won't waste any more time and energy trying to reason with you. I just hope that some of those reading this thread can benefit from the info I offered.

[Malene Rander Comes]

Folks,

I hope the unintended bruhaha about how many people actually die from obesity has not turned you away from this event. I am working so hard to prepare and fund raise for LiveFit Revolution in order to make more resources available for people who struggle with their health due to obesity.

Obesity is a serious health concern that impacts millions of people, and kills thousands. It is an issue that get very little support or attention.

This is a positive event that will hopefully reach millions of people, and I am so excited to share it with all of you.

Please reach back to me and consider getting involved, I seriously need the help.

[EmeraldMatra]

People come in all shapes and sizes. Let's have a walk for size acceptance and celebrate diversity.
Emerald

Obesity is a serious health concern that impacts millions of people, and kills thousands. It is an issue that get very little support or attention.

[Malene Rander Comes]

Wow! The reaction I get from so many people when I talk about this walk really highlights why the topic is so important to talk about.

This has nothing to do with "size acceptance and diversity". When your loved one dies from complications due to obesity 10, 20 or 30 years before they might otherwise die, wouldnt you wish to have kept them around a little longer? What if it was you who might die 20 years before your time, wouldn't you wish solid resources to help you with this condition? One of my mother's died at 56 years old. Do you think I might have wished to keep her around a little longer? I am 41 years old. Trust me, 15 years from now seems around the corner.

The lack of resources to help those who needs to lose weight is in and off itself a sign of discrimination.

Obesity is complex. While life style has an impact on obesity so does several other factors - hormones, genetics, emotional well being, and income chiefly among them. In the end obesity is a medical issue, no more and no less. Why don't you go and claim that we should ignore cancer because we have to celebrate diversity? Hey, by wanting to get help to those who deal with cancer you are really discriminating against them. Sounds silly doesn't it?

Obesity is not a choice. No-one chooses the pain and the medical issues that come with obesity.

By ignoring the problem we make it worse. Whether the ignoring the problem is because we directly blame those who are obese, or like you has a misplaced desire to just "accept" everything.

I am advocating to make more resources available to those who wants the help. I am not pushing an agenda of making everyone the same size, I am not pushing an agenda that says a certain amount of weight is the right one. As stated several times above I am completely accepting of each individuals ability to decide when or if they need help with weight loss. It is not even my own goal to become "thin", because I know I am not built that way, and am completely accepting of that. I expect to end up still a very voluptuous woman. My own goal is to reach 170-180 pounds. That would still officially put me in the "obese" category, but I think this is the right and healthy weight for me. I get to decide that, no-one else.

I am advocating to take away the stigma of obesity so we can talk about it without shame. In my mind, those who wants to "show size acceptance" actually perpetuates the stigma. It implies that there is something embarrassing that we need to accept. It also hinders the conversation that offers empowerment to those who feels they need some extra help in that area. This is simply no different than any other medical issue - and those who wants help taking control of their health deserves the help. That is what I am advocating for. This means if someone does not want help with their weight because they feel their weight is at the right level - well, then Hallelujah. I am not talking about you.

BTW, according to the CDC obesity has now surpassed smoking as the number one reason of preventable death in the US. Why not start to do something to really prevent those deaths?

Obesity directly causes:
Heart Attacks
Stroke
Diabetes and other metabolic disorders
some Cancers
Sleep apnea
These conditions are all deadly. The reason the CDC lists such a huge number, 300,000 deaths, as directly caused by obesity is because obesity presents such varied risk factors. I am aware that the calculations as to what is an obesity related death are complex. However, at the moment, the CDC present the official national numbers.

Obesity makes the following conditions worse:
Depression and Anxiety
PCOS
Uterine Fibroids
It can cause infertility
Fatigue
Asthma
Chronic pain can be caused by obesity or made worse by obesity.
It causes structural damage: Lower Back, knees and ankles are directly impacted by obesity
Insomnia. (btw, have you ever tried lying flat on your back or even on your side while carrying 150 pounds too much weight? I can assure you it is exceedingly painful. We need special accommodations to be able to sleep)
Some of these conditions, if exacerbated far enough by obesity can also kill. PCOS and Asthma among them.

Obesity impacts our quality of life:
We can't run and play
Many favorite sports are dangerous to play
Playing rough with our children can be impossible
We can't go zip lining
We can't sit in a roller coaster, because they can't strap us in.
When and if we fall we are at a highly increased risk of broken bones
Have you tried putting on socks when your feet are hard to reach?

This is not to mention the impact of discrimination, a sense of failure, grieving for the things we want to do but can't and many other quality of life issues.

There are a variety of "fat suits" on the market. Essentially, someone designs a suit for you, and then add fat in the same areas that we usually carry it. I suggest finding a fat suit with 150 pounds of weight and strap it on for two hours. Let's just see how painful you find it. Or, find a total of 150 pounds and try to lift all of it at once. Now, try to walk up 5 stairs with it. Now, imagine it never goes away.

Please consider supporting my efforts to get additional resources to the people wants help with obesity so we can support their journey to better health.

Malene

People come in all shapes and sizes. Let's have a walk for size acceptance and celebrate diversity.
Emerald

[Barry]

I expect to end up still a very voluptuous woman.

OK, good!

I suggest you refer to "morbid obesity" rather that just "obesity" to help clarify that your focus is the health concerns of extreme obesity. There's a New York Times page about it here, and a variety of definitions here.

[Malene Rander Comes]

Hey Barry,

I am not just talking about morbid obesity. I am talking to and about everyone who feels that their weight causes them discomfort, limits their life or they experience health related issues due to their weight.

An athlete will often feel discomfort with a 10 pound weight gain, because they demand a lot of their body and 10 pounds can really impact them. That is their personal decision.

The one exception to my belief that people should decide this themselves is people who suffers from body dismorphic disorder. Body dismorphic disorder causes a person to have an unrealistic view of their own weight. It is most often referred to in connection with eating disorders. As in the person on deaths door due to anorexia that still insists they are fat. A less often but just as serious way body dismorphic disorder will manifest itself is in the person on their way to become morbidly obese who is in denial of that fact. In the case of body dismorphic disorder the decision to lose weight or not should be aided by a doctor or other qualified medical personnel. Of course, it is not my job to judge whether a person has body dismorphic disorder, it is a qualified medical person's job.

In fact, it is not my intention to ever be the judge of another person's current or past weight, for any reason. That has nothing to do with my walk. I will not spend one second talking about or even thinking about whether such and such person should lose weight. Trust me, I have a lot of much better things to spend my energy on. This walk is already now in the planning stages a huge challenge. I hope just as many people who are not overweight participate in the walk as those who are overweight.

Other than that I am advocating on behalf of anyone who feels negatively impacted by their weight - as defined by the individual themselves. I don't think anyone, with a possible exception of sometimes doctors, has the right to define when someone else should lose weight. It is a personal decision. It is up to the individual person to decide when any possible weight issues feels like something they need to do something about. For other people to define when someone should lose weight is a form of tyranny and unintended discrimination all its own.

A relative minority of people suffer serious health consequences from just being 30 pounds overweight - but I know of some who does and has suffered health related consequences from the 30 pounds.

I remember being just 50 pounds overweight. Back then I had an attitude that said something like this: If the worst you can say about me is I am overweight then I am doing well. If you don't like me or my weight, get lost". I now wish I had been a little more thoughtful about my rebellious reaction - because I continued to gain weight. If I could talk to that younger self I would tell her that she is on an dangerous and painful path. At 50+ pounds overweight some of my favorite activities had already gotten too dangerous and difficult to do. Most notably horse back riding.

Now, this is 50+ pounds overweight as defined by me, not the BMI or anyone elses opinion. For instance the BMI claims that if I weigh more than 158 pounds then I am officially obese. I remember weighing 170 pounds, feeling feminine and being in a shape that I could do everything I wanted. That is good with me! At 200 pounds I could no longer do everything I wanted. My knees were starting to groan under the weight, I couldn't run. I couldn't climb. I certainly couldn't haul myself into a saddle. 170 pounds and in shape was good, 200 pounds were definitely not. Had I had the support and knowledge at 200 pounds then the last 20 years would have been A LOT easier for me. The BMI put that at 42 pounds too much weight. I put it at 30 pounds overweight.

I aim to offer anyone who is feeling some of that discomfort empowerment, support and solid knowledge about obesity so they can get, what is for them, a difficult issue under control.

So, instead of this tyranny that has other people define what the right weight is for us, let's ask ourselves.
Do I feel comfortable about my weight?
Can I do the things I want to do?
Am I gaining weight or staying at the same weight?
And, what would my doctor say about my weight?

If someone is truly comfortable with their weight then they will not feel a need to defend their weight, because they know their weight is good for them.

Malene

OK, good!

I suggest you refer to "morbid obesity" rather that just "obesity" to help clarify that your focus is the health concerns of extreme obesity. There's a New York Times page about it here, and a variety of definitions here.

[podfish]

This has gotten way OT. We probably should just let Malene get the thread back to what she originally wanted: a solicitation of support for a cause she supports. I think we've distracted her potential audience enough!

Well, maybe calling the responses off topic is wrong, but the thread's moved off her agenda anyway. to summarize/close the issues:

- yes, there's a lot of evidence that the life-threatening health problems experienced by many obese people is more related to their lifestyle than their weight.

- yes, also, most (American) people would benefit by reducing their weight

- and yes, it's true that there's a stigma in our society associated with being overweight.

Somehow, I think that none of that has a lot to do with Malene's agenda, though to be fair she does keep contesting the points other people make as if the goal of this thread was a discussion of the merits and limits of the premise that obesity is harmful.

Cirrus clouds are in the news, maybe we can get back to a discussion of chemtrails?