Being overweighed is expensive

[Anelia]

Here's an interesting article (http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/being-overweight-may-cost-you-up-to-4800-per-year.html) on how obesity costs money and maybe the only way to make people think about their health is talking about money...weird enough but it might work.

[Swan]

Hmm... It's interesting, but not applicable in my case. I'm obese, but very rarely become sick or injured (current back injury aside... It's my first real injury since I was thirteen, hah!), and I don't have any of the illnesses the article described. I don't usually watch tv but I do work out, even with my back injury, at home and at PT, but that's hardly expensive either... And while I do eat the "healthy choice" and "lean cuisine" prepackaged meals, I supplement them with organic home-cooked meals. In my case, eating healthy IS the most expensive part ;) And while I do spend $$ on the healthy food, I was without a job for two years, so I'm a penny pincher irl. The only generous budget I have is for a good bike that I can continue exercising on... everything else is second-, third-, and fourth-hand (except the food!).
So it's an interesting read, but by no means should anyone reading the article fear that every obese person will go through this.

[Crankin]

I am betting the effects are cumulative. Like, by the time you get to a certain age (30, 40, 50, 60), you have a higher probability of having one of the mentioned diseases, if you are obese. Of course, this was not a scholarly article, but there is a ton of vetted research on this issue. It would be interesting to see how the percentage of people who have CAD, high BP, Type II diabetes increases as people age, comparing an obese population to a normal weight population. I am sure this has been done, but the trick is being able to use the results to help people avoid these problems.

[Veronica]

But processed junk foods are quick, easy and readily available.

I am continually astounded by the junk I see people eating at work. Yet, they lament that they are overweight. Maybe they have some health issue that I'm not aware of that requires that they have the giant fruit smoothie for breakfast and the bag of potato chips for lunch.

Veronica

[Blueberry]

For a more scholarly view, the current New England Journal of Medicine has a good article (http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1208051) (full version only to subscribers or those with library access, it looks like).

It's really amazing what we don't know in terms of how our bodies work sometimes. For example, why are some people who exercise and eat correctly unable to lose weight? And do they still get a health benefit versus someone who might weigh the same, but sit on the couch and eat bags of potato chips. I do think a lot of the "fluffy" popular media articles actually do more harm than good. I'll leave it at that.

[Anelia]

Swan, I read an article that being overweighed and working out is better and healthier than being skinny and sedentary. So, you are on the right way!
You know that there are some people who can engulp tons of junk and due to their metabolism, remain thin. But that doesn't mean that they are healthy.

[Crankin]

Murienn, I totally agree with your point about the nutrients. Even when I was a young, single (and relatively poor) teacher, I bought good food, cooked, and even joined the health food co-op back in 1977! I was on the road to a life long weight problem and I stopped it right then. It's all about decisions.

[OakLeaf]

For a more scholarly view, the current New England Journal of Medicine has a good article (http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1208051) (full version only to subscribers or those with library access, it looks like).

It's really amazing what we don't know in terms of how our bodies work sometimes. For example, why are some people who exercise and eat correctly unable to lose weight? And do they still get a health benefit versus someone who might weigh the same, but sit on the couch and eat bags of potato chips. I do think a lot of the "fluffy" popular media articles actually do more harm than good. I'll leave it at that.

+1

And anyone with an iPad can get NEJM for free. They're going to bring it behind a paywall eventually, but this has been quite an extended free trial.

[Blueberry]

And anyone with an iPad can get NEJM for free. They're going to bring it behind a paywall eventually, but this has been quite an extended free trial.

Very good to know about the iPad - I have university access, but the iPad is definitely more convenient!

[GLC1968]

+1

And anyone with an iPad can get NEJM for free. They're going to bring it behind a paywall eventually, but this has been quite an extended free trial.

I had no idea. Good to know! Thanks!