Fat Is Now A Disease

Damn I thought I was fat because I took in more calories than I burned off, not because it is a disease. In my defense I was once a work out warrior but injuries and failed surgeries have left me unable to do anything more than walk slow, which doesn't hardly burn any calories. I think they misuse the disease label to try to get through to people to help them. They have been calling drug addiction and alcoholism a disease for years. I guess saying "You need to get help for your disease" will get a person to listen better than "Stop stuffing your face and drinking beer, you fat drunk."

I'm torn on this issue. There are a few different categories to me. While the primary culprit is eating more than you burn off, I do not believe that our eating is the only problem. Heredity is also a factor in obesity. Some people are more prone to being large than others.

Please don't misunderstand, the largest source of obesity revolves around poor eating habits. If people constantly stuff their face with fried/processed/fast foods, they will gain weight. I think we need to look at how we support these industries and crack down. Part of the reason fast food is so cheap are the massive subsidies they get from the government. If we're giving out subsidies, they need to be for fruits and vegetables for farmers markets, etc. We also need to look into the food deserts.

I'm considered overweight. I'm 5'11 and 185 lbs. I go to the gym fairly regularly, I ride a bike, I typically opt for the stairs over an elevator. My Dr. said I'm healthy and to not to be concerned with that categorization. I certainly wouldn't consider myself skinny or athletic, but I do not consider myself fat or obese. Part of the problem with obesity is how we measure it. It needs to be more than a simple weight/height and BMI.

That said, I do see how it can be considered a disease. While it is self inflicted, many other diseases are also self inflicted. People don't blame alcoholics. People don't blame drug addicts. I think those two have far less of an excuse. You have to eat to live, and that can become addictive. You do not have to drink or do drugs ever. As usual, the obesity issue in America isn't a one-size fits all solution we seem to try to put on every problem. It's a complex issue with differing solutions per person. The only real way to cut down on the intake of these foods is to make them cost prohibitive.

I once said of an evil boss I had who was incredibly obese. "Somewhere deep inside of K.L. is a kind, caring woman ... it's a damn shame K.L. ate her."