Posted on 09/17/2019 9:25:17 PM PDT by familyop
IN his fascinating book Unnatural Causes, forensic pathologist Dr Richard Shepherd observes how, over the years, the dead bodies he examines have changed.
One of the most noticeable is the rapid increase in body fat.
He says: “Unless a patient is homeless or has died of cancer or is so old or poor they could not eat, few are the same shape as the dead of the 1980s when I started practising.
“Looking back at forensic photos from that era I am astonished at how thinness was then the norm.”
Fast-forward just three decades and obesity levels are now rising at such a rate that one expert says the “timebomb has exploded” for our health services.
Consequently, the NHS is reportedly bracing itself for soaring levels of cancer, Type 2 diabetes and heart and liver disease.
'FAT SHAMING COMEBACK'
For a taster of what’s potentially to come, let’s cross the Pond to America, where talk-show host Bill Maher had this to say: “In August, 53 Americans died from mass shootings. Terrible, right? Do you know how many died from obesity? Forty-thousand.”
A shocking statistic indeed and it’s indisputable that it should be highlighted and widely debated.
But he then said this: “Fat shaming doesn’t need to end. It needs to make a comeback. Some amount of shame is good.
“We shamed people out of smoking and into wearing seat belts . . . shame is the first step in reform.”
Meaning that, fuelled by Brit James Corden’s robust response on his chat show, Maher’s call to “fat-shame” became the debate and smothered the real issue of how supposedly developed nations can tackle this spiralling health crisis.
"We shamed people out of smoking and into wearing seat belts . . . shame is the first step in reform." --Bill Maher
Fat shaming isn’t the solution, although in the 2015 case of a mother ordering takeaways for her hospitalised 13-year-old, I could possibly make an exception.
The Manchester-based mother, whose child later died from “a heart condition . . . exacerbated by their morbid obesity”, had persistently ignored healthy eating advice and failed to bring the child to various health appointments.
Shame on her.
But in the majority of cases, finger- pointing and name-calling gets us nowhere.
However, equally, we shouldn’t attempt to normalise obesity for fear of causing offence.
If a four-year-old child is already clinically obese by the time they start school, then — medical issues aside — it’s because, at home, they’re being fed the wrong food and not getting enough exercise.
HEALTH TIME-BOMB
Those in positions of authority — teachers, doctors etc — must be allowed to tackle it with impunity and, hopefully, support the child’s family to implement a change in lifestyle that will benefit all concerned.
As Corden says: “We get it. We know being overweight isn’t good for us and I’ve struggled my entire life with trying to manage my weight and I suck at it.”
Because it’s not just about what people eat, it’s about why they overeat.
So support and encouragement has to be the answer, together with a collective, open and ongoing conversation about how society as a whole can help.
Interestingly, the tiny South Pacific island of Naura is currently classed as the most obese nation in the world, with 61 per cent of its 10,756 population having a BMI higher than 30.
"It’s not just about what people eat, it’s about why they overeat."
According to one report, this is “possibly attributed to Western settlers who taught them to fry their food and import less healthy food, abandoning their tradition cultivation, preparation and preserving skills”.
In short, the human body is designed to live off the land and move around without the aid of transport, but “modern life” means we’re eating far too much processed food and being more sedentary as we’re ferried from A to B.
But even though the food industry must take its fair share of blame, it’s also the case that certain healthier alternatives introduced by KFC, among others, failed due to lack of interest from customers.
So, contrary to Maher’s claim about smoking and seat belts, it wasn’t shame that prompted change, it was the slow drip of education and a change in laws — and, ultimately, that’s the route we should take in tackling this health crisis too.
In the meantime, we shouldn’t demonise obesity, but nor should we normalise it either.
I’m all for “body positivity” but not if it’s masking an underlying health time-bomb.
What we should be normalising, and indeed celebrating, is that everyone — whatever their body shape — should eat healthily and get fitter.
More math .... cdc says about 40% of Americans are obese.
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
familyop <——— Barely survived obesity, so far.
[Little admission there. Still struggling to get the weight down more.]
Is obesity ever identified as the cause of death on official documents?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180712114440.htm
Good question....and kind of on that topic and maybe why it’s not listed as an official cause (see above).
Hmmmmmm... Nothing here about the standard high-carb diet...
Interesting article...worth the read. Thanks.
I remember 1 fat kid in 6th grade when I was in school around 1970.
Now they are the majority.
A high carb diet will work for a young person, if that young person eats enough vegetables and lean meat (including chicken, fish, etc.) and gets plenty of exercise. I found out the hard way, though, that without plenty of exercise, those carbs are converted into much sugar and fat. Ouch!
The key is to start exercising very soon after ingesting the carbs. Otherwise,...that tired feeling, sugar and fat! Those carbs only provide energy for a short window of time. Did that the right way for a short period of time, too, when I was smarter and healthier.
Totally correct. I was 6’4” til a bad car wreck jacked my spine.
Now am 6’2” at 215 lbs, (what I weighed in High School.)
When my heart doc started to lecture me about my BMI I asked him if he thought he could take me? I held a straight face.
He was quiet. Never brought up the subject again.
Correction: 53 Americans died because they were unable to protect themselves.
Anyone questioning the numbers should just look around. Fatties everywhere. No excuse. It’s a national security issue.
BMI is an imperfect measure, but anyone with eyes open can see there are a lot more fat folks than in the past. It is a problem. As a country we’re eating more than we should. Now what is the single largest source of all those excess calories? Government! And it keeps push PSAs about ‘hunger’ (defined as having missed one meal in the past month IIRC) when many of us could benefit from some dosage of hunger. And it keeps handing out free food to folks without checking whether they really need it. They forgot “first, to do no harm.” They’re using the wrong ‘needs’ test. Don’t give people extra food because they’re $ challenged, only give it to those who nutritionally need it. And if the liberals stop you from blocking handing out extra calories to those who instead need a diet then instead give them vouchers only exchangeable for ‘healthier diet’ food. Use Michelle’s school lunch menu plan for them. Let the libs argue with that!
People are like a flock of chickens. If a fox takes one the do not notice. Then a few days later, another, then another. Soon they have taken the whole flock without any of them wondering what is going on.
Now, take a flock and place them in a protected pen a fox cannot get into, but a coyote does get in and goes into a killing rage, killing maybe half or more of the flock. The chickens go into a panic with no place to run to.
The same with people. A serial killer may kill dozens but no one really notices.
But a mass murderer-—WOW!
No. If death certificates were written by scientifically-honest doctors, the correct terminology would be “poisoning”.
The fact that I am a distinct minority in that view does not diminish from the other fact that I am correct.
Obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease...all symptoms of poisoning. It’s like concluding that a car crash was caused by the tree...
We gotta ban sugary, processed assault food. Door-to-door confiscation, baby!
Young Chinese are 'too fat and masturbate too much to pass army fitness tests'
“The fact that I am a distinct minority in that view does not diminish from the other fact that I am correct.”
No arrogance lacking in this one.
You ain’t getting my chocolate, Doritos, Cheetos, bacon-flavored cheese in a can...
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