Thank you Graeme, I believe weight is an unreliable indicator of
physical health. I know many people within the "acceptable weight
range" with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and who are not
physically active or who don't eat well enough to achieve health
benefits. I also know many people who are above the "acceptable weight
range" who are physically fit and extremely healthy.
I think in the next couple of years we're going to find that obesity
rates have decreased, but overall, people's physical health has not
improved. Because all those people who do not fall into the overweight
or obese category do not get the message because they are not being
targeted and don't feel that they are at risk.
I'm afraid as a society we've created the situation where we look at
each other and judge health and character based on appearance. This is
extremely disconcerting, especially in a world so desperately in need of
acceptance, empathy and compassion.
Carrie Brown
Health Promotion Liaison
Northern Lights Health Region
11202 - 100 Ave.
High Level, A.B. T0H 1Z0
Phone: (780) 841-3204
Fax: (780) 926-7375
[log in to unmask]
"Take care of ourselves and each other, spend time with loved ones, take
breaks when necessary and enjoy each moment on this lovely green and
blue planet." ~Tooker Gomberg~
-----Original Message-----
From: Social Determinants of Health [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Graeme Bacque
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 11:08 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [SDOH] anti-obesity technology
One more serious issue to point out about this whole obesity obsession -
this kind of excessive state and medical-sanctioned focus on impossible
standards of physical appearance and performance is in fact a known
aspect of fascism. It indicates a degree of social intolerance which is
becoming extreme.
These kind of 'standards' have been used deliberately and systematically
to denigrate and oppress women, non-Europeans, religious minorities and
persons with disabilities (among others) for centuries.
The original history underlying this probably dates back to Biblical
times, where a person's physical characteristics were routinely
associated with either 'good' or 'evil'. This became highly evident in
Europe during the Burning Times. The Nazis escalated this form of
persecution to an extreme degree during their reign.
This is a no-win situation and the worst form of victim-blaming -
although the person affected may actually be primarily a 'victim' of
society's scorn over physical attributes which are entirely beyond their
control and which may not even specifically be a health issue. In the
end it boils down to other peoples' sense of aesthetics being offended
as opposed to being a valid indicator of someone's true state of
physical well-being.
I for one find this obsessive, narrow, judgmental, out of context
official focus on certain physical characteristics (to the exclusion of
most other personal attributes) to be highly alarming. People need to be
valued in all their diversity, no matter what color, shape or size they
may come in.
Graeme
Adam P. Coutts wrote:
> an innovative individual protective mechanism for the impending
> obesity epidemic! I think it's US based.
>
> http://www.harrietcarter.com/Detail.cfm?pth=13&Cat=111&prod=4594&sr=1
>
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