Diets don’t work. There is currently no known way to achieve long term weight loss for the majority of fat people.
Fat people can achieve health benefits from being active (such as lowering blood pressure, improving glucose levels, etc.).
Many fat people are not willing to participate in public activities because they fear (with good cause) being treated with disrespect and abuse.
Many fat people do not participate in certain activities because the clothing and/or equipment that fits is not available.
Many fat people are not active because they have joint problems – which the healthcare professionals will not treat because the patients are too fat.
And if a fat person is able and willing to face the problems associated with being active, while they may achieve health benefits these benefits may be achieved with no change in weight – so the fruits of their efforts go unrecognized and unapplauded – often even by healthcare professionals; certainly by the health insurance companies.
I know there is something to be said for self-satisfaction; but that only goes so far, you know?
Society makes it difficult for the fat person to be active, society does not reward the fat person for being active, and then society wonders why fat people aren’t more active – must be because we’re so lazy!
Is this how society perpetuates stereotypes? By creating circumstances that tend to enforce the behavior the stereotype is based on? This just occurred to me – and it feels right. Anybody out there study sociology or anthropology?