Will fat-shaming help combat obesity? This polarizing issue has picked up steam lately with the American Medical Associations’ recent labelling of obesity a disease. Many have jumped on board, arguing that obesity is a matter of personal choice, that we have ample access to good food and resources to get ourselves into shape, and that if we get in our own way on the path to healthfulness, we have only ourselves to blame. Taking the argument a step further, by labelling obesity in harsh tones and creating an image that being fat is unacceptable and even shameful, some believe that we could start winning this most challenging battle of the bulge.
The latest in obesity research
Knowledge is power in the battle against obesity. Here are some links to frequently covered topics in research:
This line of thinking is certainly appealing for its simplicity: just tell people to eat less, buy them a gym membership, and declare those who lack the stick-to-it-ness to keep on track as weak, lazy, or slovenly. The issue? Aside from its basic insensitivity, it flies in the face of virtually every piece of evidence we have about how weight gain, our bodies, our brains, and society works. While a full appraisal of why obesity, and weight loss, are substantially more complex than just “eat less and exercise more” could go on for pages, here are just a few of the factors that work against the average person trying to watch their waistline.
First, there is intake: We know that much of the food that is readily available today can trigger addictive-like responses in our body. Foods rich in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, salt, and fats — think candy bars, chips, French fries, and donuts — can trigger a response in our brain that is similar to cocaine. Making matters worse, these nutrient-poor, high calorie foods have been marketed to us and our children with impunity. In essence, we have been waving a red flag in front of a bull for decades, and the result has been predictable, especially for those unlucky individuals who seem to be genetically susceptible to uncontrolled eating and weight gain.
Vast swaths of our continent are caught in what are known as food deserts, basically neighbourhoods where the only food available is from fast food restaurants or convenience stores
And while food is theoretically more available than ever, we know that vast swaths of our continent are caught in what are known as food deserts, basically neighbourhoods where the only food available is from fast food restaurants or convenience stores. Add to that the higher cost often associated with more healthful foods, and those who lack the means to purchase or prepare healthy food can find themselves caught in a cycle of eating plenty of calories but few nutrients.
Then there is the issue of movement and activity. Of course, the escalators, remote controls, and washing machines have contributed in their own way to our relative inactivity, but more recent additions to our daily lives, like email and text messaging, mean that we don’t need to cross our office to talk to a colleague or deliver a memo like we once did. All of this has given rise to sedentarism, namely the health issues associated not so much with our lack of hitting the gym, but with sitting for too long each day, which emerging evidence suggests could be as harmful as our lack of running, walking, or lifting.
When we lose weight, our body unleashes a rather unpleasant barrage of hormonal changes that stimulate our appetite, slow our metabolism and actually make us more prone to weight re-gain
On an even grander scale, the design of our neighbourhoods, our access to bike lanes and public transit, and even our fear of letting our kids play outdoors, also have a role to play; we know, for example, people who live in cities tend to weigh less than people who live in the suburbs. Inside our homes, our late-night habits, as well as the accompanying light-at-night of the TV, smartphone, or computer, changes the way our sleep and our hormones work, making us more likely to overeat — and not the good stuff.
Finally, there is the issue of the inner workings of our body. When we lose weight, our body unleashes a rather unpleasant barrage of hormonal changes that stimulate our appetite, slow our metabolism and actually make us more prone to weight re-gain — believe it or not, our body actually doesn’t really like to lose weight, so it fights against it when we do. Our inability to maintain weight loss might even be made worse by our exposure to common chemicals, known as obesogens, which when released from our fat tissue when we lose weight, may also contribute to weight regain.
And none of this is to speak of the emotional toll that comes from weight cycling, constant dieting, or feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or isolated because of our weight. According to a recent study published in online journal PLoS ONE, adults who reported experiencing weight discrimination were not only more likely to become obese, but were three times more likely to remain obese over a four year period.
Hearing all of the reasons why weight loss is not only difficult, but nearly impossible, might make it seem like fighting obesity is an entirely hopeless task. I, and many others, believe the effort is not futile: for every change we have made as a society, we have the capacity to un-make it, or find a better alternative. Fortunately, there are a number of skilled individuals who are working to address these issues, whether at the government, community, or individual level. For example, while hockey rinks and cafeterias are passing on the pop, farmer’s markets are on the rise, and neighbourhood design is increasingly considering walkability. In reality, however, reversing obesity will continue to prove to be a most challenging task; we have to be realistic and realize that, if the seeds of our collective weight gain were first sown generations ago, it could take the same amount of time to reverse the trend.
— Jennifer Sygo, M.Sc., RD, is a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist at Cleveland Clinic Canada. Visit her on the Web at jennifersygo.com and send your comments and nutrition-related questions to her at firstname.lastname@example.org.