You know what burns me up? Generalizations. Especially about the reasons why people are fat. As a fat person, I never make assumptions about why someone else is fat – or why someone isn’t. Someone who looks at me has no idea what I eat, how much I work out, if I struggle with a medical condition, or if there is a history of fat in my family.
In that same vein, I don’t know a fat person’s history or genetic makeup or struggles. I can’t tell by looking at a fat person whether or not they are metabolically healthy. I sure can’t tell how much they eat or how often they work out. I also can’t tell from looking at a thin person if they exercise regularly or eat nutritious food.
And yet, it’s assumed that if you’re thin, you’re healthy and fit. And it’s assumed that all fat people overeat and are inactive, that we’re all on a path toward diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, all of which is – get ready to panic – going to cost the nation untold billions of dollars!
I hope you are sufficiently worried. The Comptroller of New York State sure is. He recently released a report that says obesity is going to cost New York $12 billion (yes, with a b) dollars. (I read the report and will be sharing my thoughts on it soon.) Because only fat people have disease, right? Only fat people get diabetes and need expensive medications to control their cholesterol and blood pressure. Thin people never suffer from heart attacks or diabetes, right?
And thin people don’t eat cake. They don’t eat chocolate or french fries or big, juicy burgers. Only fat people overeat, gorge on fatty foods, and frequent the drive thru of fast food restaurants.
What a crock. Every one of us knows a thin person who eats nothing but junk and never works out. Just like every one of us knows (or is!) a fat person who eats well and works out regularly. Every one of us is different, metabolically and genetically. Generalizing fat or thin people is pointless.
I know I should stop reading the comments of online postings about size, fat, and health issues. Because there will always be those fat-shaming comments that say, in a nutshell, “Stop stuffing your face and move your enormous body.” It’s so simple, they say. Stop being lazy, they say. The superior attitude of these people never ceases to frustrate and anger me.
So, what if we stopped generalizing? What if we stopped focusing on size, and started sharing the message that healthy eating and exercise habits are good for everyone? Thin people need to hear this message just as much as fat people do. Think of the improvements we’d see in our nation’s health – and our health care costs – if we stopped shaming and pointing fingers, and started talking about nutritious food and joyful movement for everyone.
