Hyperbole On Parade
This Bangor Daily article on fat authored by Dr. Erik Steele is a compelling argument against fat - it's too bad that it's based on flawed research.
For starters, there's the 400,000 deaths per year figure. I must ask why this is constantly trotted out as "deaths due to fat" when the reality is that it's physical inactivity. BFBers know there is a difference; why doesn't, say, a published doctor?
Then there's the loose terrorism connection in the form of a wry joke: "...if al-Qaida was threatening to attack us with cellulite the story might be different." Ho ho.
Dr. Steele also attacks the government for not spending nearly as much on fighting fat as it does fighting AIDS because, obviously, fat is the real threat in this world. I'm curious, though: AIDS is something that has been a growing problem over the past twenty years or so. I'd guess that most readers recognize it as a true problem. But fat? Fat's only been in the hot seat for the past two years or so, ever since certain governmental officials started claiming it was a crisis.
It's more likely the entire fat crisis is fabricated in the name of money and power, methinks. And when you've got articles like this one out there, only adding to the massive amount of ignorance, it makes the battle feel even more difficult. [Thanks, Sandy!]
A Handy Diet Guide | My Brother's Keeper
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| radiokaryn |
August 23rd, 2004 | Link |
Well, while I don't like the
Well, while I don't like the tryng-to-be-tongue-in-cheek terrorism remark, I found this to be just another run-of-the-mill weight article. Same crap, different day. I believe it would have been more beneficial to the readers if the dr had stated simply that we don't know why some people are fat and some are thin, and we do know that the obsession with diets is making people fatter. More money for research as to why some people are fat and others thin? Fine with me. I'd like to know the physiological differences that make 2 people with similar eating and exercise regimens react so differently. I'd like to know how energy is metabolized so that on one person it's converted into muscle mass and another cellulite. I believe that with more REAL research, we will discover that it's not that we eat everything in sight and lay around all day, but that there are physiological differences which will show that having people of different shapes and sizes is NORMAL.
Now whether the world can accept that as fact is another issue altogether.
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| Beanietude |
August 23rd, 2004 | Link |
Unfortunately, radiokaryn, I
Unfortunately, radiokaryn, I fear the funding of such research (and I agree that establishing underlying genetic differences would be very beneficial to *everyone*) would come with the attached strings of "let's make fat people thin". The findings would be used as a way to sell us all just one more diet. But then I'm a cynic. :-)
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