Fat prejudice continues despite America's growing waistline

We often judge others by their waistlines alone.

A sad fact about our society is that fat prejudice continues to exist. More of us are overweight and obese, so we should be less inclined to treat fat people badly, right? Just one problem, according to J. Eric Oliver, author of 'Fat Politics' we aren't really getting all that fatter as a nation. See video below.

The US government policy on what makes for a healthy BMI (body mass index) just makes it seem that way. And BMI measures total body weight in relation to height. It doesn't take into account whether your body weight is mostly from body or mostly from muscle. This means athletes and bodybuilders are labeled as overweight and obese. This means very fit people like Brad Pitt and Gov. Arnold Swartzenegger or lumped into the obese category.

So the theory that prejudice against overweight and obesity should lessen because we're all in the same boat doesn't hold water. But the fact remains fat prejudice is simply wrong. No one should treat another human being poorly because of appearance, body size, or personal choices about health or diet. It's simply none of our business whether someone is overweight, or why they're overweight.

As Eric Oliver points out, being overweight has little to do with mortality. The highest death rates are seen in those who are the most underweight, and then from the heaviest people. The merely overweight are living the longest.

Perhaps the most destructive form of fat prejudice is that of physicians and other health care workers. See video below. These so-called professionals are often the reason why overweight and obese people avoid getting routine health care and often weight until a health crisis develops. Some health care workers have no qualms expressing their personal opinions on weight in what should be a professional setting. 

So why do people view overweight as an undesirable state and thinnest as the most desirable state? A great deal of it has to do with the fact cheap food is widely available in our society. We value self control and the ability to control our own destiny. So we perceive being overweight or obese as a state of self indulgence or lack of control.

The real issue is that we don't have a right to make judgments about other people's life choices whether they fall into line with our own personal values or not. Another person's food choices or waistlines are simply none of our business unless they personally seek our advice, or we are paying directly for their food and health care out of own pocket.    

Contempt For Fat People: Bonus footage from the documentary "Fat Head." Eric Oliver from the University of Chicago talks about the prejudice against fat people.

From Yale University's Rudd Center For Food Policy and Obesity: Overweight and obese patients frequently feel stigmatized in health care settings, and face stereotypes and prejudice from health care providers.

More Info: Weighy Assumptions: Doctors Too Quick To Blame Obese Patients' Ills on Fat, Studies Suggest.

Fat phobia: Measuring, understanding, and changing anti-fat attitudes.

Yet another way we legitimize fat prejudice. 

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