In the middle -- with no end in sight -- of what has become the obesity epidemic, a recent poll by Harris Interactive/HealthDay shows that many people who are overweight don't even realize it.
HealthDay reporter Amanda Gardner's article, "Many Americans Don't Even Know They're Fat" was published on Thursday. In the poll, participants gave their height and weight, then were asked how they would categorize their weight.
The results are somewhat shocking.
Gardner writes, "Thirty percent of those in the 'overweight' class believed they were actually normal size, while 70 percent of those classified as obese felt they were simply overweight. Among the heaviest group, the morbidly obese, almost 60 percent pegged themselves as obese, while another 39 percent considered themselves merely overweight."
The danger here is clear. How can we stop the obesity epidemic if we don't see ourselves as obese?
Gardner writes about possible reasons for this phenomenon. It could be that Americans don't know what a healthy weight looks like, since we see a lot of people around us who look exactly like us -- or heavier -- and then we see a size 0 model on a magazine cover (which, depending on her height, might or might not be a healthy weight).
Body mass index, or BMI, is a helpful tool for finding out if you're at a healthy weight. Enter your height and weight in an online BMI calculator. Talk to your doctor about your ideal weight.
Getting to your group fitness classes is only part of this battle. Yes, many people live sedentary lives -- but even more of us aren't eating as well as we could be. No matter how much you work out, if you're still taking in more calories than you burn off, you're going to gain weight.
Colorado is doing better than the rest of the nation -- in 2009, we had the lowest obesity rates in the entire country. The Centers for Disease Control has a map that shows the increase in obesity through the years, and shares the obesity percentages for each state's population in 2009.
The CDC Overweight and Obesity section is a great resource. Get the facts about obesity in addition to information on weight loss and weight management.
Information like this is a call to action. Denver: let's challenge ourselves to work out, eat to fuel our bodies, keep Colorado obesity rates low -- and maybe even become the state who leads the reversal of the obesity trend.
Comments
Although I would guess people do underestimate their health- I have a problem with that BMI calculation. It does not take into account muscle mass. I work out with weights 3 days a week and do cardio three days as well. I know muscle weighs more than fat, so even though the calculation says I have a BMI of 27 and overweight, I have measured it other ways at it turns out to be more like 22 - in the normal weight range. So if they were to ask me what my height and weight were and if I thought I was fat - I'd say no, but then they would calculate and say I didn't realize I was overweight. But I'm pretty sure I'm not. I think something like waist size needs to be taken into consideration as well for these measurements.
I'm so sorry I missed your comment until now! But you're right -- BMI calculation is flawed for those who work out; I'm in the same boat. But for those who don't, it's a good starting point; it gives a rough idea of where they are. Sometimes a number like that is enough to get people motivated! Sometimes not. But I agree, measurements are also a good thing to consider.
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