one reason obese people often don't rate themselves as obese is because the medical definition doesn't square with most people's idea of what obese -- or really fat -- is. the little-reported truth is that health authorities, in part for political reasons having to do with establishing a public health crisis and increasing research money, arbitrarily lowered the weight (or BMI) that establishes someone as obese. (they did this right around the time our obesity epidemic skyrocketed). by the current medical definition, most people become "obese" versus "overweight" when they gain a mere five pounds. the average person would not look at a borderline obese man or woman and think they're terribly fat. in fact, by the BMI defintions -- which are highly flawed, not accounting for body type or muscle mass -- some people would end up looking downright gaunt if they strictly followed the normal-weight guidelines. this was highlighted to me when i watched a TV show on obesity; the host was clearly not fat, and yet by the BMI standards he was actually obese. it was a striking sight.

for those who have not experienced the stigam of obesity it's easy to wax intelluctual about social trends and norms. the reality is far more unhealthy -- i would argue that social stigma causes as many, if not more, health problems as any conditions related to weight. i know of what i speak -- while now "thin," i used to weigh 40 pounds more. perhaps some obesity money should go to studying the deleterious effects of social isolation (and by the way, no one who's fat hasn't tried to lose weight.....)

susan orenstein:

the little-reported truth is that health authorities, in part for political reasons having to do with establishing a public health crisis and increasing research money, arbitrarily lowered the weight (or BMI) that establishes someone as obese. (they did this right around the time our obesity epidemic skyrocketed).

I believe that, because as I said on another form I used to be considered thin but not dangerously so. Now I'm off the BMI chart completely.

I've also heard it said that the government rigs the food pyramid depending on what type of farmer is demanding more subsidies/bailouts at the time.

I think we are thinking too much about this. There is a healthy way of being or a "healthy weight" that goes beyond what is politically correct. Fatness has never in history been OK. You can't make it so. There was a time when the elite could differentiate themselves from the masses by having more body weight or less. I hope that in modern society we don't go down that road. You Americans have already determined that rich people will get health care are the poor will not. Perhaps the fact the 65% of your population are overweight and that 46 million don't have access to proper health care says a lot about the discussion about who's fat and who isn't (and who is incredibly stupid).

While I too question the BMI standards - bodies are too different to simply take someone's height and derive their ideal weight - I do not believe in some conspiracy about farm prices or magic sugar. People in America are fat and getting fatter. I have lived outside of the US for most of the last 14 years, and it is striking how much fatter so many of us have become everytime I return. I have also noticed certain trends. Folks are around the world who become richer tend to become fatter. This indicates that fat is a disease of prosperity. I have at times become too large - these times coincided with sloth and gluttony - I was drinking and eating a lot and not getting much exercise. I lost weight the same way everytime. I decided I was too fat, so I worked out regularly and ate less. And, surprise, it worked everytime. This is not rocket science folks. Stop making excuses and start taking care of yourself.

You make a lot of valid points. The other posters just wish to pretend that people many Americans are NOT fat when indeed they are.

The message is really very simple; Get off your ass and eat better food. Typically those that cry about the labels used on fat people don't get off their ass and eat too much crap.