I am concerned that roughly 70% of Americans are considered overweight or obese. Does that affect my perception of people in this category? Absolutely not. It raises my compassion for them, because obesity is a significant health risk. It is not a matter of appearance. How one looks is not who they are. Obesity is a multi-factorial problem that is not easily addressed. It is not answered by “just eat less and exercise.” It requires societal solutions.
Obesity does, however, cost billions in health care dollars. It shortens otherwise productive lives. It limits opportunities for good people. Is it a sensitive issue? Of course.
Shaming, according to Merriam-Webster, is “the act or activity of subjecting someone to shame, disgrace, humiliation, or disrepute especially by public exposure or criticism.” It is an attack on an individual or individuals. It is not the act of identifying a disease or social issue. The former is self-centered and hateful. The latter is other-centered and loving. It is not “shaming” just because someone feels shame. It is shaming when one addresses the other with the intent to shame and oppress.
I worry about the effects of obesity on our communities. I worry what effect ignoring the problem has on those who are trapped in obesity by no fault of their own—communities that lack resources, facilities, and healthy food sources; food banks and assistance programs that provide poor quality nutrition; bad habits passed on from generation to generation; genetics; and so on. I don’t excuse the problem. I do, however, take a personal responsibility. After all, I can’t teach about metabolic syndrome (or worse, not teach about metabolic syndrome out of fear of offending someone) and just wish the problems would just go away. I watch WALL-E with the knowledge that people who have been sedentary for generations can’t just get up from their people-movers and walk under a tremendous burden of body fat and a certain lack of bone density without crumbling to the ground. When I suggest that we lose body fat as a society, it is not because I think everyone should have six-pack abs. It is because I believe that everyone should be afforded the opportunity to live a long, healthy, and productive life. It is because I know that the medical problems associated with obesity are great and that we must treat the underlying cause and not the symptom.
I hope we can safely begin to have dialogue about obesity without the worry of offending or being offended. We must be other-centered about health.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!