I would much rather someone be overweight yet exercise than someone be underweight and do no exercise at all 
Sports scientist John Brewer
HEALTH TARGETS
The average person should be able to:
Walk a mile in 15 minutes
Carry two bags of shopping from the supermarket to the car
Climb the stairs in a house without getting breathless
'NORMAL' ADULT VITALS
Blood pressure below 140/90 each time it is taken
Resting pulse of around 70 beats per minute
Respiratory rate of 16 - 20 breaths a minute
What all of this tells me is that the lower limits on things like blood pressure (110/70 is what I've heard quoted quite often by doctors) that we are told we need to reach for our health may not be as vital as promoted as being. So, are medical professionals lowering standards because of the so-called obesity epidemic, thinking that if they institute these lower standards, we may strive to meet them and therefore might reach the actual, higher standards? Do they really think tricking us, needlessly scaring us, is going to work? More importantly, is it really in our best interests to go along with this unquestioningly?
'NORMAL' ADULT VITALS
Blood pressure below 140/90 each time it is taken
Resting pulse of around 70 beats per minute
Respiratory rate of 16 - 20 breaths a minute
What all of this tells me is that the lower limits on things like blood pressure (110/70 is what I've heard quoted quite often by doctors) that we are told we need to reach for our health may not be as vital as promoted as being. So, are medical professionals lowering standards because of the so-called obesity epidemic, thinking that if they institute these lower standards, we may strive to meet them and therefore might reach the actual, higher standards? Do they really think tricking us, needlessly scaring us, is going to work? More importantly, is it really in our best interests to go along with this unquestioningly?
Thanks for the link. It gives me hope that we may yet get real on health and weight.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there's still a comment though, about how there's backlash now against the poor skinny people. The people who if they had to deal with at least one minute of the adversity us plus-size people deal with, they'd crumble.
ReplyDeleteI find it hard to empathize with people who have been given to, for no reason other than they've had the gene set to be able to conform. No, I don't consider not making cheer squad this year a matter of adversity.
The thing is, thin people may have more privilege than fat people, but they still have body issues. I don't know how many thin women I've known that are not satisfied with their bodies and still think they need to be thinner. That doesn't mean it's right for thin or fat women, it's what we are trying to change. And size doesn't have a whole hell of a lot to do with health. That's one of the messages we need to get out there (and to believe ourselves, in our hearts).
ReplyDeleteWow, those are the health targets and vitals constituting "good health?" I meet - and even exceed - every single criteria listed - and I am still fat.
ReplyDeleteAt the university I attend, my department is on the third floor, which means if you're on the street level (basement, really) you have to climb five and a half levels of stairs to get to the top. I usually take this in stride and even sprint up the stairs, while I've seen girls who weigh just above 100 pounds breathless after the second floor. All of which shows me that fatness isn't an indicator of fitness.