Great Messages From Extraordinary People

I was watching a program on TV last night, "The Half Ton Man," and it really got to me, on a lot of levels. I was sorry, I was sickened, and I was angry.

I know there are a lot of reasons leading to obesity, including genetics, other disease processes, but most of all environment and lifestyle choices. Some insist it is ALL genetics because their mom and dad, brothers and sisters are also grossly obese; but, there is likely also a huge environmental factor. If your family's regimen is to sit and eat large, rich, high-calorie meals on a daily basis and not get out and burn off the calories you consume, eventually you are going to get fat. Ask Richard Simmons! Personally, I do not buy it. In my own family, I have a sister who is very obese, yet the rest of the family is normal to only slightly overweight, so it can hardly all be genetics. If you watch, you can see her pack in an entire bag of potato chips, a whole box of donuts, and a 2-liter bottle of pop in a single setting. Diet pop, of course, to justify the reduced calories but ignoring the fact that she is still consuming 8 servings all at once. If you keep watching, you can see that the only time she gets up from her chair is to use the restroom, telling everyone else around her to "get this" or "do that." Eating 3 times the normal daily required calories then sitting in the chair is certainly not going to go unnoticed by your body systems.

From Mount Sinai Hospital's website regarding obesity and surgery:

"A healthy BMI is 19-24, with obesity beginning at a BMI of 30, morbid obesity at a BMI of 40, super morbid obesity at a BMI of 50, and super super morbid obesity at a BMI above 60. Health risks increase as BMI values rise above 25. Medical conditions related to obesity, also called comorbidities, which might make you a candidate for weight loss surgery include: diabetes, high blood pressure, joint problems, circulatory problems, heart disease, sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome, urinary incontinence, and infertility."

Back before the advent of TV and video games (and even computers, sheesh), people were active because that was part of their lives and lifestyle. Many worked strenuously doing hard physical labor. Now that so much of what used to be done by hand is automated and there are so many more recreational opportunities not involving physical activity, we are becoming a society of overweight people, evolving into a super-morbidly obese society.

You go, Richard Simmons, and keep spreading your message of hope to millions!