So, here is the link to an article in the New York Times this AM. Actually, this article was about the new show ‘Huge’ – a socially interesting concept for a show about the efforts of overweight teenagers to find dignity in their efforts towards transformation. However, the article also references the ‘gainer blog’ phenomenon (blogs devoted to finding ways to more efficiently gain weight. These blogs are not typically geared towards people who are ‘too thin’ trying to gain weight, but more towards overweight individuals celebrating and augmenting their obesity.) This was enough to get me doing some research. I have seen some of the people who proclaim that they are healthy in spite of being morbidly obese on some of the talk shows, and while they may be able to demonstrate good blood work- you simply cannot change the laws of physics. Your musculoskeletal system was just not designed to support tremendous amounts of weight, and even if one were to not exhibit any of the cardiovascular and endocrine issues associated with obesity, their feet, knees, hips, and yes- their spine- all are subject to greater wear and tear, potentially leading to pain, and surgical intervention. There are numerous studies out there which support this assertion.
The line in the article that caught me off guard was this notion that there is a conspiracy, and that this gainer phenomenon is ‘an outcry against the manipulations of a diet-industrial complex.’ If anything, the food industry is doing exactly the opposite thing- producing food products which promote obesity, and the media which provides advertising for these products puts all of them in our faces ALL THE TIME. This topic is poignant to me as I continue on my own fitness challenge, and try to get myself into the shape I know I should be. There are definitely social forces compelling many of us to get thin- particularly teenage girls- who are bombarded with images from all sides, so I don’t want to discount this notion completely- but I feel the greater force emerges from the food industry which continues to churn out numerous processed, fat laden, inexpensive, and apparently enticing foods. My suspicion here is born out by the disproportionate rates of obesity here in the U.S. relative to much of the world.
I don’t want to come across as against overweight people, but more in favor of a balanced healthy lifestyle. As someone who has battled with weight issues for much of my life, I can definitely feel empathy for those embroiled in the struggle to get fit.
Check back tomorrow for the Fitness Challenge update, and a book review of a really fantastic book for kids with pain syndromes.
Thanks for checking in!
-Andy
Be sure to check out the blog regularly for tips on how to prevent and relieve back pain. Back Together book and DVD programs available from Amazon.com. ORDER TODAY!
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, diet, dieting, gainer, Huge, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, obesity