‘Healthy’ but overweight?

[bumbleymummy]

Ok, I know this is a sensitive subject and I’m really not trying to upset or offend anyone. I just think it’s misleading when people say things like ‘ICU is filled with healthy under 60s’ or talk about a ‘healthy 40- something’ passing away and it turns out that person/a high proportion of those patients are very overweight. Are people who are clearly overweight actually ‘healthy’? I know it’s not the same as an underlying condition like diabetes or heart disease but we know that a high bmi puts people at greater risk of complications from coronavirus.

Before someone jumps on me, I’m not saying that someone’s life is of less value because they are overweight or have an underlying health condition. I’m just wondering if it’s accurate to say that they are ‘healthy’ when we are reporting figures and talking about risk.

I think part of the problem is it seems more polite to say overweight when really meaning obese and morbidly obese.

HCPs have no excuse for shying away from the medically accurate term. It's more difficult in a social context, but then do people who are obese usually ask for comments on their weight? In my experience, you don't ask 'do I look fat in this dress?' because you know full well you look fat in everything - you are fat. You ask 'Do I look OK in this?' or 'Does this colour suit me?'.

I think this is to do with the fact that obesity is not considered an illness.

I didn't know that about Grace Victory, that's so sad, a lot of the obese influencers seem to argue so loudly that being that size isn't inherently unhealthy and that the health system is skewed against them.

It’s amazing how little you need to eat. It’s shocking how high calorie some everyday food is. It’s hard losing weight. It’s hard keeping it off.

It’s amazing how little you need to eat

Yes, isn't it? I get tired of hearing that women should eat 2000 calories a day to maintain their weight. That's absolute bollocks in my experience. I put on weight if I eat more than about 1200 calories a day.

Sitting here on a turbo. I do this every morning for an hour sweating awayI haven’t eaten since 7 last night and won’t eat until lunchtime today. My bmi is 21. When I lived “normally” I quickly got to bmi 27 and rising as mid 40s.

Sitting here on a turbo

What’s that?

Gadget to make my bike a stationary bike so I can cycle indoors and watch tv at same time.

Every day’s a school day.

I've done some iICU shifts this month as a volunteer and not Coincidentally I have lost more half a stone already to bring my BMI down from 31 and I intend to be as near as I can to 25 by Easter . Vaccinated , take VIT D daly but I know my weight would go against me if I were to end up in ITU

My bmi is 33 and I'm about 4 stone overweight, obese on the charts. I bike 50 miles a week and walk 25. Normal cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. I'd like to get under 30 bmi. I've had covid, it was no worse than mild flu but I appreciate more these days how the extra weight goes against me.

Eat properly! I keep hearing people say I only eat this and that and only after mid day, one meal at evenings. If you eat regularly and exercise your metabolism will run better. If you stop and start and eat at stupid times it will slow down, result you put on weight. Your body is a wonderful machine, if it thinks your in a famine it will run on your muscles to save the fat supply for emergencies, result flabby bodies. Eat regularly, mostly vegetables and exercise. It takes a while but your wonderful machine will work with you not against

Since I cut out any food til lunchtime I have lost 2 stone and feel great. The shakey hunger I used to getmid morning was a carb crash due to toast. Can’t believe it’s taken me until 45 to work out how to eat!

The myth that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” was developed by US breakfast cereal manufacturers in the 50s.

@Gubanc

I think this is to do with the fact that obesity is not considered an illness.

Because it is not. It is a lifestyle choice and an addiction.

Yes I've lost weight by not eating breakfast too, doesn't even bother me now, nothing else about my diet has really changed but the overall calorie decrease really makes a difference.

@MsTSwift

Since I cut out any food til lunchtime I have lost 2 stone and feel great. The shakey hunger I used to getmid morning was a carb crash due to toast. Can’t believe it’s taken me until 45 to work out how to eat!

The myth that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” was developed by US breakfast cereal manufacturers in the 50s.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The very word comes from 'break fast'. The first meal after the fast (overnight). It doesn't say that is has to be between 7 and 8am. There is no reason not to break fast at 1pm.

Because it is not.
It is a lifestyle choice and an addiction.

Do you view alcoholism and anorexia the same way?

Exactly - often have delish brunch type food at midday. An early Breakfast may be needed if you were say a farm labourer in the 1890s heading out for a mornings physical work. But ahem most of us are not!

I'm not sure if this has been posted but this article discusses the link between obesity and coronavirus.

academic.oup.com/jn/article/151/1/9/5981716

It doesn't matter if you can run faster than your skinny friend, the presence of the extra adipose tissue increases the risk.

@PeggyHill

I think part of the problem is it seems more polite to say overweight when really meaning obese and morbidly obese

I'd agree with this. You could have a BMI of 26 which would technically make you overweight, but depending on your build and lifestyle you could well be quite active and physically fit. It also isn't likely to lead to any of the health problems associated with obesity.

Calling someone with a BMI of, say, 37, overweight, is incorrect. They are obese and are at high risk of developing a lot of health problems from it. They are simply not healthy and they won't have any chance of becoming healthy until they have lost a lot of weight.

These two people would be poles apart in terms of lifestyle and health.

Absolutely

I agree about the excess carbs driving hunger. I feel much better now I tilt towards more protein and fat. If I snack now it's because I want to not because I feel starving hungry.

@BuffetShark

*Because it is not. It is a lifestyle choice and an addiction.*

Do you view alcoholism and anorexia the same way?

Alcoholism - Yes. Anorexia - No.

ElliFAnt: I agree with you.

@MsTSwift

Exactly - often have delish brunch type food at midday. An early Breakfast may be needed if you were say a farm labourer in the 1890s heading out for a mornings physical work. But ahem most of us are not!

If I try to sleep past 9am I am often woken up by ravenous hunger clenching my stomach. I eat dinner at 7.30/8pm. I am a healthy weight and my job is at a desk.

People are built differently.

Are people who are clearly overweight actually healthy

If we are talking about a BMI north of 35 then no.