Be healthy at every size With the pandemic wrecking havoc around the world, obesity, health and the appearance of health has been topical. But what does health look like? Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi
THERE are many ways that measure health and weight is just one of them. | RON LACH Pexels
THE problem of what to do about rising obesity rates has been a major concern since the early 21st century, as the number of overweight people in the world was found to equal the number of underfed people. Obesity has also been linked with a range of chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, several cancers, gallbladder disease, coronary artery disease, and stroke. As a result, reducing obesity rates is a target for public health action, and existing approaches to obesity management and prevention remain under intense scrutiny. With the pandemic wrecking havoc around the world, obesity, health and the appearance of health has been topical. What does health look like? Many health conscious people argue that people deserve an environment and culture that supports their health, regardless of their size. One of the health myths is a narrow definition of what health means and what contributes to health. “There are many ways to measure health; weight is just a marker of size,” notes Lindo Bacon, a professor and researcher at the University of California at Davis and author of the book Health at Every Size. “If you care about health, why not look at direct markers of whatever health attribute you are interested in, however you define health? Why go at it indirectly?” For example, someone’s size can’t tell us if they are developing Type 2 diabetes, but their blood sugar levels can. “Health at every size” is a set of principles that was established in 2003 by the Association of Size Diversity and Health. It’s mission was simple – to reject the idea that weight, size, or body mass index (BMI) should be considered proxies for health. The principles encourage health practitioners to
