The BBC has reported on a recent poll, ‘carried out by YouGov for Slimming World, found just over a quarter of 2,000 people questioned had measurements which would place them squarely in the obese camp. However, only 7% of those asked classified themselves as so.
The findings appear to be fresh evidence of a phenomenon that health professionals have long suspected: as those around us get fatter, our perceptions of our own size change accordingly.’
So, our perceptions of normal have changed. The Telegraph reports we are suffering from a new phenomenon dubbed ‘the fat gap’ which has blurred public perception of what is a healthy weight.
Dr Jacquie Lavin, Slimming World’s head of nutrition, said: “People in the UK are getting heavier and that is likely to be having an effect on their perceptions of what qualifies as obese. It is a real concern as our research confirms being overweight has a devastating impact on people’s health and happiness.
Studies have also started to document a particular problem among parents in identifying weight issues among their children
“Everybody knows obesity is a problem for the nation, but they don’t accept it’s a problem for them – as this latest survey shows. We need to give people the confidence to recognise that it is problem, and that it’s one they can do something about.”
It is a fact that when people are obese they have health problems, although it is important to remember that the BMI calculator is not always accurate as it does not take into account ones muscle build. The NHS has a very good BMI calculator online and great tips on how to get healthy. Link here.
People’s life style has changed over the years as has their size and expectation of weight. People are not starving themselves to be a size 8 or suffering from the lack of food available as in pre war years. Being thin is just as dangerous to ones health as being obese. What is important is a healthy lifestyle and diet and that should be our goal.
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