‘Fat gap’ reveals denial about obesity

By Jodi Mailander Farrell Comments 3
Published: November 10, 2009

Have you heard of "the fat gap?” The term sprang up last month, when a survey in Great Britain found the majority of overweight people there are oblivious to the fact that they’re heavy.

"The Biggest Loser” contestants for this season — from left, Danny, Shay and Daniel — are working on their weight problems, but these days, more and more people who are obese don’t realize it. NBC Photo

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The findings pin down a phenomenon that health professionals have been talking about for years: As those around us get fatter, our perception of our own size changes accordingly.

Are you caught in the fat gap? Here are some facts and suggestions:

→Fooling ourselves: The survey found that public perception of healthy weight has blurred so much that fat is seen as the norm. Fewer than one out of 10 people believes the excess pounds he or she is carrying is significant enough to be classified as obesity, said the 2,100 adults in the poll by YouGov, an international Internet-based market research firm. But measurements found that one in four of those questioned were clinically obese.

→Am I fat? Don’t bother with a scale; the best way to tell is by calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI). The measure of body fat is a bit complicated, but you can skip the math by going to a Harvard Health Web site (www.tinyurl.com/yzz5wdy), among others, and punching in your height and weight. You’re overweight if your BMI is 25 or higher, and obese if your BMI is 30 or higher, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

→Weight of the nation: A CDC report this past summer showed waistlines in the United States are still growing. Overall, 26.1 percent of Americans were obese in 2008, compared to 25.6 percent in 2007. Colorado is the only state where less than 20 percent of adults are obese.

→Why it matters: You’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating. Research has shown that as weight increases, so do risks of having coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, stroke and sleep apnea, among other problems.

→"Obesogenic”: Concerned about an environment that promotes overeating, unhealthy foods and physical inactivity — what it calls America’s "obesogenic” society — the CDC has a Web site with information on science-based interventions and weight management research for adults and children who need to lose weight. Find it at www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html.