Bobo, Health, and Obesity

Lindsay and iocaste are quite correct that John Tierney and David Brooks are drawing the wrong lesson from the recent studies which show that being modestly overweight correlates with longer life expectancy than normal weight. “It’s now OK to eat fast food and exercise less” is most certainly not the lesson one should draw from these studies.

However, while I won’t belabor the point because I’ve made it before, I think that the way Lindsay has framed her argument is unfortunate, and plays into the arguments that Tierney is making. I still don’t believe that the study–which claims that obesity is “associated” with 120,000 deaths a year–proves that obesity causes 120,000 deaths a year, a much higher standard. (Of course, the more overweight one is, the more likely this is to be the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices.) But, in a sense, Tierney and Brooks are reacting to the focus on obesity rather than health more broadly; when evidence emerges that weight per se is less important than is generally asserted, well then go ahead and eat that second Double Quarter Pounder. But, of course, eating fast food regularly is unhealthy, as is being sedentary, and this is true whether it makes you obese or not (and in many cases, especially among young people, it doesn’t.) Focusing on preventing obesity as an end in itself, I think, is not helpful in making this point (and Brooks is certainly correct in implying that aesthetic and health concerns, which should be kept distinct, are obviously being conflated.) We should focus on encouraging people to exercise regularly and heating a healthy diet rather than on what their bodies look like. This will, of course, reduce obesity as well, but that’s a side effect; that shouldn’t be the primary goal, and defining the goal in these terms I think ultimately plays into the hands of the fast food lobby.

…battlepanda makes a good point in comments. One data point from the study that is interesting is that underweight people experience negative health effects similar to those who are obese. Again, I don’t believe there’s strong causation there. But what it should tell us is that ideal body images have nothing to with healthy lifestyles, even when they coincidentally intersect. Encouraging young women to eat irregularly, not to build muscle mass, etc.–whatever one thinks of the aesthetics–sure isn’t healthy. And, really, the lack of connection between the aesthetics and health here is so obvious I shouldn’t have to point it out. How many primary school kids who pick on the fat kid are reading peer-reviewed medical studies? How many of their parents are? The whole argument is silly.

…Ampersand, who I hope you all read regularly anyway, offers a rather more eloquent and detailed argument on the topic. (I’m reluctant for bloggers to start praising posts by saying they should be nominated for a Koufax–which could become like Peter Travers claiming every third performance is Oscar (TM) worthy!–but I do hope this one is remembered when the time comes.)