-The relationship between obesity and illness is not as simple a causative line as many doctors may claim for reasons of speed/simplicity or ignorance; but neither is it as distant as many would like to believe for reasons of personal comfort or consolation.
I disagree. I think most of our evidence about the "dangers" of obesity are confusing correlation and causation.
-I don't think it's particularly true that "obesity is protective against several kinds of diseases".
I disagree. I've given several examples where FAT ITSELF is protective.
-There are a few diseases of women against which obesity is protective; but the risk of death and harm from cardiovascular disease greatly outweighs these protective benefits if diet & lifestyle issues are not addressed.
With the caveat of "if diet and lifestyle issues are not addressed," I partly agree with you. With that left off, I completely disagree. Even with the caveat, I disagree that there are only "a few dieases of women" where fat is protective. Obesity in and of itself is not a particularly strong predicdtor of heart disease.
-Be careful that you do not take the low-lying outliers as representing standard of practise. The truth is not to be found in the shrill proclaimers of either the obesity-haters or the obesity-defenders. It's somewhere in the rational middle.
I disagree with you that my position, especially as stated in the original post, is extreme or irrational.
-Many of the studies you cite come down to this: if you're going to be weak and ill, it's better to be weak and ill with padding and energy reserves. It's still better, overall, to be non-weak, non-ill, and non-obese.
I disagree with this, too.
-I disagree with your current tack in that most people who engage in any vaguely medically acceptable means of losing pounds and inches, even if they focus on such things excessively, will also generally be making positive lifestyle changes;
I disagree here, too. Most dieters regain the weight, and we know that weight-cycling is dangerous, and the "positive lifestyle changes" that accompany most weight-loss dieting are short-lived for the vast majority.
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Date: 2007-02-08 02:01 pm (UTC)I disagree. I think most of our evidence about the "dangers" of obesity are confusing correlation and causation.
-I don't think it's particularly true that "obesity is protective against several kinds of diseases".
I disagree. I've given several examples where FAT ITSELF is protective.
-There are a few diseases of women against which obesity is protective; but the risk of death and harm from cardiovascular disease greatly outweighs these protective benefits if diet & lifestyle issues are not addressed.
With the caveat of "if diet and lifestyle issues are not addressed," I partly agree with you. With that left off, I completely disagree. Even with the caveat, I disagree that there are only "a few dieases of women" where fat is protective. Obesity in and of itself is not a particularly strong predicdtor of heart disease.
-Be careful that you do not take the low-lying outliers as representing standard of practise. The truth is not to be found in the shrill proclaimers of either the obesity-haters or the obesity-defenders. It's somewhere in the rational middle.
I disagree with you that my position, especially as stated in the original post, is extreme or irrational.
-Many of the studies you cite come down to this: if you're going to be weak and ill, it's better to be weak and ill with padding and energy reserves. It's still better, overall, to be non-weak, non-ill, and non-obese.
I disagree with this, too.
-I disagree with your current tack in that most people who engage in any vaguely medically acceptable means of losing pounds and inches, even if they focus on such things excessively, will also generally be making positive lifestyle changes;
I disagree here, too. Most dieters regain the weight, and we know that weight-cycling is dangerous, and the "positive lifestyle changes" that accompany most weight-loss dieting are short-lived for the vast majority.