What’s Wrong with the Obesity Epidemic? Everything. (Part 2 of 2)

By Kirsten Haglund, Community Relations Specialist, Timberline Knolls

One of the side-effects of bingeing without purging can be weight gain, and so BED, like anorexia, can have serious health consequences which are visually apparent. Not all cases are like this, as everyone’s judgment of what is “too fat” or “too thin” is subjective, I acknowledge.

But many who struggle with BED tend to be lampooned and stigmatized because of their size, which may be a direct side effect of the disorder with which they are struggling. However, when they recover, mentally and emotionally, their size may not change much, depending on their set weight, height, metabolism, thyroid, etc.

The Catch-22 of Binge Eating Disorder

Due to the fact that weight is not solely dependent on eating habits, BED sufferers often find themselves losing on every side. Their condition may cause them to carry more weight than they would normally because of bingeing behavior, but then when they recover – if their size isn’t what society, friends or family deem “healthy” – they are subjected again to stigma and unrealistic expectations.

It’s as if they can never win.

That is because the fight against obesity isn’t really a fight for health. It is a destructive and emotionally debilitating campaign that seeks to fit all Americans into one, tiny, ideal health profile – a one-size-fits-all mandate for perfect wellness. It has created a world full of “should’s” and second-class citizens based on their weight.

The Stigma Against Weight

If we consider ourselves people against discrimination, in all forms, we should stand against this with all our might. Why? Because the stigma in society follows the sufferer with BED into treatment – where they can feel that they aren’t “sick enough” for treatment or that in the status rungs of eating disorders, they occupy the lowest.

This can seriously threaten the recovery process. And, of course, this so far from the truth – all who struggle with eating disorders are worthy of treatment, and all who struggle can relate to one another, sharing the depths and the victories of the recovery process.

The Hidden Problems Causing Obesity

Another disservice that the “Obesity Epidemic” conversation does to society, is conceal some serious problems with food and nutrition in this country, some of which may even contribute to the onset of eating disorders.

These issues include:

• Federal corn subsidies (which encourage the use of manufactured sugars which can be detrimental to health)
• A lack of nutritional value in food
• Hunger and inequality when it comes to food quality
• Fresh food availability

These issues aren’t as “sexy” from the media’s vantage point. Additionally, in order to solve, they take a whole lot of people from different spheres of government, special interests and the economy working together…which is very difficult.

Focusing on obesity is a lot easier:

• Instill guilt in a population
• Tell them to try harder, individually
• Get them to buy a whole lot of products or surgeries in order to reach a continually moving goalpost

Much easier to do this than to focus on real issues that plague food and nutrition in this country, but again, focusing on weight is a “leaf” issue – it is not dealing with the “roots.”

We should be having a conversation about both policy and people. When it comes to promoting health and prescribing methods for more balanced living, we should leave that to treatment professionals experienced in the field of eating disorders, not to administrators and bureaucrats.

Treat the Source (the mind) not the Symptoms (the weight)

One’s weight is not an overall indicator of health, but sometimes, its sudden or large fluctuations can indicate a more serious problem. That problem is never solved by weight gain or weight loss, because it’s not physical problem. It is a psychological one. Until we, as a nation, demand a redefinition of the health crisis in this country, we will be fighting a losing battle.

Those who’ve struggled and recovered from BED, or any eating disorder, know that establishing a lifestyle of moderation and balance when it comes to food and exercise is difficult and takes work – but it is worth it.

The Effort Towards Holistic Wellness

Quantifying health as a number on the scale or daily calorie intake cheapens the effort toward holistic wellness and makes the individual just a body, not a soul. We will only win the fight for health by redefining the terms. It is not an epidemic of obesity. It is an epidemic of misunderstanding.

The cure is not weight loss. The cure is acceptance and a definition of health that transcends the physical.

You can get involved in this effort by reading more about binge-eating disorder at www.beda.org, and participate in Weight Stigma Awareness Week, Sept. 22-26 by tweeting #WSAW2014, blogging, and educating others about this disease and hope in recovery.

See part 1 here

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About the author:

Kirsten Haglund
Community Relations Representative
haglund.kirsten@gmail.com
www.timberlineknolls.com