An article in Saturday’s newspaper truly riled me.The article, ‘Why fatties say everyone’s to blame but themselves’, cites research from Warwick University that those with weight issues are more likely to blame outside influences instead of taking personal responsibility for their own waistlines.
See full article here. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/dietfitness.html?in_article_id=476899&in_page_id=1798
‘those who become fat often find themselves needing to account for their size in order to refute the suggestion of moral failure that attaches itself easily to the fat body’
Excuses, excuses: I have not met many individuals, queuing at various diet clubs who don’t, in the first instance, hold up their hands and question their own eating habits. Actually, I’m sure that many may even hold back from seeking medical attention for weight gain knowing that they will be met with a degree of scepticism – I certainly did! Despite my increasing waistline, predicting the response, I didn’t seek help – what would be the point?
Excuse One: ‘ The first reason was genetic, with many claiming they had a ‘fat gene’ or that being fat ran in the family. Others said they knew others that ate more than they did but never put on weight.
When I was diagnosed with type II diabetes, and aware of the correlation between type II diabetes and obesity, I asked the DSN (Diabetic Specialist Nurse).
Q. Did I do this to myself by gaining weight?
A. ‘No’ she replied, ‘you have to have a genetic predisposition to become diabetic’. As an example she cited the case of alcoholics. ‘Although many alcoholics do become diabetic, not all will as they are not pre-disposed’.
I do know diabetes runs in my family since my great uncle (grandmother’s brother) died from secondary complications of type I diabetes, before Insulin became available. Indeed my grandmother and her sister were both well endowed, but not diabetic.
There appears to be a growing misconception that obesity alone is responsible for the rise in
adult onset diabetes. The fact being buried by anti-obesity hype is that, although weight gain may speed up the progress in those already genetically pre-disposed, BEWARE, you don’t have to be obese to suffer type II diabetes and, likewise if you are obese and don’t have this family trait it may not be your eventual fate!
Regarding, those that said being fat runs in the family, or other people eat more than them but never put on weight - how observational, perhaps they should be more closely monitored for diabetes! If a family line does have this trait, even if earlier family members did not suffer from full blown diabetes, being genetically pre-disposed could mean that they would be more sensitive to sugar and overproducing insulin, which in turn is laid down more fat - hence fatter ancestors.
Excuse Two: Many claimed relatives gave them food as a reward and others said their parents told them to eat up and think of the starving in Africa’ . What can I say, ‘so what’, perhaps some individuals do feel more affected by discipline in childhood; who wasn’t told this as a child but they didn’t all become fat! I seem to recall suggesting the unfinished food be posted on.
Excuse Three: ‘The third reason was that everyday lifestyle led to weight gain, illness, divorce, bereavement and parenthood were all blamed for over-eating’ The fact is that when someone has been ill, particularly a serious illness, they’re unlikely to be able to exercise when they’re recuperating, and naturally they’re going to gain weight. Likewise, emotions do provoke various eating responses and affect individuals in different ways - some may not be able to eat while others may comfort eat. Stress situations or illness are not the fault of the individual, thus valid reasons for gaining weight – not excuses!
A final word: Looking for and finding possible answers is not the same as making excuses and not taking personal responsibility. The quote from the article of Colin Wayne states
‘Many patients seek explanations that absolve them, saying it’s their genes, or their glands. But in fact it’s 99 per cent to do with food intake and lack of physical activity… Our genes haven’t changed since the Stone Age – yet obesity has escalated in the last 30 years’.
Ha, oh yes, how very true Dr Wayne! I have followed more diets than I have fingers and have at last found a diet that works and appears to be improving my blood sugar control - ‘The Stone Age Diet’!!!!!!
Of course, I agree that the individual does firstly have to take responsibility for their own weight gain, they have to live with it after all. However, instead of simply blaming the ‘fattie’, accusing them of justifying their weight gain with excuses, perhaps this trend could also be attributed to the modern day lifestyle. After all the last 30 years has moved us further and further away from a natural way of both living and eating.
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