Ten million Brits are unaware they are obese because being fat is now seen as the 'norm', according to new research.'Research', eh..?
I'm starting to love seeing that word in the pages of the MSM, and then going on to find out that it isn't any such thing.
Less than one in 10 people believe the excess pounds they are carrying is significant enough for them to be classified as obese, according to a YouGov poll of more than 2,100 adults.A YouGov poll...? Referring to 'measurements' and governmental 'figures'...?
But measurements found that more than one in four of those questioned were clinically obese, the same as official government figures.
You mean, like the discredited BMI measurement?
Hmmm, who could possibly want more people to believe they are obese? Who stands to gain from it?
Here's a clue:
It means three in four obese people do not realise their health is at risk, warns Slimming World which commissioned the study to mark its 40th anniversary.Ah, ha ha ha ha ha!
Seriouslt, the 'Telegraph' decides to print this load of old flannel, despite it being a blatent attempt at rent-seeking?
And they call this proferession 'journalism'...
5 comments:
I think the point where I decided to disbelieve everything the government says was a year or two ago when I read a report where the government claimed 1 in 3 children was obese.
This was so absurd, so against the evidence of my own eyes as I walked around that I was astonished. The papers printed it as if it was gospel truth. I'm sure many, many people believed it.
Why are people so gullible?
I have to say I agree with this. I'm 6'0", 160lb. My BMI is about 22 or 23. So I would consider myself a healthy 'normal' size. I don't have much fat on me, but I'm no marathon runner either.
But I get told constantly 'You're too slim', 'You need to put on a bit of weight', 'Its not healthy', etc etc.
I think people have become so used to larger sizes they no longer have a reference point for what a healthy human body should look like. If you look back at photos from 20+ years ago, everyone was what would now be considered 'slim'. That was the norm then, with the odd few fatties.
Now the fatties are the norm and the slim ones are the odd ones out.
They say we are 10 years behind the USA - so get ready for even more lard arses!
@ Rob
"Why are people so gullible"...
I often ask myself this question. I suppose that obvious answer is that no one challenges the zeitgeist du jour to avoid looking stupid or out-of-step with the zeitgeist du jour.
It might be me but this trend seems to coincide with May 1997...where Labour=good, Tories=evil became perceived wisdom. Since then anyone criticising Labour policy has been shouted down as racist (immigration debate) or on par with a holocaust denier (global warming/climate change debate). It is the socialist tactic of stifling debate and ensuring that critics are silenced.
As a result, journalists have become extremely lazy, taking the government press releases as gospel and just don't bother with fact-checking anymore.
"I think the point where I decided to disbelieve everything the government says was a year or two ago when I read a report where the government claimed 1 in 3 children was obese."
In some areas, that's probably true. But on the whole, no.
"I think people have become so used to larger sizes they no longer have a reference point for what a healthy human body should look like."
If you can run, touch your toes and lift things without panting for breath, you're probably ok!
"As a result, journalists have become extremely lazy, taking the government press releases as gospel and just don't bother with fact-checking anymore."
Which id why whenever the 'professional' disclaimer is mentioned, I laugh..
IMHO, the main problem is that journalists, and most politicians, are virtually all English or Arts graduates and thus are essentially numerically illiterate. They simply don't understand the reports that they're summarising.
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