[HPforGrownups] Re: FAT

[Robert Carnegie]

No: HPFGUIDX 20432

07/06/01 04:00:09, Schlobin at aol.com wrote:

>
>> An incontinent appetite isn't an attractive character trait, 
>although it's a hard one to get rid of - I know, mine's only 
>stalemated.  It gets harder 
>> with age - which doesn't apply to Dudley, of course.  And 
>incontinence, or poor education of the palate in children, _is_ 
>(together with 
>> inadequate exercise) the primary cause of overweight
>
>
>Uh, there is some role of genetics here..and we would have to 
>define "overweight".
>
>I know women who are 140 pounds (5 foot 8 inches) who consider 
>themselves grossly overweight. In fact, our culture basically sends 
>the message that unless you're a size 6 (woman) you're 
>overweight..despite the fact that the average woman is size 14

Right.  I think "obese" is defined by the BMA and AMA in terms
of the body mass index, height versus weight, but I forget the scale.
"Overweight" may or may not be defined in terms of the same
formula; broadly, it's where you ask the doctor whether you should
try to lose weight and they say "Yes".

Average size isn't necessarily ideal.  Looking hot or skeletal is
overrated; most people make out, anyway.  So I think you
should listen to your doctor and aim for a long life, reducing
your risk of several serious diseases or lethal as you get older -
I presume that there's sound epidemiological evidence for every
claim that's made of an association between disease and overweight.

There is a lower limit on healthy BMI as well.

Body mass index is really only crude arithmetical approximation
and generalisation, a rule of thumb, but it's a good one.
I don't suppose that it does work out the same for everyone,
but that isn't the point - the point is to motivate an individual to
improve their personal score.  And no, it doesn't work for
athletes and bodybuilders - muscle is heavy, too, and that
throws the numbers off.  If you know you're fit, that counts
for more than BMI - but you still shouldn't ignore BMI.

Since I still haven't read GOF, I won't go looking for the
thread about the diet Dudley's been put on, but it won't
have a lasting effect if (1) it isn't enough to live on -
indefinitely - and (2) Dudley himself doesn't buy into it.
Mrs Dursley's described as thin at the start of PS,
and by POA she's "bony".  If she's achieved this
without a diet, I hate her - but she also can't tell
Dudley much about how to do it.

I ate a whole packet of biscuits tonight.  V. bad.

Robert Carnegie
Meretricious!