This article made my friend RAGE!

I don`t disagree that Australia is getting more and more obese, but to put all overweight people in that category is unfair. There are medical conditions as to why some people are overweight (this is only a small proportion). With the case of the hospital refusing overweight mothers I possible could have been turned away and I had no problems giving birth and in fact they were amazed at my fitness level. My `skinny friend and sister` had all sort of problems.

We don`t discriminate against smokers within our hospital system, drug users (who a large proportion of emergency attendee`s are druggies or drug related incidences) or alcohol users so why pick on one group of people, who might I add pay their taxes to fund hospitals. To put an expectant mother under more stress by sending them 800km away from family and friends is crap. I have alway been about a size 16, but have played sport at an elite level and maintained a healthy and active lifestyle. As for the the Rugby players over 80% are considered obese.

I don`t disagree that a lot of people are obese, and unhealthy it is not fair to put everybody in the same basket.

Cheers
BB

I don`t disagree that Australia is getting more and more obese, but to put all overweight people in that category is unfair. There are medical conditions as to why some people are overweight (this is only a small proportion). With the case of the hospital refusing overweight mothers I possible could have been turned away and I had no problems giving birth and in fact they were amazed at my fitness level. My `skinny friend and sister` had all sort of problems.

We don`t discriminate against smokers within our hospital system, drug users (who a large proportion of emergency attendee`s are druggies or drug related incidences) or alcohol users so why pick on one group of people, who might I add pay their taxes to fund hospitals. To put an expectant mother under more stress by sending them 800km away from family and friends is crap. I have alway been about a size 16, but have played sport at an elite level and maintained a healthy and active lifestyle. As for the the Rugby players over 80% are considered obese.

I don`t disagree that a lot of people are obese, and unhealthy it is not fair to put everybody in the same basket.

Cheers
BB

I don`t disagree that Australia is getting more and more obese, but to put all overweight people in that category is unfair. There are medical conditions as to why some people are overweight (this is only a small proportion). With the case of the hospital refusing overweight mothers I possible could have been turned away and I had no problems giving birth and in fact they were amazed at my fitness level. My `skinny friend and sister` had all sort of problems.

We don`t discriminate against smokers within our hospital system, drug users (who a large proportion of emergency attendee`s are druggies or drug related incidences) or alcohol users so why pick on one group of people, who might I add pay their taxes to fund hospitals. To put an expectant mother under more stress by sending them 800km away from family and friends is crap. I have alway been about a size 16, but have played sport at an elite level and maintained a healthy and active lifestyle. As for the the Rugby players over 80% are considered obese.

I don`t disagree that a lot of people are obese, and unhealthy it is not fair to put everybody in the same basket.

Cheers
BB

I don`t disagree that Australia is getting more and more obese, but to put all overweight people in that category is unfair. There are medical conditions as to why some people are overweight (this is only a small proportion). With the case of the hospital refusing overweight mothers I possible could have been turned away and I had no problems giving birth and in fact they were amazed at my fitness level. My `skinny friend and sister` had all sort of problems.

We don`t discriminate against smokers within our hospital system, drug users (who a large proportion of emergency attendee`s are druggies or drug related incidences) or alcohol users so why pick on one group of people, who might I add pay their taxes to fund hospitals. To put an expectant mother under more stress by sending them 800km away from family and friends is crap. I have alway been about a size 16, but have played sport at an elite level and maintained a healthy and active lifestyle. As for the the Rugby players over 80% are considered obese.

I don`t disagree that a lot of people are obese, and unhealthy it is not fair to put everybody in the same basket.

Cheers
BB

i agree that the article is poorly written, it is not very tactful at all….

but i do think that in some instances “”acceptance”” of overweight persons and political correctness toward people with weight issues has morphed into “”promotion”” or “”encouragement”” which is definitely a bad thing. people with weight issues need to be treated with sensitivity but they also need to be made aware of the health issues surrounding obesity and encouraged to lose weight. a BMI of 45 or above as a BH member quoted in a previous post is an extreme health risk tip toeing around this kinds of issues only serves to impose more risk to the obese individual by delaying them from loosing weight and giving them a false sense of security that there is nothing wrong with them.

whilst i do agree that in some instances, the body mass index may be flawed in diagnosing obesity, there is a vast, undeniable difference between an obese person and a rugby player (or any other elite athlete or body builder) and to cite elite athletes as an example of why the BMI should not be applied to ordinary individuals is completely illogical. just as an aside, a BMI in excess of 45 is getting extreme even for a rugby player (just to give an example, for a 6ft (180cm) male to have a BMI greater than 45, they would need to weigh around 150kgs. a lot of footballers a taller than 6ft so you`d be looking at weights upwards of 160kgs. most rugby or football players weigh around 100-110kgs) for a BMI greater than 45, you`re talking professional body builders (i.e. biceps as big as my torso!!)…which i`m sure most people would agree are certainly not at a “”natural healthy weight”” and therefore cannot be compared to anyone other than other body builders.

also, the mentality that average and healthy are the same thing needs to change. if something like 70% of australian adults are overweight, that skews the average which means that to be of average weight is to be overweight. the more overweight and obese australian society becomes, the less healthy it is to be “”average””.

i agree that the article is poorly written, it is not very tactful at all….

but i do think that in some instances “”acceptance”” of overweight persons and political correctness toward people with weight issues has morphed into “”promotion”” or “”encouragement”” which is definitely a bad thing. people with weight issues need to be treated with sensitivity but they also need to be made aware of the health issues surrounding obesity and encouraged to lose weight. a BMI of 45 or above as a BH member quoted in a previous post is an extreme health risk tip toeing around this kinds of issues only serves to impose more risk to the obese individual by delaying them from loosing weight and giving them a false sense of security that there is nothing wrong with them.

whilst i do agree that in some instances, the body mass index may be flawed in diagnosing obesity, there is a vast, undeniable difference between an obese person and a rugby player (or any other elite athlete or body builder) and to cite elite athletes as an example of why the BMI should not be applied to ordinary individuals is completely illogical. just as an aside, a BMI in excess of 45 is getting extreme even for a rugby player (just to give an example, for a 6ft (180cm) male to have a BMI greater than 45, they would need to weigh around 150kgs. a lot of footballers a taller than 6ft so you`d be looking at weights upwards of 160kgs. most rugby or football players weigh around 100-110kgs) for a BMI greater than 45, you`re talking professional body builders (i.e. biceps as big as my torso!!)…which i`m sure most people would agree are certainly not at a “”natural healthy weight”” and therefore cannot be compared to anyone other than other body builders.

also, the mentality that average and healthy are the same thing needs to change. if something like 70% of australian adults are overweight, that skews the average which means that to be of average weight is to be overweight. the more overweight and obese australian society becomes, the less healthy it is to be “”average””.

i agree that the article is poorly written, it is not very tactful at all….

but i do think that in some instances “”acceptance”” of overweight persons and political correctness toward people with weight issues has morphed into “”promotion”” or “”encouragement”” which is definitely a bad thing. people with weight issues need to be treated with sensitivity but they also need to be made aware of the health issues surrounding obesity and encouraged to lose weight. a BMI of 45 or above as a BH member quoted in a previous post is an extreme health risk tip toeing around this kinds of issues only serves to impose more risk to the obese individual by delaying them from loosing weight and giving them a false sense of security that there is nothing wrong with them.

whilst i do agree that in some instances, the body mass index may be flawed in diagnosing obesity, there is a vast, undeniable difference between an obese person and a rugby player (or any other elite athlete or body builder) and to cite elite athletes as an example of why the BMI should not be applied to ordinary individuals is completely illogical. just as an aside, a BMI in excess of 45 is getting extreme even for a rugby player (just to give an example, for a 6ft (180cm) male to have a BMI greater than 45, they would need to weigh around 150kgs. a lot of footballers a taller than 6ft so you`d be looking at weights upwards of 160kgs. most rugby or football players weigh around 100-110kgs) for a BMI greater than 45, you`re talking professional body builders (i.e. biceps as big as my torso!!)…which i`m sure most people would agree are certainly not at a “”natural healthy weight”” and therefore cannot be compared to anyone other than other body builders.

also, the mentality that average and healthy are the same thing needs to change. if something like 70% of australian adults are overweight, that skews the average which means that to be of average weight is to be overweight. the more overweight and obese australian society becomes, the less healthy it is to be “”average””.

i agree that the article is poorly written, it is not very tactful at all….

but i do think that in some instances “”acceptance”” of overweight persons and political correctness toward people with weight issues has morphed into “”promotion”” or “”encouragement”” which is definitely a bad thing. people with weight issues need to be treated with sensitivity but they also need to be made aware of the health issues surrounding obesity and encouraged to lose weight. a BMI of 45 or above as a BH member quoted in a previous post is an extreme health risk tip toeing around this kinds of issues only serves to impose more risk to the obese individual by delaying them from loosing weight and giving them a false sense of security that there is nothing wrong with them.

whilst i do agree that in some instances, the body mass index may be flawed in diagnosing obesity, there is a vast, undeniable difference between an obese person and a rugby player (or any other elite athlete or body builder) and to cite elite athletes as an example of why the BMI should not be applied to ordinary individuals is completely illogical. just as an aside, a BMI in excess of 45 is getting extreme even for a rugby player (just to give an example, for a 6ft (180cm) male to have a BMI greater than 45, they would need to weigh around 150kgs. a lot of footballers a taller than 6ft so you`d be looking at weights upwards of 160kgs. most rugby or football players weigh around 100-110kgs) for a BMI greater than 45, you`re talking professional body builders (i.e. biceps as big as my torso!!)…which i`m sure most people would agree are certainly not at a “”natural healthy weight”” and therefore cannot be compared to anyone other than other body builders.

also, the mentality that average and healthy are the same thing needs to change. if something like 70% of australian adults are overweight, that skews the average which means that to be of average weight is to be overweight. the more overweight and obese australian society becomes, the less healthy it is to be “”average””.

Weight and body image are always going to be controversial topics, I guess the positive from this article is that it makes us think, feel and have a say! Dare say this article could definitely have been written from a more positive,sensitive and better thought out viewpoint.

Weight and body image are always going to be controversial topics, I guess the positive from this article is that it makes us think, feel and have a say! Dare say this article could definitely have been written from a more positive,sensitive and better thought out viewpoint.