Maddy

There are lots of news headlines about the "growing obesity epidemic" in Britain - but when I travel around I have to say I see people who would be classed as overweight but I still find it unusual to see people who I would class as obese.

But what exactly is obese? And by whose standards?

Are we heavier than we think? Are we burying our heads in the sand? Or is it the way the government are classifying people that's wrong.

Personally I suspect it's a bit of both but found this news story interesting. If you click on the link you will see the photos of the people stopped in the street. Do you think they're kidding themselves or are we becoming too obsessed with weight/BMI?

BBC News Online Magazine
London, UK
12 October, 2006


Britain is the fattest country in Europe and part of the problem is people don't realise they are overweight, says the government. So what does obesity look like?

How hard can it really be? The rolls of surplus flesh, the tight waistband, not being able to see your own feet - you don't need to be a rocket scientist to work out you're carrying extra pounds.

But many people don't consider themselves overweight, according to fitness minister Caroline Flint, who says it's one reason why nearly a quarter of adults in the UK are obese.

The government and doctors use the body mass index (BMI) to assess a person's condition; classing us as "underweight, ok, overweight, obese or clinically obese". The calculation is based on comparing a person's weight with their height and does not take into account sex or the proportion of body fat to muscle.

Some medical bodies, including the World Health Organization, say waist size is a more accurate measure, but the government has no plans to ditch the BMI.

"We are aware of criticism and that there has been talk of the hip-to-waist ratio, but this is the agreed system and we will continue to use it," says a Department of Health spokeswoman.

So what does obesity look like? The Magazine headed to Stratford, east London, to break the unhappy news to some unsuspecting men, who significantly outnumber women in the fight against fat.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/6040156.stm

Click the link above to view the rest of the article and the reactions of the men interviewed.

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