Weight Hysteria, also known as obesity hysteria, is a campaign against increased body weight. Various medical conditions have been linked to weight hysteria. This medical condition is fatal to the human body. Therefore, weight hysteria aims at reducing obesity in society. Obesity is an eating disorder that results from too much eating with little physical exercise. In the advanced stages of obesity, an individual develops other health risks. For example, it causes hypertension, diabetes, and breathing problems (Gaesser, 2008). A lot of research has been done to determine how being overweight causes health risks. The results have not fully linked the health risks with being overweight. The campaign against obesity is well informed but it has taken the wrong dimension. Focus has shifted to the food industry rather than an individual’s lifestyle. Therefore, weight hysteria in our culture is not valid because it causes more harm than good.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention published a report that was aimed at labeling Obesity an epidemic. It was estimated that about 400,000 people die because of obesity annually. This was far near another research that showed at least 25,000 die of obesity every year (Gaesser, 2008). Obesity is a serious health risk but can not cause such a big death toll. It was discovered that the death toll by the Center for Disease Control and prevention was wrong. This is an initiative by the interest groups to scare the public. They aim at either selling or promoting their interests. For example, the pharmaceutical industry collaborates with researchers to promote their medicines. This is not valid in our culture.
Advanced research has failed to prove how being overweight affects the lifespan of an overweight adult. Contrary, research by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has linked an overweight adult with a longer lifespan. The lifespan of a normal-weight adult is shorter (Gaesser, 2008). This shows that being overweight does not automatically shorten your life span. Other health risks can be linked to a shorter lifespan. However, childhood weight does not determine how long the child will live. The lifespan of both a child and an adult depends on the general health risks and not being overweight.
The campaign against the overweight is promoted by interested groups. These interest groups include; government agencies, nongovernmental and humanitarian groups, the media, and the political class. The main agenda is to use the tax payer’s money to promote their vested interests. They aim at introducing fear to the people that they are responsible for their own deaths. The reality of the matter is that weight hysteria is a cosmetic issue rather than a serious medical issue. Treatment for being overweight advocates as the best way of handling weight hysteria. The interested groups claim that the treatment is safe and effective. This is just a way of selling an interesting group idea (Gaesser, 2008).
In conclusion, weight hysteria is not valid in our culture. Interested groups claim that several health risks associated with obesity are caused by it. However, further studies have failed to confirm this hysteria. This is just a plan by the interested groups to advance their agenda. Although being overweight is a health concern, it is not the actual cause of all the health risks. Proper lifestyles should be the basis for a good healthy person.
Reference
Gaesser, G. (2008). Big fat lies: The truth about your weight and your health. Carlsbad, CA: Gurze Books.