Study discriminates
I feel this country has worked hard to overcome discrimination through laws and awareness, but the media have set us back with their reporting of a study that says when one person gains weight, their close friends tend to gain weight, too (“Packing on pounds? Blame it on a pal,” July 26).
There are many studies that are done, some proven accurate while many down the road are proven invalid. Studies also distort information to arrive at the desired outcome. There are probably parents out there that may have seen the report on this study and will encourage their child not to associate with another child that may be obese — in their eyes — afraid that their child will also become obese.
The media reporting this study has possibly set a new low for discrimination.
Dave Usechek, Northglenn
dave you need to get a life and stop all the worry about the other guy.
Posted by on August 7, 2007 12:22 PMActually there are several studies showing that obesity is transmissible through social contact in terms of behaviour patterns being copied and norms being changed.
These findings are robust and well supported.
Whether people discriminate because of this is a psycho-social issue and has nothing to do with the science or the validity or quality of the studies but should be addressed by leadership and appeal to social justice rather than trying to muzzle science.
Allowing political correctness to be the arbiter of scientific findings is not a very prudent course of action particularly when the outcomes will lead to real differences in mortality and morbidity.
Since when is a person's right to pick their friends considered improper? What's wrong with parents wanting their children to make friends with athletes as opposed to couch potatoes? Does Dave also think it is wrong to avoid making friends with people who smoke, sniff glue, or engage in unsafe sex? Bad habits of all kinds are either reinforced or discouraged by the people we surround ourselves with. Why should overeating and failing to exercise be any different? If Dave wants his kids to think obesity is healthy and normal, that's his choice. But he has no business telling the rest of us that it's wrong to seek friends with healthy lifestyles.
Posted by karen on August 7, 2007 01:19 PMI suspect many object to this results of this study because it flies in the face of their cherised notion that we are who we are strictly as a result of self-determination.
The letter writer's concern that parents will keep their kids away from their overweight friends seems overblown.
Posted by anderson on August 7, 2007 02:26 PMThe original writer wrote that many parents will, "encourage their child not to associate with another child that may be obese — in their eyes — afraid that their child will also become obese". Other writers agreed or disagreed based on the same terminology. If you or your child are avoiding or discriminating against people with 'obesity' , how sad, as 'obesity' is a medical condition where a person is 100 lbs or greater over their "ideal body weight". But most people use the term to describe any person who is overweight, without knowing the reason for that condition, i.e. hypothyroidism, etc. The world is filled with enough loathing and hate, everyone should be more tolerant and respect each other regardless of a person's size or appearance. If you know someone with a weight problem, I would suggest a medical exam to begin with to determine the cause. After all, being underweight is just as dangerous, i.e. anorexia.
Remember don't judge, until you have walked a mile in the other person's shoes.