The Dangers of being Overweight

We know that it is not considered “politically correct” to call anyone “fat” thus we increasingly find other terms in their place, such as being “overweight” or “obese.” Yet, we all know that this refers to the good old-fashioned term “fat.” Many people are simply “fat.”

In my research, we find that of all the countries on earth (some 195 of them), America is the next the first in being “overweight” (and Mexico is the first). We find this sad, very sad, for the boast about being physically fit and healthy seems to be an empty one! How could America boast in this way compared to certain long-lived countries such as Japan, etc.?

This morning I was sitting in a public location and during my time there, many people, both men and women, were observed. But it seemed that most or nearly all of them were “fat” (shall I say, “overweight”?). Many were obese. The World Health Organization defines this in the following way:

For adults, WHO defines overweight and obesity as follows: overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25; and. obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30. (Who.Int.)

Of course, this site says that we should all be under 25 BMI but many (perhaps most) adults are at or above this number!

Does it really matter if we are overweight as a society? We write in regard to America but this would be true of most other nations of the world. What about these other countries? Some places do have a much lower intake of saturated fats, transfats, and calories and those things that compromise our health. We are thinking of places like China, Japan, and other Eastern nations as well as those in the Mediterranean area. This doesn’t say that these dear people are better in any measure. Probably most of those in Japanese are lost and cut off from God. The same is true of China. (In fact, we all know that this largest of the Communist nations are utterly oppressive and evil!) The same would be true of other Eastern countries and most other countries of the world. But weight does count!

This is what we learn about the deleterious effects of being overweight or being simply “fat”:

People who have overweight or obesity*, compared to those with healthy weight, are at increased risk for many serious diseases and health conditions. These include:

  • All-causes of death (mortality).
  • High blood pressure (hypertension).
  • High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (dyslipidemia).
  • Type 2 diabetes.
  • Coronary heart disease.
  • Stroke.
  • Gallbladder disease.
  • Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint).
  • Sleep apnea and breathing problems.
  • Many types of cancer.
  • Low quality of life.
  • Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders4,5.
  • Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning6.

(https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html)

Didn’t these dear people in the waiting room know the health dangers of their increased weight? We know that some of them were genetically inclined in this direction, but not all of them! Didn’t they believe the findings of modern nutritional science? Didn’t they accept the findings of epidemiological studies?

If these overweight people did profess to believe the Scriptures, surely they believed that they all would die and their bodies would fail. These  bodies would be gone! Why would they allow their bodies to become so fat (excuse the pejorative term)? Why would they permit their appetites to so control them that they would eat, eat, eat, until they consumed more calories than their bodies required or could use?

Have they not read of account of Eli in 1 Samuel 4:18 and how he “fell off the seat backward” and “his neck was broken and he died” for he was both old and “heavy.” We wonder whether he would have fallen and died if he was not “heavy”! Let’s remember the words of the Psalmist: “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14). Let’s also remember the words of the New Testament that we are to “nourish and cherish” our body (as we do our spouse, Ephesians 5:29).

If this is so, should we not “care” for our physical bodies—and not allow them to degenerate into an unhealthy state? Shouldn’t we study, read, learn what we can to treat our bodies with the respect that they deserve? Isn’t this a reason why we don’t smoke, use other tobacco, use drugs, and the like? After all, if God has given us our bodies and they are His “gift” to us, what response should we have for this special gift?

We know that we are writing for all—including the millions who are age 15, 20, and older. And the older we are, the less inclined we are to do anything. Further, we know that the older we are, the sicker and heavier we may be. Perhaps it is too late. But, with Gods’ help we can do much. And perhaps He will give us an additional five, ten, or twenty, or more years of active service for Him!

Let us use what God has given for His purposes and for His glory. We will only be here for a very short time, thus let us use these brief, priceless years for His glory and honor! We will have no more! And they are utterly unretreivable and will soon be gone! As each of my envelopes say:

Only One Life;

It will soon be past;

Only what’s done

For Christ will last!