Chapter 14. Health at Every Size
Introduction
Learning Objectives
- Understand the effects of weight bias and stigma on individuals who are overweight or obese.
- Understand common obesity-related misconceptions and how they contribute to this weight bias and stigma.
- Know how to measure body mass index and the limitations associated with this measurement.
- Describe how cardiorespiratory fitness can be used to measure one’s health status.
- Understand the role of genetic, psychological/behavioural, and societal influences in our energy intake and expenditure.
- Consider the role of fitness in reducing the risk of CVD and adverse health outcomes independent of weight status.
“Obesogenic” is a word that has sprung up in the language of public health professionals in the last two decades. Obesogenic is defined as “an environment that promotes increased food intake, non-healthful foods, and physical inactivity.”[1]
In Canada, 64% of Canadians over the age of 18 are categorised as overweight or obese, and about 30% of children aged 5-17 are categorised as overweight or obese. The way we catogarize individuals is by using body mass index (BMI), which is calculated as weight (kg)/height (m2). The rationale behind this measure is that it can provide us with an indication of body fat levels, which can then be linked to disease risk. However, as we will learn later in the chapter BMI can be a poor tool to assess health risk.
- Obesogenic Environments. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2015/14_0559.htm. Published 2013. Accessed September 22, 2017. ↵
