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Old 24th October 2019, 03:14 PM   #159
blutoski
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Originally Posted by Distracted1 View Post
I understand your response, but not how it might apply to the question of the role "fat shaming" plays in the non obese population.
The studies seem to be looking at how fat shaming fails to help currently obese individuals to become healthier, and how it actually has negative health effects in that population. They do not seem to be attempting to ascertain what role it play (if any) in preventing obesity in the first place.

Analogous to making a study as to how laws against murder do not prevent murders by studying people who have committed the act, without considering the reasons people in a similar situation did not kill.
I wonder if anyone has tried to determine how much higher or lower obesity rates would be without negative societal pressures against being obese.
Might one consider that we older people tend to let ourselves become fat, not only because of biological changes- but perhaps in part because our susceptibility to the peer pressure of fat shaming (among other social pressures) is either diminished, or simply becomes too difficult to acquiesce to.
So firstly, the claim that's being tested is that the fat shamers are brave heroes taking action for the greater good, because the more they shame the fatties the more likely they'll change their ways and turn back to being a good skinny. I'm willing to examine the claim that's being made, and it turns out to be crap.


Secondly, not all studies are as you describe. Some are longitudinal, and take place over many years. Publishing weights and fitness results, for example. The populations with public weight and fitness displays develop more obese, less active kids over time than the segment without the policy. The causal relationship seems supported.

*** having said that ***
There are many causes to obesity, and public denigration is just one of them. The contribution is minor. But all of the factors' contributions are minor, and combine into what's referred to as an obesogenic environment. There need to be many solutions, there is no quick fix.
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Last edited by blutoski; 24th October 2019 at 03:20 PM. Reason: eta comment about there being no single factor for quick fix
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