To the Belly It Goes, and in the Belly It Stays

According to a recent article, “Obesity research confirms [that] long-term weight loss [is] almost impossible.”  The evidence presented is clear: Long-term weight loss applies to a small minority of people.  With the exception of short-term, fairly easy weight loss, research demonstrates that our biology eventually brings us back to our original weight…and often a little bit extra.

Why is it that we continually hear stories of those who have won the battle?  Why aren’t the so-called experts telling us the whole story?  To me, the answer is simple: We have been duped!  It’s the stories of these few people that keep the myth alive!  And “why do they do it,” you ask?  It helps to perpetuate, if not grow, the weight loss industry!

Researchers are supposedly divided over the reasons why body weight tends to stick around.  Some point to biology, saying that our bodies are efficient biological machines that have evolved to not lose weight.  Then there are the social forces and everything else that leads people to gain weight in the first place.  The article also refers to the stigmatization that would ensue if the truth was broadcasted and the harsh effect that this would then have on people.  The author of the article points out that, “lost in all of the noise about dieting and obesity is the difficult concept of prevention, of not putting weight on in the first place.”  To that, I say: Great point!

So, is our society ever going to really hear the truth?  Fat chance!  Oops!  Pardon the pun…

Imagine what would happen if everyone found out the truth.  All of the weight loss companies would have to pack it in.  All of the exercise gurus would be discredited.  The “health food” producers would stand to lose a lot of money.  In essence, the weight loss industry would quickly go down the tubes!

Then, there is the fast food industry.  Given this truth and the associated forces at work that keep the weight on, the fast food conglomerates are relishing the situation because they stand to profit from it!  Why?  Well, no matter how you slice and dice it, people are in a catch 22: To lose weight, they have to prevent things from progressing to the point where they have extra weight, but once it is too late, there isn’t much that they can do.  So, what will people do if they have already put on extra weight?  They will simply resign themselves to the truth that they won’t lose weight and turn towards something that gives them pleasure.  And what’s that?  You know the answer: Fast foods!

So, there you have it!  I rest my case!  Since the ingestion of fast foods clearly contributes to weight problems, I can honestly say: Blame it on fast foods!

- B. J. T. Pepin