weight status appears uncontrollable - what a bunch of crap

weight status appears uncontrollable

an article by HealthDay, via US News

What a bunch of crap.

In an article titled "Once-Obese Women Still Face Stigma", HealthDay and US News quote a study co-authored by Kerry O'Brien from the University of Manchester School of Psychological Sciences and Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

The study makes some interesting points regarding how subjects' weight history is held as a subconscious prejudice by those who knew currently thin people back when they were obese.

But then the article drops this bombshell:

The message we often hear from society is that weight is highly controllable, but the best science in the obesity field at the moment suggests that one's physiology and genetics, as well as the food environment, are the really big players in one's weight status and weight loss. (emphasis mine.)

Weight status actually appears rather uncontrollable, regardless of one's willpower, knowledge and dedication... (emphasis mine)

Are you kidding me?! "Regardless of willpower, knowledge, and dedication"? I'd argue these are the three factors which make the difference between weight status being controllable or uncontrollable. And willpower and dedication are really 2 shades of the same thing (you could combine them and call them commitment.) - you're either committed to success or you're willing to cheat your way to failure.

Don't tell me somebody has perfect knowledge of what to do, and a 100% commitment level to achieving success, but then they can't succeed because weight "appears rather uncontrollable."

These ridiculous comments undermine the results of the whole study - what can I believe from these authors?

-Chris Butterworth

.