Is Obesity the New Norm? As the problem of obesity continues to expand, our perception of who is—and who is not—obese has shifted downward. Psychologist Howard Rankin, author of weight-loss and wellness books, says, “We live in a fat culture where nearly 70 percent of people are overweight. Everywhere you look, there is adaptation to increased girth—the fashion industry has twice redefined sizes to accommodate the sensibility of the overweight, and massive portions are the expected norm.”

As a consequence, Americans’ perceptions about weight and obesity are considerably skewed, according to a poll conducted by Harris Interactive/HealthDay. As the poll results demonstrate, 30 percent of overweight people consider themselves normal sized, 70 percent of obese people consider themselves overweight and 39 percent of morbidly obese individuals consider themselves overweight but not obese. The statistics point out a disconnect between self-image and reality. The results also suggest that to reverse the epidemic of obesity, we need to go beyond the physical dimensions—we must also address the associated emotional and psychological considerations.

Obesity May Deliver a Double Blow: While we’ve known for some time that obesity can have serious physical consequences on an individual’s health, we may not have realized how damaging surplus pounds are on mental health. Research findings suggest that obesity may also lead to serious psychological and emotional pain as well. In a study showing the impact of obesity on mental health, Markus Shafer, a doctoral student at Purdue University, demonstrated that obese individuals who suffered discrimination from being obese showed a greater physical decline than their counterparts did.

Schafer attributes these findings to two possible causes: the added stress felt by those who suffer discrimination and the lack of self-confidence leading to isolation. While Schafer affirms that we need to be aware of body weight to ensure health and well-being, discriminating against others who are obese is detrimental. Positive, rather than negative, reinforcement is needed if we are to change the direction of the trend toward obesity.

Weight Watchers Teams Up with Merck to Improve Patient Health: Weight Watchers has joined with Merck, a global healthcare leader, to promote fitness through lifestyle management. Through this partnership, physicians receive educational materials relating to obesity and weight loss that can be shared with patients. Alex Krist, MD, MPH, a faculty member at Fairfax Family Medicine Center, said, "We need to search for new ways that healthcare providers, as well as weight management resources, such as Weight Watchers, can effectively work together and help patients." By pooling their resources, these organizations hope to promote weight loss and well-being.

Will Active Design Effectively Combat the Obesity Epidemic? Active Design, a term used to designate an environment intentionally created to encourage fitness, may go a long way in combating obesity in America. Instead of insisting Americans go to a gym because exercising is good for them, Active Design attempts to incorporate fitness into the everyday lives of Americans. For instance, New York City’s Active Design Guidelines encourage access to walking and biking paths, since both are inexpensive and enjoyable ways to get around in urban areas. By incorporating fitness into everyday lives, Active Design can help us slim down our waistlines and lessen our carbon footprint.