Comments on: Interesting experiment http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/ Fri, 16 May 2008 16:13:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: spacedcowgirl http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36992 spacedcowgirl Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:34:40 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36992 Wow... this is really interesting, and I'm glad it occurred to you to try it out at these different sites. Of course I know most of the push for people to lose weight is driven by money pure and simple, but seeing a concrete example like this is really affecting. The fact that the men's recommendation didn't change, while the women's did, is disgusting. I guess the sites thought women were both more likely to diet, and more willing to swallow whatever arbitrary standard they were given. As far as the "good for you" stuff (and I do totally get why some of you felt validated by finally getting a message other than "you're going to die" so I'm not slamming that reaction), it's sort of disturbing. I would think that even the most mainstream, fatphobic, "anti-JFS" weight/nutrition researcher would concede that your WHR is probably even much more difficult to change through diet and exercise than your BMI. Unless you're going to have liposuction or other surgery to literally remove the "bad" visceral fat from your body, the ratio probably isn't going to change a whole lot. So as some others have asked, why is the medical establishment giving you "credit" for something that even they would likely admit you have very little control over? It's weird. The stress question is very interesting. When I left my job several months ago, I felt that I immediately lost a few pounds just from that, and they seemed to come from around my middle. But of course I have no scientific proof and I'm sure this is going to vary widely from person to person. I just think that we don't give enough credence to stress as a major factor in people's overall health. Wow… this is really interesting, and I’m glad it occurred to you to try it out at these different sites. Of course I know most of the push for people to lose weight is driven by money pure and simple, but seeing a concrete example like this is really affecting.

The fact that the men’s recommendation didn’t change, while the women’s did, is disgusting. I guess the sites thought women were both more likely to diet, and more willing to swallow whatever arbitrary standard they were given.

As far as the “good for you” stuff (and I do totally get why some of you felt validated by finally getting a message other than “you’re going to die” so I’m not slamming that reaction), it’s sort of disturbing. I would think that even the most mainstream, fatphobic, “anti-JFS” weight/nutrition researcher would concede that your WHR is probably even much more difficult to change through diet and exercise than your BMI. Unless you’re going to have liposuction or other surgery to literally remove the “bad” visceral fat from your body, the ratio probably isn’t going to change a whole lot. So as some others have asked, why is the medical establishment giving you “credit” for something that even they would likely admit you have very little control over? It’s weird.

The stress question is very interesting. When I left my job several months ago, I felt that I immediately lost a few pounds just from that, and they seemed to come from around my middle. But of course I have no scientific proof and I’m sure this is going to vary widely from person to person. I just think that we don’t give enough credence to stress as a major factor in people’s overall health.

]]> By: Erica http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36813 Erica Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:22:15 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36813 Cady - I agree about the "good for you." It's weird. I was weirded out by my own emotional reaction to it. I think as fatties, we end up being so used to hearing negative stuff from doctors that it's hard to take a "good for you" as being no more valid than a "you're too fat and you need to do X Y Z to change things about yourself that are impossible to change." It's hard to turn off the part of ourselves that is starved for positive external reinforcement about our bodies. Cady - I agree about the “good for you.” It’s weird. I was weirded out by my own emotional reaction to it. I think as fatties, we end up being so used to hearing negative stuff from doctors that it’s hard to take a “good for you” as being no more valid than a “you’re too fat and you need to do X Y Z to change things about yourself that are impossible to change.” It’s hard to turn off the part of ourselves that is starved for positive external reinforcement about our bodies.

]]> By: Cady http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36803 Cady Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:10:48 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36803 I'm weirded out by the UPenn site's "Good for you!" for those in the 'healthy' range. Good for you for lucking out in the genetic lottery? Good for you for being predisposed to a certain body shape? To me, this sounds the same as people congratulating anyone who's thin for being healthy, no matter what their actual habits are. We may be genetically predisposed to be fat or thin, apple-shaped or pear-shaped, and any one of these may put us at a higher risk of some disease or another, but that doesn't make one 'good', worthy of congratulations, and the other repugnant. I’m weirded out by the UPenn site’s “Good for you!” for those in the ‘healthy’ range.

Good for you for lucking out in the genetic lottery? Good for you for being predisposed to a certain body shape?

To me, this sounds the same as people congratulating anyone who’s thin for being healthy, no matter what their actual habits are.

We may be genetically predisposed to be fat or thin, apple-shaped or pear-shaped, and any one of these may put us at a higher risk of some disease or another, but that doesn’t make one ‘good’, worthy of congratulations, and the other repugnant.

]]> By: sarah http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36786 sarah Sun, 09 Mar 2008 13:55:02 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36786 I was a little worried about my (whr). My hips have always been big no matter my weight. So I got out my mearsuring tape and viola! .741. I was a little worried about my (whr). My hips have always been big no matter my weight. So I got out my mearsuring tape and viola! .741.

]]> By: Erica http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36733 Erica Sat, 08 Mar 2008 23:54:28 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36733 Wow, thank you for this experiment and these links. I was assuming that when I tried one of these, I'd get the same kind of gentle chiding I always get from anyone involved in the health profession - that my WHR, like everything else about me, would be something a doctor would say was unhealthy. I know I'm not pear-shaped, so I figured I had to have an "unhealthy" WHR. Well, according to the UPenn site, my WHR isn't ideal, but it's also just fine. It's .86, which is apparently a perfectly reasonable "squash shape" (never heard that term before but I like it!) and while it may place me at higher risks, it's not horrific. And that from doctors! And then it says "Good for you! Your current waist-hip ratio is not associated with significantly increased health risks. You can continue to maintain a healthy waist-hip ratio with good eating and exercise habits." I'm actually having a hard time not crying. I think that's maybe the first time ever anyone medical has said the words "good for you!" to me. Instead they always want to take and retake my blood pressure because they're perplexed that I'm a fat woman with insulin resistance and I still have an ideal blood pressure. They always assume they must have measured wrong. This is the first time anything medical ever started from the presupposition that I might already be decently healthy and might want to focus on maintenance. I'm not saying this in the way of saying that folks with higher WHR should feel bad because my reading this external analysis of my own WHR made me feel good, but it's just so damn nice to have *something* from the medical establishment tell me that my body is not automatically a death trap simply because I have never had and never will have a tiny waist or an hourglass figure. Wow, thank you for this experiment and these links. I was assuming that when I tried one of these, I’d get the same kind of gentle chiding I always get from anyone involved in the health profession - that my WHR, like everything else about me, would be something a doctor would say was unhealthy. I know I’m not pear-shaped, so I figured I had to have an “unhealthy” WHR.

Well, according to the UPenn site, my WHR isn’t ideal, but it’s also just fine. It’s .86, which is apparently a perfectly reasonable “squash shape” (never heard that term before but I like it!) and while it may place me at higher risks, it’s not horrific. And that from doctors!

And then it says “Good for you! Your current waist-hip ratio is not associated with significantly increased health risks. You can continue to maintain a healthy waist-hip ratio with good eating and exercise habits.” I’m actually having a hard time not crying. I think that’s maybe the first time ever anyone medical has said the words “good for you!” to me. Instead they always want to take and retake my blood pressure because they’re perplexed that I’m a fat woman with insulin resistance and I still have an ideal blood pressure. They always assume they must have measured wrong. This is the first time anything medical ever started from the presupposition that I might already be decently healthy and might want to focus on maintenance.

I’m not saying this in the way of saying that folks with higher WHR should feel bad because my reading this external analysis of my own WHR made me feel good, but it’s just so damn nice to have *something* from the medical establishment tell me that my body is not automatically a death trap simply because I have never had and never will have a tiny waist or an hourglass figure.

]]> By: Mindy http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36693 Mindy Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:45:29 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36693 My WHR is .89. Like other posters, I lose fat in my lower body before I lose it in my belly and it's always been that way. So, I can see my ratio going up even though I've technically lost weight. I had some belly fat even when I was a competitive swimmer and there was so little fat on my thighs that they couldn't measure it with calipers. But, I guess I was unhealthy because I didn't have a flat stomach. (rolls eyes) My WHR is .89. Like other posters, I lose fat in my lower body before I lose it in my belly and it’s always been that way. So, I can see my ratio going up even though I’ve technically lost weight.

I had some belly fat even when I was a competitive swimmer and there was so little fat on my thighs that they couldn’t measure it with calipers. But, I guess I was unhealthy because I didn’t have a flat stomach. (rolls eyes)

]]> By: heartfire http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36686 heartfire Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:18:16 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36686 Anybody else notice how the diet sites chaged the WHR for women but the WHR for men stayed the same? Anybody else notice how the diet sites chaged the WHR for women but the WHR for men stayed the same?

]]> By: Kym http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36640 Kym Sat, 08 Mar 2008 11:59:28 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36640 I'm a 94. I should start getting my affairs in order now because both the BMI and the WHR says I'm going to have a massive heart attack, devastating stroke, while shooting insulin. No matter if I eat "right" and continue to exercise. I guess it's great news for pear shape women and I do believe pear shaped women are in the majority. I’m a 94. I should start getting my affairs in order now because both the BMI and the WHR says I’m going to have a massive heart attack, devastating stroke, while shooting insulin. No matter if I eat “right” and continue to exercise.

I guess it’s great news for pear shape women and I do believe pear shaped women are in the majority.

]]> By: Lexy http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36606 Lexy Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:11:03 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36606 re: WHR, when I was in college we had to take a health and fitness class and use all sorts of different methods to determine body fat and composition (calipers, BMI, WHR, and a couple others) The point of the exercise was to learn how inaccurate and disparate the different methods are. I can't remember what my WHR was but it classified me as obese, I was a size 8. Oddly enough rather than teach me that it was an inacurate measure, I went on a diet... sometimes I wish I could hit my 18 y/o self. Currently, at a size 14 I have a healthy WHR... apparently all that weight is in the booty and hips. re: WHR, when I was in college we had to take a health and fitness class and use all sorts of different methods to determine body fat and composition (calipers, BMI, WHR, and a couple others) The point of the exercise was to learn how inaccurate and disparate the different methods are.

I can’t remember what my WHR was but it classified me as obese, I was a size 8.

Oddly enough rather than teach me that it was an inacurate measure, I went on a diet… sometimes I wish I could hit my 18 y/o self.

Currently, at a size 14 I have a healthy WHR… apparently all that weight is in the booty and hips.

]]> By: Adessa http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36599 Adessa Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:25:49 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/06/interesting-experiment/#comment-36599 Very good to see these various interpretations of WHR. As I'm a bit hypochondric I'm always afraid that my weight is going to kill me sooner or later, and when 'they' find a new way to calculate your health risks, I'm A Believer almost immidiately (luckily I've never had that with new diets, but things like BMI sound so scientifically right to me..). This blog and others slowly start to show me that being healthy has more to do with living in a healthy way than with the number shown by an online BMI or WHR calculator, or more importantly, that it might be better to listen to your own body instead of taking anything you read for granted. Still, the fact that my WHR is 0.9 freaks me out a bit... Very good to see these various interpretations of WHR. As I’m a bit hypochondric I’m always afraid that my weight is going to kill me sooner or later, and when ‘they’ find a new way to calculate your health risks, I’m A Believer almost immidiately (luckily I’ve never had that with new diets, but things like BMI sound so scientifically right to me..). This blog and others slowly start to show me that being healthy has more to do with living in a healthy way than with the number shown by an online BMI or WHR calculator, or more importantly, that it might be better to listen to your own body instead of taking anything you read for granted. Still, the fact that my WHR is 0.9 freaks me out a bit…

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