I’m not disagreeing with it, necessarily, but I wonder where you got this from? I tend to think that the demographics of people on internet forums and blogs would be more correlated to age (and possibly income) than anything else. I’m just curious.

There seems to be a lot of polarizing and groupthink here. Ex: Instead of discussing obesity, much time is spent condemning pop culture for glorifying the anorexic physique. And sure, that’s true and sad. But that’s not what the detractors are saying. They’re saying accept yourself, sure, but don’t encourage accepting being an out-of-breath 320lb woman who’s 5’4″. There is a difference between feeling beautiful and being content with your physique. Of course American culture has grown to discourage obesity. On the whole, it’s linked with poor halth and CERTAINLY linked with poor physical fitness.

I would place a very large bet that the vast vast majority of fathers who are 320lbs cannot play a round of soccer with their son. That’s something to be ancouraged.

So don’t equate my viewpoint with proanorexia. I am merely stating that as a rule of thumb (with exceptions) obese and morbidly obese Americans do not live healthy lifestyles. And before you strike back with anecdotal “but I run 80 miles a week!” Comments, keep in mind the internet crowd is self-selecting and generally healthier. Be willing to admit that as a general proposition, obesity is not a positive state of being. It’s not evikl, but it’s not usually healthy (defined in ability to run, blood pressure, energy level, propensity for disease, risks, life expectancy, etc.).

I have done all those things in the past year (do not make assumptions about strangers on the web), and I have seen fat people. Do you perhaps have some selective blindness? Maybe it’s that I’m on the West Coast and our fat people go outside more? I don’t know.

“Many people on this blog are in denial and have convinced themselves that they are healthy. It’s amazing how calling them fat triggers some defensive response in them.”

Possibly it’s that you’re conflating fat and unhealthy. It’s certainly the case that as weight goes up, so does the prevalence of certain types of health problems. But it’s an imperfect association, and your self-righteousness isn’t helping anyone.

BTW, I’m pleased to say that I have never been heckled while out walking. Maybe it’s because I move too fast and my iPod is on too high to hear it.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Apparenltly popular consensus is that fat people should not leave the house until they have done enough Tae-Bo DVDs to be acceptably slim. Then they can go out and participate in fun outdoor activities, and only then.

If you want to feel sorry for someone, feel sorry for yourself and others like you who refuse to see overweight and obese people as PEOPLE.