I am all about body positivity. In fact, a few months ago, I wrote a column on how it is important to accept all body types. However, recently I've come to the realization that there is a fine line between advocating for body positivity and enabling unhealthy lifestyles.
According to the CDC, more than one third of Americans are classified as medically obese. Obesity has been linked to a variety of other medical problems, such as type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and even some types of cancer.
Obesity is hard on the wallet as well as the body. People who are obese are calculated to spend about $1,400 more on medical bills than their average-weight counterparts.
Obesity is even referred to as an "epidemic" in some public health literature. Obviously, this is a issue that must be addressed. So where do we draw the line between supporting people with natural curves and those who are simply overweight?
Yes, I know, this may sound harsh. However, the fact is that many people are hurting themselves by living in the shadow of obesity. We need to be careful not to applaud those who are obviously unhealthy for their "bravery" and "body confidence."
I am not saying to make fun of these individuals or draw attention to the fact that they are suffering from obesity, but we need to stop telling them nothing is wrong with how much they weigh. Because the fact of it is that they are in an unhealthy state that they are paying for both physically and monetarily.
We must encourage healthy, average weights and do our best to end this epidemic of obesity that is sweeping the U.S. Be kind and empathetic to all, but don't give praise where it doesn't belong. This false sense of health is harming not only the individual, but the country's overall vision of well-being.