Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Thinking about losing

Through a bit of convoluted blog-reading this morning, I came upon this. The book which got Nancy started is Fat Politics: The Real Story Behind America's Obesity Epidemic, which I will probably buy today, since I'll be making my way to the Big City to stock up on provisions and such.

Until I read the book, I won't comment directly. But I am morally opposed to anyone profiting from the afflicted,* and from the description of the book, it seems that's exactly what all those weight-loss programs are doing. Nancy suggests asking at a meeting how many Weight Watchers members have tried the program before, and how many are there to be supported in maintaining their loss? You can probably guess what the response will be – or try it at your own meeting.

The same is true, I'm sure, for the program I'm using. Somewhere on their website is the notation "over one million members" or something like that. [I can't find it right now, but I'm sure I've seen it. And it should say 'more than' instead of over. Thank you, Lenore Brown, for teaching me that bit of proper grammar.]

It does seem that the success of the low-fat food industry has coincided with an increase in the collective American girth, doesn't it?

Including mine, unfortunately.

*This includes for-profit prisons and methadone clinics, neither of which have any stake in getting you out of prison or off methadone.

1 comment:

M@rla said...

OMG! I thought I was the only one who freaks about "more than" vs. "over." I think I am in love with you.

I read somewhere that WW is able to claim a fairly high success rate because they don't count repeat-joiners as failures. So, sure, most people lose weight on the program, and if you ignore the fact that they have to come back a year later...

I know I MUST read that book, and I'm surprised I haven't gotten around to it yet.