Everyone is overweight except me, most Americans say in poll

[question everything]

Everyone is overweight except me, most Americans say in poll

REUTERS

April 12, 2006

WASHINGTON – Ninety percent of Americans know that most of their compatriots are overweight, but just 40 percent believe themselves to be too fat, according to a study published yesterday.

Government statistics show that more that 60 percent of the U.S. population is overweight, and half is obese, meaning they are at serious risk of health effects from their weight.

But the Pew Research Center telephone survey of more than 2,000 adults found that many people overestimate how tall they are and underestimate how much they weigh – and thus do not rate themselves as overweight, even when they are.

(snip)

The women reported they weighed a median of 150 pounds and had a median height of 5 feet 5 inches, which would put them just barely on the borderline of being overweight. But national statistics indicate that women have a median weight of 155 pounds and are only 5 feet 4 inches tall, which puts them squarely into the overweight column.

“As for men, well, they give themselves even more phantom height than women do – 2 extra inches,” the report said. “The self-reported median height of men in the Pew survey is 5 feet 11 inches, compared with 5 feet 9 inches in the government survey.”


Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060412/news_1n12notme.html

[mark11727]

1. Not me...!

I'm a PLUMP MOTHERF*CKER --- I'm not proud of it, but there ya go.

[stop the bleeding]

2. I'm a cyclist(s)

skinny as a rail here

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. I bike to and from work every day, but still carry 40 extra lbs

(OK, it's less than 3 miles, round trip, but I try).

[stop the bleeding]

7. that is great for you and the environment

keep it up

[AllegroRondo]

10. I run marathons

which tends to keep off the extra fat

[orion9941]

3. I'm not fat!!

I'm just drought and famine resistant. ;)

[Wcross]

4. I'm just "big boned".....LOL!

I am 6"6" and weigh 235lbs, I could stand to lose 10-20lbs. If people are comfortable being overweight who am I to say anything? I know I would get concerned if I had to upgrade my clothing every six months to accommodate my growing waistline.

[converted_democrat]

6. Not me.. I'm 5- 7 pounds underweight.. n/t

[Feron]

8. The problem with using BMI as an indicator of being overweight..

is that muscle weighs more than fat. Even though I have a 29 inch waist, according to BMI I am obese. I'm 5'7" and the last time I weighed myself (January), I was 215 pounds. I've upped my workout since then so I probably weigh more now.

So it makes me wonder how many of these people surveyed were really overweight. I have no doubt that many people in this country are overweight, but the methodology of this study could have been better.

[progressivebydesign]

9. They're starting to abandon the BMI think for hip/waist ratio, instead

For the very reason you state. It's not a good indicator of body composition. Hip to waist ratio is a better indicator of health, as extra stuff around the midsection is bad news.

[VelmaD]

11. Heee...the men overestimating their height...

is something I've been seeing for years. Just about every guy I know will tell you he's 6 feet tall even though most of them barely top out at 5'10". *snort*

I know tall...my dad is 6'6".

[BlooInBloo]

12. It's ok - they're becoming a majority...

... So they'll be able to insist that "fat is sexy" and such things. It's just a matter of time before a new wave of "medical research" comes out showing that fat is healthy.