Only 15 Percent of Obese Know They Are Obese

Huh?! This boggles the mind. But I guess denial is a powerful tool.

Obese people have a blind spot when it comes to their own weight problem, according to a study that showed only 15 percent of people in that category view themselves as obese.

Such a lack of self-awareness can be deadly.

“If somebody doesn’t perceive themselves to be obese, they are most likely not going to pay attention to any public health information about the consequences of obesity,” said Kim Truesdale, a nutrition researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Among those consequences are heightened risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis.

The study of 104 adults, ages 45 to 64, showed that only 15 percent of people who fit the body type for obese correctly classified themselves that way.

In contrast, 71 percent of normal-weight people and 73 percent of people classified as overweight were accurate in their self-assessments.

My guess is that most of these people just think they are "a little heavy." Despite what the "fat acceptance" people claim, being obese is not healthy and these people face a high risk of illness because they are not aware they have a problem.

With two-thirds of the population now overweight, I think it's a lot easier for obese people to feel normal. It doesn't help that a lot of doctors won't discuss weight issues until there is a health problem. If they confronted their heavy patients before the weight creates health issues, they'd really be doing their patients a favor.