Being overweight for some people could be a tremendous issue. But for Robyn Stewart, a senior kinesiology major, says it’s never been an issue to him.”I’m more comfortable being me. … I don’t look to lose weight. … If I choose to lose weight it is because I want to be more healthy, not because I’m uncomfortable in my own skin,” he said.
For Stewart he has never heard people say negative things about him being overweight.
“In this age of new media, television makes it seem that if you’re not within the mean of being skinny, your not in,” he said.
He compares the reality shows such as The Biggest Loser and Celebrity Fit Club.
Though Stewart is considered overweight, he still says he’s healthy. “I exercise everyday being that I am a GSU cheerleader,” he added.
“Skinny people could be considered overweight, too. If you’re proportionate to your height, then you are considered overweight or obese. … Example: 4-feet-6 and weigh 120 pounds. …You may look fine to the human eye, but clinically you’re overweight or obese.”
Exercising is a big part of fighting obesity. According to BUPA, 65 percent of Americans do not exercise.
However, Yolanda Anderson, a freshman from Fayetteville, Ark., says she has struggled with weight since being a child. “It’s not easy losing weight because if it was I would be small.”
Anderson wouldn’t go on record with saying her weight but admitted that she is taking all the appropriate steps to make sure she reaches a healthy size.
According to the Louisiana Public Health Institute, obesity among adults in Louisiana has become an emergent health concern, rising from 12.3 percent in 1990 to 30.8 percent, an overall increase of 150 percent, as noted by the United Health Foundation’s 2006 report.
A person is defined as overweight if his or her body mass index is between 25.0 and 29.9 and obese if their BMI is greater than 30.0.
Recent studies indicate that 30 percent of Louisiana diabetics are overweight and another 57 percent are obese.
Being overweight and/or obese substantially increases the risk of hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes (adult onset), heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis and various cancers.