I agree completely, but usually it's not the researchers/scientists jumping to these crazy conclusions - it's people who don't know or don't care that no single study proves anything.

Usually it's the journalists for popular soft and even hard news media, who come up with these extreme and crazy headlines (and conclusions), because crazy gets noticed.

I just find it insane that we're so worried that fat people will use this information to falsely conclude that weight management isn't important?

Who are these imaginary fat people who are so stupid that they would ignore thousands of fat=bad messages to believe one or even a hundred messages that aren't quite so dire?

Why do we think fat people are so lazy, crazy, and stupid as to be unable to use their brain. Why wouldn't most fat people on hearing these results realize that research such as this doesn't provide any answers, it only raises questions and possibilities?

I don't know anyone (fat or thin) who would hear about this research and conclude that fat is good for you. I've seen idiots on tv say these things on shows like Dr. Phil, Maury Povich, Dr. Oz, and other entertainment talk shows, but some of these people are being paid (even if only with attention) to say this crap. I don't know anyone in real life who believes that obesity doesn't have risks.

And I don't see anyone in this thread who believe that either. Instead - at worst - I see people saying "it's more complicated than weight alone."

But "Duh" don't we already know that? It's amazing to me that there's even any "controversy" here, because the most extreme thing anyone has said in defense of the research like this study is "weight isn't the only factor that affects health status and longevity."

There are so many anti-fat messages that I find it hard to believe that overweight and obese folks en masse will stop trying to lose weight because of research like this. There's just too much pressure to be thin. And I also don't believe that most overweight folks are overweight for lack of trying.

No doubt my experience clouds my judgement, but I've been trying to lose weight (and failing) since kindergarten, and it had nothing to do with lack of effort or believing that fat was somehow a good (or even not-so-bad) thing.

I personally, see this research as being potentially helpful to both fat and thin people hearing about it, because while it doesn't prove that fat is good, it suggests that fat isn't the whole picture - other factors are at work. And that's a good message for fat and thin people to hear.

Because there are so many anti-fat messages in our culture, I find it hard to believe that anyone would think hearing this "oh good, I can stay fat." It just doesn't ring true for me. But I think it does potentially help the thinner folks from realizing that just "not being fat" doesn't guarantee health.

I think everyone needs to know that health is a lot more complicated than weight management.

I think one of the reasons so few people succeed at weight loss, is because we're encouraged to view weight loss as a pass/fail, all-or-nothing endeavor. We're taught that if we can't reach an ideal weight, there's no point in trying at all.

I think de-emphasizing the importance of the scale number, and focusing on eating a healthy, varied, moderate-calorie diet and becoming more active and physically fit, as well as protecting ourselves with adequate rest and stress management, avoiding harmful behaviors from smoking to excessive tanning.... will result in healthier people of all weights.

Right now, we tend (as a culture) to focus only on the visible. And some of the worst health risks are invisible, but quite literally it becomes out-of-sight-out-of-mind.

And what I find most insane about our weight-obsessed culture are the negative messages fat people (especially fat women) get about participating in non-weight related health habits. It's still socially unacceptable (or at least considered awkward, embarassing, or odd) for fat women to swim or be physically active in public.

What the heck is that about? We get these messages that say we don't deserve to participate in life until we reach a certain number on the scale - and it encourages people to socially isolate and to attempt weight loss by insanely unhealthy (and even dangerous) means so that they can become socially acceptable as quickly as possible.

But what I find strangest is the assumption that thin people can be trusted to use their brains, but fat people can't. We're all so dumb that we'll believe anything that allows us to remain fat (because we know that all fat people just LOOOOOOVE being fat, because it's just so damned terrific).

As usual, Kaplods puts things so well. I think we will put this thread to bed for awhile.