While the title of this article may be a little exaggerated, it might not be far off the mark for some. For, despite the fact that obesity is rife in the Western world, it seems the bigger we get, the less likely we are to realise it. But how can this be?

 Apparently, it’s all down to who we hang out with, or even the size of the general population around us.



As part of a study, over 2,000 women between the ages of 18 and 25 were asked various questions relating to their weight and how they perceived their size. Of those who were overweight or obese, 25 percent of them thought they were a normal weight or even underweight!

Dr Rahman, lead researcher and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, said “As obesity numbers climb, many women identify overweight as normal.”

It stands to reason, as people in a society become larger, eventually, this becomes the norm. If all our friends, neighbours and work colleagues are overweight, we start mentally moving our goalposts. What people once considered to be a ‘normal’ weight, is now seen as thin or skinny, especially when compared with the larger majority. But would the goalposts move the other way round I wonder?

Being of a slim build and somewhat obsessive regarding health and nutrition, I’ve noticed the gradual increase in weight of the general populace around me. It makes me feel as if I've become slimmer, yet I know by the numbers on the scales that I'm not. I'm the same weight I've always been.

However, while on a backpacking holiday travelling through Singapore, some years ago, my perceptions were turned upside down. Over there, the women are tiny, like dolls. Comparing myself to them, I felt enormous.

But I doubt if living there permanently would have seen me slim down to match the Singapore women. It would have been virtually impossible due to the different body types and it wouldn’t have been healthy for me.

This is why deceiving ourselves about our size can be so dangerous. Ignoring the fact that we are overweight or obese, or not even being aware of it, is a health hazard in itself. Being obese puts us at risk of heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

Of course, this isn’t just applicable to adults. The same scenario is happening with children. More children than ever are overweight, where the fat child is no longer seen as the odd one out in the playground. I think too many people are buying their head in the sand when it comes to weight.

It’s much easier to indulge in favourite foods while not depriving yourself of what you want to eat. And if everyone else is doing the same, it seems to make this behaviour acceptable. But it’s not. I think a lot of people are going to regret not taking care of their health when they had it. Food is supposed to help us live longer, not hasten us towards our grave.