The O Word

Canada: self-reported weight 18+

The above bar-graph is to me quite telling. Weight gain increases

dramatically with age. I am not privy to the secrets of the gods with

respect to the most recent trend figures on obesity but I do suspect the

aging of the population plays an important role. Indeed I have seen

figures from the US to the effect that obesity in the US has been

totally stable  since at least 1999 when the numbers are age-adjusted

(except for white adolescent males and non-hispanic black females).

What might well be different is the sheer numbers of obese folks now walking the

streets and malls, as well as the tragic increase of the morbidly obese

i.e. those 100 lbs or more overweight.

Personally, I remain amazed by the stunning association of obesity with aging,

in part because everyone seems intent on ignoring how evident it is.

We hear of food addiction, food as a drug, binge eating, anorexia. These

phenomena here stand out as epi-phenomena: powerless humans loosing their grip

on eating behaviour as they start to get older. Because, aging also means one cares a 

great deal less about appearance than in one’s mating and dating years. Who gives a darn; 

pass the pretzels, please.Thus the babyboom packs a double wallop: we are a bulge in the 

population pyramid, and - apart from those who went to Vietnam - an especially long-living one.

I don’t mean to belittle all the wonderful research being done to help us manage

appearance and health; one day disfigurement by unslightly fat, bloating difficulties

from ignorance of how hydric balance works, cellulite, sag and disappearing muscle may 

all be things of the past. But obesity - devil-may-care eating - is chosen as much as endured. 

The old just like to imagine they might get away with it.

I read by accident that the body stops excreting salt once daylight is gone, because

one needs to stay hydrated during sleep. That was a useful bit of information.

Who hasn’t woken up swollen like a hot-air balloon after an evening of movies

avec high-salt snacks... à suivre.