Book Review: Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon

There are a couple of things I really like about Linda Bacon. First of all, her name is Bacon. Somehow that is just cool. Secondly, she doesn't just think outside the box. She questions the entire box and all its assorted contents. In her book, Health at Every Size, Bacon turns current theories on obesity, health and weight loss upside down (or should I say right side up?).

It's the kind of book that gets folks in tizzy. People don't like it when their basic assumptions are questioned. But I say it's good for the soul. That's why I write posts like There is No Obesity Epidemic and Does Obesity Really Kill?. It's not because I like to stir up trouble. It's because we have to question our ideas from time to time. Otherwise ideas become dogma. And that's never a good thing.

So I guess Linda Bacon likes to question ideas and assumptions, too. In fact, that's exactly what Health at Every Size is all about. One of the key points Bacon makes in her book is that weight does not determine our health in the way most of us believe. She argues that focusing on weight may actually be drawing attention to the wrong issue:

"Body weight might be a marker for an imprudent lifestyle in some people, but its role in determining health, particularly when compared to regular activity, is grossly exaggerated."

She goes on to say:

"It is well established that the relationship between activity and longevity is stronger than the relationship between weight and longevity."

It's simple: being sedentary is more harmful to your health than being overweight. (And remember that movement trumps exercise as well.)

Bacon also reminds us that weight is a multi-faceted issue not soley based on our current diet and exercise regimen. In fact, your weight may be influenced by how your mom ate while you were still in utero:

"You are not only what you eat, you may also be what your mother ate. Several studies find that if your mother dieted during her pregnancy, you're more likely to be heavier as an adult."

Makes me glad I didn't fall prey to worrying about my weight during pregnancy (though I dieted like a madwoman while nursing--I wonder if that has a similar effect?).


Diets Simply Don't Work

One concept that Bacon tears to pieces in Health at Every Size is the idea that we can diet all of our weight problems into oblivion. She points out that the facts simply don't point that way:

"It may be hard to believe that there just isn't any scientific evidence to support any theory of how to lose weight and keep it off. No matter how many times or how authoritatively the message is repeated that diet, exercise and discipline can get you what you want, it doesn't change the fact that it has not proven true for any but a tiny minority of people."

Stop. Go back. Read that again.

Hope it sunk in that time.

"Losing weight is not about finding the perfect proportions of carbohydrates, protein and fat or tricking yourself into feeling satisfied. Rather, maintaining the right weight for you is about respecting your hunger and trusting your body to guide you in doing what's best."

Skip the Section on Nutrition

To be honest, I can't call Bacon's nutrition advice (found in chapter 11, Change Your Tastes) terrible. Overall, she disagrees with bashing food groups and macronutrients. I can appreciate that.

But at the same time her recommendations lean too much toward the same old USDA food pyramid baloney you hear everywhere else. Don't get me wrong: Bacon includes some decent information about how certain foods create biochemical responses in the body and offers general recommendations that can be helpful. It just smacks of conventional diet advice a little too much for my taste.

My suggestion? Read the chapter and take it with a grain of salt. Or skip it altogether and just dig in to the juicier parts of the book.


Why So Many Weight Myths? Follow the Money...

So why are we barraged with these myths about weight and health? Well, according to Bacon, some of it is simply misinterpreted science... and some may be the result of far more sinister motives:

"Fearmongering about weight is worth billions to the health care system, government agencies, scientists and the media. And it ties in seamlessly with cultural values. The result is that weight myths have become unquestioned assumptions, so strongly a part of our cultural landscape that we regard them as self-evident."

Question Your Assumptions About Weight and Dieting

It's not the facts that get us into trouble: it's the "unquestioned assumptions" that do us in. We have to be willing to question our current theories on health and wellness if we want to move forward. The answers aren't half as important as being willing to look for them in the first place.

I'll sum this review up with one more quote from Health at Every Size:

"The only way to solve the weight problem is to stop making weight a problem--to stop judging ourselves and others by our size. Weight is not an effective measure of attractiveness, moral character or health. The real enemy is weight stigma, for it is the stigmatization and fear of fat that causes the damage and deflects attention from the true threats to our health and well-being."

Question about the book? Have some thoughts on all of this? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Buy Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon here.


Want more book reviews? Check out my other reviews below:

• Cure Tooth Decay by Ramiel Nagel
• Fat Politics by J. Eric Oliver
• Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride
• The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean
• The Detox Book by Bruce Fife
• The Gabriel Method by Jon Gabriel
• Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes
• Adrenal Fatigue by James Wilson
• The Schwarzbein Principle (the entire series) by Diana Schwarzbein
• The Mood Cure by Julia Ross
• Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Mary Enig and Sally Fallon

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Correlation Does Not Equal Causation

Science can be a funny thing. And obesity science is generally ambiguous at best. But media reports on science are often downright misleading. Granted, journalists need catchy headlines like Obesity More Dangerous Than Terrorism to draw in readers who are always hungry to hear about the next crisis. But an article that sounds extremely captivating may also be just plain deceitful.

Take the demonization of saturated fat and cholesterol. Many of you are familiar with the flawed science behind the era of hate for eggs and butter. (If not, check out Tom Naughton's video.) In fact, though further research continues to exonerate saturated fat and cholesterol (and even demonstrate their benefits), the majority of Americans are still convinced that egg yolks and whole milk cause disease and obesity.

So it helps to approach scientific research in general with an eye for detail. For example, it helps to understand the fact that correlation does not equal causation. This means that factors can be associated with each other without one thing causing the other. Confusing correlation with causation produces not only flawed reports on health issues, but also reinforces stereotypes and prejudices.

"The majority of knowledge regarding the relationship between health and weight is drawn from epidemiological research. Epidemiological obesity research compares groups of overweight and obese individuals with a control group of normal weight individuals. It is intended to uncover associations which then need further examination. It cannot tell us whether a variable causes or even influences another.

Consider this: It is well established through epidemiological research that bald men have a higher incidence of heart disease than men with a full head of hair. However, this doesn't mean that baldness promotes heart disease or that hair protects against heart disease. Nor is it recommended that bald men try to grow hair or buy toupees in order to lessen their disease risk."

- from page 129 in Health at Every Size by Linda Bacon

"Correlation does not equal causation. There's an example often used in Sociology 101 classes to illustrate this point: In the summer months, both ice cream sales and murders increase, meaning there's a correlation between ice cream sales and murder. Now, in theory, once a correlation has been established, it's worth looking into whether one thing causes the other. Does ice cream trigger homicidal impulses? Do murderers like to celebrate a job well done with a nice waffle cone? No, probably not. In fact, heat is what causes the rise in both ice cream sales and homicide. Correlation does not equal causation."

- from page 175 in Lessons from the Fat-O-Sphere by Kate Harding and Marianne Kirby

So when I bring up touchy subjects as I did when I questioned the obesity epidemic and asked if obesity really killed, I'm not just trying to rock the boat. I'm actually trying to do some critical thinking about the ideas that many of us take for granted because of the attention they receive in the media.

Don't be convinced by reports that use melodramatic language and scare tactics to influence your opinions. Instead, simply be willing to question what you hear and form your own ideas rather than being tossed from one dogmatic regime to another.

I don't know about you, but after spending a few years being seriously afraid of real food like cheese, butter and eggs because a pediatrician told me saturated fat causes cancer, I'm willing to take a step back and give it some critical thought before jumping on the next health bandwagon.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday.

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Does Obesity Really Kill?

The propaganda surrounding the obesity crisis is fueled by one belief: obesity kills. We are so frightened by fat weight because we are continually told that even ten extra pounds can put our life in danger. We are under the impression that fat weight causes disease. This, however, is a big fat myth.

But wait. Doesn't obesity cause hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and cancer? Doesn't obesity cause hundreds of thousands of deaths each year? The answer is no. Here is some interesting information regarding obesity, death and disease:

• In 2005, researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that, despite having spent months analyzing countless records, they failed to show that even severe obesity increases mortality risk.

• To quote Linda Bacon from Health at Every Size on a study of 1.7 million Norwegians: "In this, the largest epidemiological study ever conducted, the highest life expectancy is among individuals who are overweight by our current standards and the lowest life expectancy is among those defined as underweight. What's more, individuals who fit into what is deemed the ideal weight range had a lower life expectancy than some of those who were obese."

• Research has demonstrated that obese people who are physically fit have mortality rates as low as people who are lean and fit. In fact, overweight and obese people who are fit will most likely live longer than someone who is lean but unfit.

• Angiographic studies have shown that obesity has no relationship to the development or progression of heart disease. Some studies have indicated that being overweight or obese may actually decrease your risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke.

• Some researchers claim there is a link between obesity and cancer. The truth is, most studies fail to find an association between weight and cancer mortality. In fact, for every study you can find that claims an association between obesity and cancer, you can find another one that shows obesity is actually protective against cancer.

• Although we have been led to believe that obesity is a leading cause of diabetes, research indicates that insulin resistance appears before weight gain. Insulin resistance is causing weight gain and diabetes. Weight gain is not causing insulin resistance and diabetes.

• Conditions such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes can all be improved in overweight and obese individuals through dietary and lifestyle habits, regardless of whether weight is lost or not.

Clearly there are some discrepancies when it comes to the information fed to the masses about obesity and health. The biggest problem with propagating this misinformation is that it places the focus on weight alone rather than on diet and lifestyle habits.

Consider this: if fat weight was really the cause of health problems and even death, why aren't we all rushing out to get liposuction? Because we all know that's ridiculous! Then why do we think that losing fat will solve all of our health problems? The fact is that it won't.  

Lifestyle trumps weight. Eat real food that nourishes your body. Be active because it energizes you. Give your body the rest it needs. Be a part of something that gives you joy and fulfillment. If these things lead you to weight loss, that's wonderful. If not, that doesn't mean you haven't greatly improved your health and quality of life in the meantime. The exaggerated focus on weight is an arbitrary distraction, so don't let it distract you from what's really important when it comes to your health and happiness. 

Further Reading On This Subject:

Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight by Linda Bacon

Rethinking Thin: The New Science of Weight Loss by Gina Kolata

The Diet Cure by Julia Ross

Fat Politics: The Real Story behind America's Obesity Epidemic by J. Eric Oliver

Big Fat Lies: The Truth about Your Weight and Your Health by Glenn A. Gaesser


This post is part of Real Food Wednesday hosted by Kelly the Kitchen Kop.

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