America's epidemic: Obesity myths

By: Daniel Mindus
Newspaper: Charlotte Observer

America is suffering from an epidemic of obesity myths. We have been told that 65 percent of us are dangerously overweight and that our waistlines kill 400,000 of us every year. Now a CDC study says the more than 60 million Americans who are technically "overweight" are at no increased risk, and fewer than 26,000 people die each year because of excess weight.

That's especially good news for NBA fans, since about half of professional basketball players are technically "overweight." So is President Bush. So are Brad Pitt and Will Smith.

The food police and trial lawyers have seized on bloated rhetoric about our love handles to justify their crusades for "fat taxes" and frivolous obesity lawsuits. While morbid obesity remains a problem and no one is in favor of gluttony, it's about time we had a little perspective.