The Waterkooler

In recent years, the government has spent millions of dollars fighting obesity and publicizing the message that two out of three American adults are overweight or obese, and at higher risk for heart disease, arthritis and diabetes...

But is was all a lie...

Fatophobes have lost the scientific high ground. Numbers indicating that obesity was a leading cause of preventable death now reported to be 14 times off the mark. And that is enough of an anomoly to expose not mistakes, but fraud.

Analysis by government scientists shows that far fewer people than thought die from being fat.

Last year, the CDC issued a study that said being overweight causes 400,000 deaths a year and would soon overtake tobacco as the top U.S. killer. After scientists inside and outside the agency questioned the figure, the CDC admitted making a calculation error and lowered its estimate three months ago to 365,000.

CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding said because of the uncertainty in calculating the health effects of being overweight, the CDC is not going to use the brand-new figure of 25,814 in its public awareness campaigns and is not going to scale back its fight against obesity.

Wait a minute, the CDC admits the number are way, way off but they are NOT going to use the new numbers in their public awareness campaigns? But, but, but, um, excuse me, hello, please can you explain this please?

So why would someone fudge the numbers so? Why would they lie to us like that? Well, 1) that's what do-gooders do. And 2) because it makes money for the pharmeceutical companies.

The pharmaceutical industry in particular is putting its enormous resources behind research that grossly exaggerates the health risks and costs of being overweight. And of course, once they convince us of the problem, drug manufacturers will peddle the cure. “In short,” says Paul Ernsberger, a Professor of
Medicine, Pharmacology and Neuroscience at Case Western Reserve University, “economic factors encourage a systematic exaggeration of the health risks of obesity.”

Common Obesity Myths include:
1 Obesity Kills 400,000 Americans a year
2 You Can't Be Overweight and Healthy
3 Obesity Is a Disease
4 Overeating Is the Primary Cause of Obesity
5 Soda Causes Childhood Obesity
6 64 Percent of Americans Are Overweight or Obese
7 Obesity Costs the US Economy $117 Billion Annually

The anti-pleasure principle

CDC website

Read the myths about obesity here