Well, sadly, this makes sense.
Just as anorexics don’t realize they’re emaciated, it appears that many Americians who are diabetic just don’t realize they’re overweight or even obese — they actually think they’re at a healthy weight, according to a recent study coming out of the University of Pittsburgh.
"These findings are concerning given the importance of body weight in managing diabetes," study first author Dr. Kathleen McTigue, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, said in a prepared statement, according to HealthDayNews.
McTigue and her colleagues looked at nearly 2,500 diabetic patients and found that "41 percent reported a ‘healthiest’ weight for their height that actually measured in the overweight body mass index (BMI) range," the researcher said. And 6 percent thought their "healthiest" weight was one that was obese.
Then, looking at obese respondents, 66 percent thought that an overweight or obese body weight was ideal for health. And another 41 percent of overweight patients believe that a too-high-weight is healthy. And only 4 percent of normal-weight patients overestimated healthy body weight.
What gives? Why would peple think that a higher-than-normal weight is healthy?
Is it because we’re simply surrounded by overweight and obese people? After all, 65% of Americans are overweight or obese.
This sounds like an important study, because if people feel their weight is normal or ideal and they’re really overweight or obese, then they’re going to not be as motivated to lose weight.