_I_m Obese But I_m Healthy

A woman posts a video. She weighs 300 pounds. She says she is healthy. She says her doctor is fatphobic. She says the BMI is a tool of oppression. Her followers applaud. Her followers are also obese. They are also convinced they are healthy. They are not. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and at least thirteen types of cancer. The body positivity movement has convinced them otherwise.In this episode, I examine the dangerous myth that you can be obese and healthy. The evidence is overwhelming. Excess body fat causes inflammation, insulin resistance, and hormonal imbalances. It strains the heart, the lungs, and the joints. It shortens life expectancy by up to ten years. The body positivity movement has done important work in reducing stigma. But it has also spread misinformation that is killing people.The episode explores the difference between body acceptance and health denialism. You can love your body and still want to change it. You can accept yourself as you are and still work to improve your health. The two are not contradictory. The body positivity movement has convinced millions that they are. The result is a generation of people who are dying of preventable diseases because they have been told that wanting to be healthy is fatphobic.Turn down the lights, put on your headphones, and press play because I am obese but I am healthy is not a statement of fact. It is a coping mechanism.