Fat Demographics

December 25, 2012

Fat Demographics

I ran across some interesting US data from the CDC recently.

Among men, obesity prevalence is generally similar at all income levels, with a tendency to be slightly higher at higher income levels.

Among women, obesity prevalence increases as income decreases.

Most obese adults are not low income (below 130% of the poverty level).

Among men, there is no significant trend between education level and obesity prevalence. Among women, obesity prevalence increases as education decreases.

Obesity and Socioeconomic Status in Adults

It might add some illumination to the assumption that fat people are all poor.

Discussion of BMI as a definition of “obese” is here. Most USians who are officially obese are on the low end of the charts.
Discussion of CDC data on height, weight (and other measurements) is here.

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fat acceptance, FatnessInGeneral, Statistics

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Living 400lbs

I blog about what it’s like to be live life at about 400lbs. :)

14 responses to “Fat Demographics”

tehomet

December 26, 2012 at 2:29 am

Interesting. Thank you for posting. this.

Reply
Fivehundredpoundpeep

December 26, 2012 at 8:39 am

I think past a certain weight, that poverty is a given. I would say most super-sized people who become that weight by their early 20s, would definitely be facing poverty unless they had an exceptional skill as far as the marketplace goes. Disability checks average $10-12,000 a year for those who used to work and even far less if you never have worked. If you can’t walk, do stairs or breathe, poverty is coming your way. Mid-sized folks can still manage professional careers if they retain mobility, and breathing ability and remain small enough to dress “professionally”. I know they have done other studies dictating that people lose so much income based on weight. I am surprised that there are more poor fat women then men, perhaps “poverty” raises the cortisol levels in women differently, they feel more chronic stress, in managing and maintaining households. Of course I feel kind of like a lone lower socio-economic voice, out there in the fat-o-sphere, probably because few people of my income level can afford computers and Internet, and I only do so due to special circumstances. Are there any other fat blogs out there where economic struggle is even part of the story?

Reply
1. KellyK
  
  December 26, 2012 at 11:19 am
  
  Michele Allison (Fat Nutritionist) talks about poverty some and has been poor (not sure if she still is). Also Patsy Nevins, though I’m not sure if she has a blog or is just a frequent commenter on other posts.
  
  Reply
  1. KellyK
    
    December 26, 2012 at 11:20 am
    
    This was meant to be a reply to fivehundredpoundpeep’s post.
    
    Reply
    1. Living 400lbs
      
      December 26, 2012 at 12:45 pm
      
      Hi Kelly –
      
      It was, it’s just this style is a bit weird with comments. :)
      
      Reply
  2. Living 400lbs
    
    December 26, 2012 at 12:44 pm
    
    Patsy has definitely been there, but not sure if she’s a blogger per se either.
    
    For that matter, Seanan McGuire is a writer with thoughts on growing up poor and fat that I find useful, but she isn’t supersize and does not identify as a fat blogger. :)
    
    Reply
  3. Fivehundredpoundpeep
    
    January 8, 2013 at 4:25 am
    
    Thanks I went to go check out some of those websites. Hey I am glad there are a few others.
    
    Reply
2. Living 400lbs
  
  December 26, 2012 at 12:34 pm
  
  I’m not sure how many supersize fat bloggers there are…offhand, Vesta (at http://bigfatdelicious.blogspot.com/ and editor of http://fathealth.wordpress.com/ ) doesn’t have a job, but I’m not sure if she’s retired or disabled. Heidi (http://www.attackofthesugarmonster.com) was on disability for a while (not sure she still is). Marianne (http://therotund.com) and Leslie (http://blog.twowholecakes.com/) are employed as writers and editors. Stef (not a fat blogger but of the fat-friendly professionals list and supersize clothing resources list) is a technical writer and editor.
  
  I know I’ve got a lot of things in my favor — 20 years’ experience in software, basic mobility, etc — and I still have trouble due to general bias. I also assume that jobs where I’d need to be on my feet all day (some lab environments) or dress more “professionally” (some employers) are right out. In Seattle this can be gotten around thanks to the Microsoft / Amazon “polo shirt is dressing up” casual influence + general need for people, but elsewhere? Not so sure.
  
  Reply
  1. Fivehundredpoundpeep
    
    January 8, 2013 at 4:29 am
    
    Thanks for the links. I appreciate it, and went to read many. Sorry you face general bias. Computer tech/software, does seem to be a field that is more amendable to supersized people who are mobile. Glad you do not have to be on your feet all day. I think for young fat people we need to stress even a higher degree of obtaining sellable skills given the way the work world is going. Clothing was a big problem for me due to poverty even in obtaining jobs to begin with.
    
    Reply
    1. Living 400lbs
      
      January 8, 2013 at 11:55 am
      
      I think for young fat people we need to stress even a higher degree of obtaining sellable skills given the way the work world is going. Clothing was a big problem for me due to poverty even in obtaining jobs to begin with.
      
      Absolutely! Job skills are huge, and I can’t really find clothes at the drop of a hat either :)
      
      Reply
  2. closetpuritan
    
    January 11, 2013 at 1:29 pm
    
    I would guess that Kath at Fat Heffalump is about the same size as Marianne and Lesley. I’m not sure if she’s mentioned what she does for work. I did a really quick search of her blog for “work” (only looked at the first page), and she did write in a review of some boots, “I ran around one really busy day last week all over the shop all day, for a 9.5 hour work day, and was still standing when I finally got home, having had them on for about 12 hours!” which makes it sound like she works in a retail job. It sounds like she doesn’t have any major mobility issues, so I don’t know if that’s much help to you.
    
    Reply
3. notblueatall
  
  December 27, 2012 at 12:32 pm
  
  Yes! Well, mine. I don’t know of many other fat blogs that speak from a poor/working-poor person’s point of view, but mine certainly does. NotBlueAtAll.com Though I’ve been writing mostly personal stuff lately, I’d love to get back into the struggles of fat/poor living and am always open to suggestions/advice. :)
  
  Reply
  1. Fivehundredpoundpeep
    
    January 8, 2013 at 4:34 am
    
    I’ll check your blog out too. I have dealt with many poverty issues on my blog and have faced years of poverty during my adult life. Many are ending up poor even have obtained college degrees, and working jobs that earlier on paid decent wages but now do not. I am disabled which of course cut down the money making propositions, but pre-disability, was very underpaid. I believe America is in a second Depression. Poverty does influence obesity to an extreme amount.
    
    http://fivehundredpoundpeeps.blogspot.com/search/label/Poor%20People
    
    Reply
    1. Fivehundredpoundpeep
      
      January 8, 2013 at 4:37 am
      
      See this article too:
      
      http://fivehundredpoundpeeps.blogspot.com/2012/01/poverty-wolf-at-door-trying-to-gobble.html
      
      Reply