An overweight person is labled “overweight” no matter if it’s from over-eating or lack of exercise, or body type (endomorphic, for example), or other reasons (certain medicines, hormones, etc.). If a person weighs more than XX pounds, they are automatically labeled “overweight” or “obese.”
With skinny people, just like overweight people, there are many possible reasons for someone not to gain weight, but only those who admit to an eating disorder or those who suffer from obvious eating disorder-related illnesses are likely to be labeled “anorexic” or “bulimic.” Many underweight people with eating disorders are very likely to not be labled as having an eating disorder, IMHO, because they can convince others that they are “naturally” skinny or that they are simply “fit.”
Also, many people who look healthy (neither overweight or underweight) have eating disorders; and if not for the eating disorder, they’d be overweight. These people would totally fly under the radar unless they chose to disclose their eating disorder to their doctors.
Mind you, I have seen plenty of “overweight” people who are very, very fit…and plenty of underweight people who were very sickly and out of shape.
The “fittest” people we know (work out for hours each day and carefully watch everything that enters their bodies) tend to have what I would consider to be very unhealthy habits. In many cases, I have yet to see any of them eat a single piece of produce, as they “eat” only protein powders and other “laboratory” foods. This, after knowing them and socializing with them for years.
Two of the “fittest” people we know have had heart attacks in their 30s and 40s, with no family history. Two others died from cancer, one in her 20s, and another in his 40s.
In contrast, we know of only one overweight person who died in her 40s from cancer. None of the other overweight people we know (and we know plenty) have had either cancer or a heart attack at an early age (before 50).
I always suggest to those who like to blame overweight people for all of society’s ills…visit a friend or family member in a chemo room if you get a chance. You’ll likely be surprised at what you see. Yes, there are older people who are overweight, but most of the young people I’ve seen are NOT overweight at all.
