Which Is It--Fat or Dead?

Okay, I know no one wants to be overweight. But what would you give up to not be overweight?

I'm not sure. I wouldn't give up my house, or my pets. I wouldn't trade a year of my life, or allow a limb to be lopped off. Does that mean I don't want to be the paragon of thinness?

This piece from Discover.com was published last summer, but I was startled as I stumbled across it this week. In "20 Things You Didn't Know About Obesity," it shows how pervasive the vilification of fat people has become.

Just a few of the "facts":

• 50 percent of people would give up a year of their life rather than spend it as a fat person.
  
• Up to 30 percent would rather give up their spouse than be fat.
  
• Up to 30 percent would rather suffer clinical depression than be fat.
  
• Up to 30 percent would rather become an alcoholic than be fat.
  
• 5 percent would rather lose a limb than be fat.
  
• 4 percent would rather be blind than fat.

Now, don't get me wrong. I don't want to be overweight--it's why I'm working to not be that way. But really. I would rather be overweight than dead, depressed, alcoholic, maimed or blind. Maybe that's my problem--I'm not willing to give up enough to lose weight!