Body Positivity FAIL: Women with Excess Abdominal Fat Are 50% More Likely to Develop Lung and Bowel Cancer
In recent years, many so-called social justice warriors have been jumping on the bandwagon of something they call the “fat acceptance” or “body positivity” movement. To illustrate, lefty news site Mashable compiled a list in 2015 of 10 hashtags which SJW’s (Social Justice Warriors) can use to promote the movement. Hashtags like “#EffYourBeautyStandards” and “#LoveYourLines” are used to signal the virtue of accepting abnormal body types. However, aside from negative connotations, is it actually more virtuous to accept obesity rather than encourage healthier lifestyles and eating habits? A new study from Nordic Bioscience and ProScion in Denmark suggests that it is actually healthier to lose the excess fat.
Extra Abdominal Weight Helps Trigger Various Types of Cancer
According to a report by the Daily Mail, “apple shaped” women with an excess of abdominal fat are putting themselves at a higher risk of developing both lung and bowel tumors. As the study finds, abdominal fat triggers extra insulin which in turn disrupts the production of certain hormones. This in conjunction with an increase in inflammation results in a greater risk of cancer. Elderly women were found particularly vulnerable.
“In women, it is known that menopause initiates a shift of body fat toward higher level of abdominal adiposity, which may mediate obesity-related cancer risk…Avoiding central obesity may confer the best protection.” -- Line Mærsk Staunstrup, Study author
5,855 postmenopausal women with a mean age of 71 were analyzed by the researchers over a 12-year period from 1999 to 2011. By observing their medical records, they were able to find that women who carry an abnormal amount of abdominal fat are over 50 percent more likely to develop cancerous tumors in the gastrointestinal area or lungs. Interestingly, the study cited no relationship between body fat percentage and cancer, but rather abdominal fat specifically. However, several observational studies have been cited by the National Cancer Institute linking obesity to over a dozen types of cancer.
Men are Biologically Driven to Prefer Slimmer, More Fertile Women
As many people in the fat acceptance movement like to point out, the preference that men (as well as women) have toward slimmer mates is a perception which is induced by society and culture, but is it? As a matter of fact, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation which is rooted in science that could explain the phenomena. As the human species has evolved, men have come to seek out females with slimmer waists and bigger hips.
The reason for this is because those traits are a sign of health and fertility, which of course are the two biggest driving factors of reproduction. Those who had these traits tended to reproduce more, which meant that the men who were attracted to these features also reproduced and the genetic lineage of acquired tastes moved on. In fact, beauty is historically little more than a sign of health, status and fertility. To suggest that vague concepts like “society” created this preference is a ludicrous attempt by the obese and SJW’s to point the finger instead of dealing with their own problems or acknowledging their mistakes.
There’s Nothing Inherently Wrong with The Overweight
That being said, I just want to say that aside from a lack of exercise and possible diet issues, there isn’t anything inherently wrong with an individual who is overweight, nor are they of lesser value as humans. In fact, there have been many people, including women, who have contributed to society who also happened to be overweight. For example, both Aretha Franklin and Mama Cass were great singers from the 1960’s who were also overweight.
If you would like to reduce abdominal fat and consequently your risk of cancer, you can try jogging, changing your diet to include less sugar, reducing stress, or doing belly exercises like crunches. Although genetics play a role in body fat, remember that above all your body is your choice and you can always work on getting proper nutrition while exercising more at your own pace.
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