Finally: Star admits weight-loss surgery

The next time a skinny person gives you a hard time, it maybe biologically based, not just bias, according to a new study.

Research reported in Evolution and Human Behavior found that some people suffer abuse because being too fat is mistaken by the brain for a sign of disease, according to a story in The Independent.

The team say the immune system can be triggered into action at the sight of obesity because it doesn't like the look of what it sees, and associates it with infection.

"Antipathy toward obese people is a powerful and pervasive prejudice in many contemporary populations. Our results reveal, for the first time, that this prejudice may be rooted in multiple, independent mechanisms. They provide the first evidence that obesity serves as a cue for pathogen infection,'' say the University of British Columbia researchers.

The report has sparked new debate on fat discrimination. Check out the fiery discussion on AOL's That's Fit blog.

I am definitely feeling conflicted about the study. On the one hand, there may be some truth to it. But on the other, I don't want to see bias against the larger among us to be excused.

So what do you think? Do you buy the study's findings?

-- Amanda Barrett, amNY.com

Posted at: 29.02.2008
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