NFL and Obesity

[HagFaithful]

56% of NFL players are considered obese, allegedly. I'm too fat and lazy to get a link, but a quick Google search approximates the 56%. So it must be true....ish.

 

[AROS]

Oh I thought this thread was about the direct correlation of my weight gain and the Seahawks 2026 season, playoffs and Championship.

 

[Torc]

Most obesity charts I've seen go purely by weight. Weight is useful for the average human being to compare to a chart. Not so much for a professional athlete.

I doubt there are any obese players outside of the offensive and defensive lines, and the Lambs kicker.

 

[Trackhawk]

The obesity scales don’t account for body composition, and they really shouldn’t. The vast majority of people in the obese category are stressing their cardiovascular system in unhealthy ways. This includes body builders, strong men athletes, and many offensive linemen. Muscles and fat both create demands on the CV system.

There are exceptions, and many NFL players would fit into that exceptions category. They are cardiovascularly healthy, though they do have additional long-term risk from the demands they are placing on their hearts.

 

[HagFaithful]

Most obesity charts I've seen go purely by weight. Weight is useful for the average human being to compare to a chart. Not so much for a professional athlete.

I doubt there are any obese players outside of the offensive and defensive lines, and the Lambs kicker.

A RB at 5'10", 225lbs of solid muscle would be considered obese. Walker is obese.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Not fat. Pleasingly plump.

 

[Wsumatt1982]

Sounds like an article Jerry Dipoto wrote, or was that 54%?

 

[Hawkinaz]

Many doctors use BMI as a guide for obesity and which goes off of height and weight. If you enter a NFL linebackers info who could have sub 10% body fat they will be in the obese category

BMI was originally developed for administering medication dosages

 

[RiverDog]

Many doctors use BMI as a guide for obesity and which goes off of height and weight. If you enter a NFL linebackers info who could have sub 10% body fat they will be in the obese category

BMI was originally developed for administering medication dosages

All of that is true, but even if it accounts for half of those technically considered obese, that still leaves over 1/4 of all players. I'm no doctor, but my guess is that for the NFL, it's not a huge issue as you're talking about players that are in their 20's and 30's, but they really should receive some intense counseling about losing the extra weight after their playing days are over.

Obesity is by far the biggest controllable medical issue that both the country and the world faces. I've been mildly obese for most of my adult life and only recently, with the help of a GLP-1 drug, got down to a point where my doctor feels I'm at an ideal weight. Ironically, that still technically puts me slightly above the range that is considered healthy.

Everyone is obsessed with head and neck injuries with regards to the game having a long-term health risk to players, and rightfully so. But obesity is by far a more widespread issue which has largely been ignored.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I lost 80 lbs. back in 2013 and until recently have kept most of it off. Gained much of it back and am at the pre-diabetic level now.
Mom has type 2, Pops died of congestive heart failure, 2 of my uncles have had it. It's all on me, but it's incredible how much better your levels get when you exercise, eat better and lose weight.

 

[Runscott]

Oh I thought this thread was about the direct correlation of my weight gain and the Seahawks 2026 season, playoffs and Championship.

I definitely ate more sausage dogs this season than 'normal'. It also kind of explains why the Pro Shop always has plenty of 3XL jerseys in stock - they know where the true fans are heading.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

 

[Runscott]

Obesity is by far the biggest controllable medical issue that both the country and the world faces. I've been mildly obese for most of my adult life and only recently, with the help of a GLP-1 drug, got down to a point where my doctor feels I'm at an ideal weight. Ironically, that still technically puts me slightly above the range that is considered healthy.

Good words. Congrats on your improvement.

 

[AROS]

I lost nearly 50 pounds last year between keto, exercise and Tirzepatide. I went off Tirzepatide a few months ago because I can’t afford $500/month for medication. I really slacked off during football season and the holidays (an annual event for me it seems) so I’m behind the eight ball.

Back to the gym and back to keto I go.

 

[RiverDog]

I lost 80 lbs. back in 2013 and until recently have kept most of it off. Gained much of it back and am at the pre-diabetic level now.
Mom has type 2, Pops died of congestive heart failure, 2 of my uncles have had it. It's all on me, but it's incredible how much better your levels get when you exercise, eat better and lose weight.

My doctor prescribed Zepbound for me almost exactly one year ago. I lost 45 pounds, or about 20% of my body weight. Doc told me that there was a 95% chance that I'd regain it all within 2 years after going off the drug. I've been off it for 3 months and so far, I'm within 5 pounds of my all-time low.

The key for me is weighing each and every day as it keeps the challenge to keep it off front and center in my conscious. I don't eat or drink anything without taking into consideration what it's going to do to my weight.

I've learned a lot during my weight loss journey, particularly that much more of the obesity problem is genetic than I ever realized, that there are specific means of our stomach telling our brain when we're full, gut hormones, nerve pathways, etc., that some people are lacking.

Our society treats obese people horribly, especially women. It's widely assumed that a person's weight is entirely within their personal control and that it's a sign of weakness within their character if they're fat.

 

[chris98251]

Genetics, our food being created instead of raised or grown naturally, hormones, dna splicing, additives and chemicals, create our situation along with a lifestyle of convenience instead of physical activity now as well. Not one issue. Yet for a small fortune at a gym and medication we can fix you temperarily.

 

[RiverDog]

Genetics, our food being created instead of raised or grown naturally, hormones, dna splicing, additives and chemicals, create our situation along with a lifestyle of convenience instead of physical activity now as well. Not one issue. Yet for a small fortune at a gym and medication we can fix you temperarily.

That's true. I worked for 40 years in the potato processing industry. In all of our research, the only spice or additive we could identify that actually increased the amount of French fries a person eats is salt. Our customers, fast food restaurants like McD's, BK, et al, know this, so several of them had us print on their cases in big bold letters "Salt the Fries!" as a reminder to their staff to make sure they put plenty of salt on them.

As is the case with most widespread problems like obesity, there are multiple causes. When I was growing up, my mother insisted that I belong to "the clean plate club" if I wanted dessert. It was ingrained into my psyche not to leave food on my plate, that "for crissakes, there are children in Africa that would love to have that food you're throwing away! Just as in tobacco use where peer pressure is a driving force in that addiction, the environment in which a person is raised in has an effect on whether or not they will overeat.

That's why I said that NFL players, particularly linemen that by definition are going to be overweight, receive a good amount and indoctrination to the obesity problem as it has just as much if not more potential to affect the quality of their lives post football as does a concussion.

 

[Mike MacDarnold]

I would love to ride my bike to work to keep in shape like I did when I lived overseas, but I’m just too afraid to end up as roadkill here in the US even though it’d probably be only 30 minutes each way.

Seems like everybody speeds too much and they drive according to ideal conditions rather than changing or variable conditions. How many people just whip by a car that broke down on a highway at 80mph? Too many.