Amputees have the ideal excuse for being overweight. Few people are going to encourage an individual who relies upon a prosthetic leg to walk more. It would be callous to tell the person missing an arm to lift weights. In general, society forgives those with disabilities for being overweight or obese.
In addition to having a socially acceptable excuse for being sedentary, the amputee population is missing role models in popular culture. The Biggest Loser has yet to feature a contestant with a non-obesity related disability. With all of the "diet themed" reality shows, there has yet to be amputee or an individual exercising in a wheelchair .
Statistics show us that approximately 31% of the population is obese. A Senate report from 2007 states that 69% of amputees are either overweight or obese. The obesity rate for those with limb loss is twice the national average.
At OPC, we are committed to the total health and well-being of our patient family. Since role models are not pervasive in the amputee community, we have decided to uncover our own. We are excited to announce The Biggest Loser, OPC Edition.
The contest will officially launch on February 1st, and registration will be open until February 15th. After three months, the amputee with the greatest percentage of weight loss will be crowned the winner. Oh, and did we mention that the grand prize will be a NEW FOOT (or hand)?
We will be providing incentives along the way to encourage you towards achieving a healthier you! We are in the process of working out arrangements with local gyms and online diet resources to help you on your weight loss journey. Stay tuned because more details will be announced soon.
In the meantime you can register for the contest. Simply click on the "Biggest Loser" tab on the main page of this blog to locate the registration form. If popular culture won't provide the amputee community with healthy and attainable role models for weight loss, let's do it ourselves!
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