Fat faith?

Virginians are fatter than ever, according to a new study by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Ominously titled "F as in Fat: How Obesity is Threatening America's Future," the report found Virginia is the 30th fattest state in the nation. That may sound good until you realize that one in four-- or 25.9 percent-- of Virginia adults are now obese. And the obesity rate in Virginia has increased more than 80 percent over the last 15 years.

The three fattest states were Mississippi (34.4 percent), Alabama (32.3 percent) and West Virginia (32.2 percent). The nine fattest states were all concentrated in the South. The three thinnest were Colorado (19.8 percent), the District of Columbia (21.7 percent), and Connecticut (21.8 percent).

In 1995, the fattest state-- still Mississippi-- had an obesity rate of 19.4 percent. At that time Virginia was ranked the 29th most obese state in the nation and had an obesity rate of 14.2 percent. This year, even the thinnest state, Colorado, weighed in at over 19 percent.

It's a problem at least as common in the church as outside it. According to Winchester pastor Don Den Hartog, the church often overlooks obesity because it's so common.

"Christians tend to compartmentalize sins," Den Hartog said, noting that Paul lists the sin of gluttony alongside the sin of drunkenness. "It's easier for Christians to permit obesity, gluttony, overweight, overeating... because more people struggle with eating than drinking."

Call to Stewardship

Virginia State Health Commissioner Karen Remley said obesity is responsible for an increase in diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and joint pain.

"Being fat is not just how you look in the mirror; it's affecting your body and your organs inside," Remley said.

"There's elements of choice involved in the length of our physical life, and I think one of them includes the treatment of our physical bodies," Den Hartog said. "God has given us a body, and we have a stewardship to care for it... to be used of Him, and to glorify Him."

In 2009, Den Hartog weighed 335 pounds. Then, while on vacation at the beach, his doctor called with some grim news: he had diabetes. His blood sugar was through the roof, his pancreas was wearing out, and he needed to get on insulin medication immediately. Den Hartog's son found him later that evening lying on top of the hotel bed with two of his grandsons, all their fingers red with Doritos dust, watching Bonanza.

"I was teaching truth out of my mouth, but my body was showing something that wasn't right," Den Hartog said.

After his son and brother confronted him, he cut back on carbohydrates and junk food and started working out. In a year, he'd lost over 100 pounds.

"When you're obese, like I was, you're ashamed of it, you're embarrassed by it, you withdraw from people, you feel judged," Den Hartog said. Now that he's lost weight, he feels better, has more energy and has more credibility in his ministry.

No "magic button"

Remley stressed that the key to reducing obesity is making healthy food choices and exercising. Today, more people spend hours in front of a computer or TV, work sedentary jobs and have access to high-calorie, high-sodium foods than ever before, she said. Without exercise, people aren't burning as many calories as they did even 15 years ago.

"Many of us walk less than we ever walked before," Remley said. "We don't get the same amount of steps [that we used to] unless we actively go out and look for it."

Den Hartog stressed the need for routine in Christian weight loss. "[Exercise] has to be incorporated in the schedule; it has to be a priority, that doesn't get easily moved."

Now, he works out six days a week and choses a time on his calendar which he treats like an appointment. "Daily exercise is just as much a part of my day as eating a meal or being at a meeting," he said.

Nevertheless, a number of Internet sites claim they alone hold the secret to weight loss without diet and exercise. One site, Christianweight-loss.com, claims that the Bible holds the secrets of weight loss without lifestyle changes.

"Whatever it is you truly want, you are already empowered to create it," writes Dr. Frank M. Smoot (not a medical doctor, but a doctor of divinity) on a page entitled "Embrace your own Divinity."

"With a simple push of your 'Magic Button,'" the site claims, "you can unleash your power to lose weight without diet, exercise, or 'will power.'"

That's not all: the site also promises career success, respect, love, admiration and the ability to "attract ALL GOOD THINGS into your life." That is, after you pay $39.97 for a handful of books and materials that claim to hold the elite secret to Christian weight loss.

But, Den Hartog said, there's no easy solution. Self-control is a struggle of mind over body that requires the encouragement of other believers.

"I don't know of anyone who has an exercise program that they absolutely enjoy. Everything has an element of discipline in it," Den Hartog said.

Especially in the first few weeks of his lifestyle change, he struggled to deal with cravings and find the discipline to make healthy eating and exercise a habit. The encouragement of other Christians helped him keep going.

"As people were noticing results, then the momentum just began to build," he said.

He said that even the secular world understands the need for encouragement and accountability, which play a big role in shows such as "The Biggest Loser."

"We're all in the battle," he said. "We need at least a few people we can be vulnerable with, share our struggles with that aren't afraid to share with us, and then we pray for each other, encourage each other, hold each other accountable, reprimand each other if necessary."

Both overeating and exercise can become idolatry, which he defined as "that which we look to for satisfaction, for fulfillment."

"There's a real balance between caring for a body and worshipping a body," Den Hartog said.

But he stressed that there comes a time when overweight people need to start "facing reality."

"People just lack discipline. They procrastinate [exercise]: 'Someday I need to start this,' or 'Tomorrow I'll do it.' Discipline is basically doing what needs to be done rather than what a person wants to do."

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