Research shows that being overweight distorts perception. As a result, fat people see distances as being further and slopes as being steeper. This could put them off exercising and so leave them trapped in a vicious circle, where the fatter they get, the less activity they want to do.

Researcher Jessica Witt, of Colorado State University, said it is wrong to assume that we all perceive the world in the same way. In one study, she asked 66 people of different shapes and sizes to estimate how far away a traffic cone was.

The cone was actually 25 meters away. Those who were a slim nine stone saw it as being just 15 meters from them, but those who weighed in at 23 stone judged it to be 30meters away — or twice as far. Dr. Witt’s research, which involved hundreds of people overall, also showed that the overweight perceive slopes as being steeper. She believes these calculations are done unconsciously and are the body’s way of saving it from the extra effort needed to exercise when overweight. Importantly, they have no control over this. So, far from being lazy when they balk at the thought of exercise, the overweight are simply seeing the world differently.

And if they want to exercise away their flab they should start small. She said, “Someone trying to help a client with obesity become more active needs to understand the tasks they are asking their client to perform don’t look as easy to them.

“The client may see these tasks as being daunting or even impossible.

“They might be considered lazy but maybe lots of us wouldn’t walk a distance that looked twice as far.”

The researcher suggested that the obese could try wearing telescopic glasses, to change their perception. Witt concluded, “We think that these perceptual biases can create a vicious cycle for people with obesity where they see the world as impossible to navigate. They will be less likely to choose to be active — and that’s going to continue this unhealthy lifestyle.”

研究表明，超重影响感知。因此，在胖子眼中，坡更陡，路更远。

也难怪胖子们对锻炼敬而远之了。这是个恶性循环，人越胖，便越不愿运动。

科罗拉多州立大学的研究员杰西卡· 威特称，不应盲目认为所有人感知到的世界都是相同的。在一项研究中，她询问体形各异的66人：他们距前方的雪糕筒多远。

正确答案是25米。身形苗条、体重9英石（约合57公斤）的采访对象表示，他们离雪糕筒15米。而重达23英石（约合146公斤）的人则称，他们离雪糕筒30米远 — 是前者的两倍。

威特博士的研究调查了数百人，她还得出另一个结论：同一个斜坡，在胖子眼中更陡

峭。她认为，人脑无意识中做出判断。由于超重的人运动要付出加倍努力，预估较远的距离便成了身体找的理由。

重点是，整个过程未受主观控制。

因此，胖子们或许并非因为懒而不愿运动，而是因为世界在他们眼中的样子不同他人。如果他们下定决心甩掉赘肉，需要一步一步来。

威特说：“在指导肥胖人士锻炼时，教练需心中有数，一些看起来简单的动作对胖子而言并非易事。”

“肥胖人士会认为，那是可怕的甚至‘不可能的任务’。”

“不少人觉得胖子懒惰成性。但我们不妨扪心自问，再多走一个来回，你愿意吗？”

威特建议肥胖人士尝试佩戴类似望远镜的眼镜改变感知。

她总结道：“我们认为，感知异常会导致肥胖人士陷入恶性循环，仿佛万事万物都离他们千里之远。”

“如此一来，肥胖人士就更不愿挪动脚步了，生活也变得越来越不健康。”

Words to Learn 相关词汇

   【雪糕筒】xuěgāotǒng traffic cone cone-shaped markers that are placed on roads or footpaths to temporarily redirect traffic in a safe manner

    【赘肉】zhuìròu flab flabby flesh, unwanted fat