The Unhealthy Healthy

The Institute of Blue Sky Anxieties has a fascinating new report out today. Titled The Unhealthy Healthy,  the report goes some way towards identifying the many health risks in being healthy. As the introduction makes clear –

For too long government bodies responsible for health have implicitly assumed that being healthy is in fact healthy. And yet if we consider this for a moment we may see that healthy people are more disposed towards a whole range of potentially unhealthy activities.

1. A marathon runner may cause permanent leg joint damage where the couch potato runs a much lower risk.

2. An amateur football play risks a wide range of injuries and unfortunately in a small number of cases these injuries may turn out to be permanent. The couch potato watching football on TV naturally runs a much lower risk.

3. Regular gym users risk a wide range of repetitive strain injuries where the couch potato runs little or no risk of these debilitating conditions.

Even healthy eating could result in an unhealthy interest in the diets of other people, even the diet of a complete stranger seen waddling down the street. This could result in a debilitating psychological condition known as Pseudo-Altruistic Anxiety, an increasingly common middle class problem. 

Overall this is a timely if chilling report and one the government should not brush under the carpet. For too long we have been bombarded with the idea that healthy is healthy when clearly the reality may be much more sinister. The Institute is calling for more funding into this neglected area of research.