Should being fat be socially unacceptable

[Archie_tect]

True Cunobelin, the psychological problems of both conditions need treating too.

 

[ladyjulian]

Staying within the boundaries of social acceptability on the diet coke regime isn't healthy, but ever such a lot of the women I've worked with go for that. (Espresso for breakfast, diet coke for lunch, apple or single finger of kitkat at 3pm to avoid fainting, salad for dinner.) They're a size 8 but they're not nearly as healthy as a fat cyclist who does a 10 mile round commute every day and eats too much but a balanced diet. But it's not socially acceptable to bully them - and that's what it is, bullying - by pointing and laughing and commenting and policing what they eat and policing their shopping trollies with pointed stares and generally making their lives miserable under the guise of "concern."

It's nobody else's business what somebody's body shape is. If someone wants to change their body shape, that's between them and their GP. Making them social pariahs is counterproductive, because someone who feels that society is pointing and laughing is LESS likely to squeeze their fat ass into lycra to go fo a bike ride, LESS likely to pull on a swimsuit and get down to the pool, LESS likely to go and use a gym, and MORE likely to reach for comfort food.

 

[pubrunner]

All of which again equally applies to the chronically underweight....

I agree, but which is the (ahem) bigger problem ?

I'd imagine that the number of 'chronically underweight' people, is tiny in relation to those deemed to be obese. The 'chronically underweight' will be a drain on the NHS; though I'm not certain that they'll utilise the same resources (surgical operations etc) as those who are obese.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Why is it that cyclists expect the NHS to help them recover from injuries? After all they put themselves on the bike in the first place.

I've been thinking about this ....
There are upsides to cycling or sport and many other activities where one might end-up with 'self-inflicted' injuries and need the NHS. There are no upsides that I can think of from being overweight. It benifits nobody and costs us all.

 

[martint235]

For all the same reasons read the two together, why should one group be criticised and not the other?

Both extremes of BMI are dangerous to health, cost the NHS in treatment and it is surely rather hypocritical to choose to find one socially acceptable, and not the other?

I would say that ultra-thin people are more likely to have a mental health issue whereas quite a few obese people are just lazy. Yes there's comfort eating which could be classed as a mental health issue but I'd argue that it isn't as far along the scale as bulimia is.

I've made a point before from personal experience. I live near to a chip shop and a kebab shop. There's a car park about 30 yards away and yet people will choose to park illegally outside my house cos it's nearer. The vast (no pun intended), from a brief count over 75%, majority of these people are already fat. Enforce parking rules! That'll cure obesity!

And I quite like gingers!

 

[Fab Foodie]

It's nobody else's business what somebody's body shape is.

That's true to an extent, but as it seems we're facing an obesity epidemic which will be an enormous (no pun intended) burden on the NHS which in turn will cost taxpayers more OR deny others treatment or social services due to a lack of funds, then maybe it is everybody's business. Furthermore, the rise in Childhood obesity is very significant condenming children to a life of poor health, medication and esteem issues at a very early age, before they have a choice of 'lifestyle'.

The simple fact is that it's nearly all preventable but also there is no magic bullet to stop it. Making obesity/fatness socially unnaceptable may be a part of the solution.

 

[tyred]

Some cyclists expect everyone else to pick up the bill

Of course we do, the poor road tax paying motorist picks up the bill to pay for our roads

 

[Andrew_P]

Not sure how you would go about making it socially unacceptable to be obese with Adults, nor do I think it would right. Children though that is a different matter seeing kids off of the BMI scale is so depressing. Not only for their short and long term physical health but also for their mental health as clearly they are going to be subject to some levels of bullying.

 

[tyred]

The problem, I suspect with children (I don't have any, I'm basing this on my observations of others) is that many well intentioned parents are preventing their children from taking exercise due to a fear that is mostly created by the media about how "dangerous" it is out in the big bad world yet in reality it is probably safer than ever before.

 

[RaRa]

I have a problem with food, from the age of 20 and for the next 10 years I piled on the pounds. The reasons are numerous and I'm certainly not going to bore everyone with them but from my experience I think society is already firmly on the path where being obese is socially unacceptable.

If you drink - well everyone does don't they, we just like to have a good time....
If you smoke you may get the odd look or remark but i'm betting you don't get people throwing things at the "fatty on the bike".

For those of you who have never been overweight and believe it's just a case of "eating less" and not being "lazy" well count yourselves lucky. Sadly some of us find the reality a completely different ballgame.

 

[Paulus]

It's nobody else's business what somebody's body shape is.

It is when you have to sit next to a fat women on a 5 hour flight and as she approaches her seat she ironicly says, "sorry, i'm next to you" as she squeezes into her seat. For the whole flight I was leaning over the edge of the seat as she overlapped into mine.. Now, while you could argue that the seats were not wide enough in the first place, I don't take up space in others seats.

 

[Andrew_P]

The problem, I suspect with children (I don't have any, I'm basing this on my observations of others) is that many well intentioned parents are preventing their children from taking exercise due to a fear that is mostly created by the media about how "dangerous" it is out in the big bad world yet in reality it is probably safer than ever before.

My eldest daughter is 14, within normal BMI but at the higher end, and to her credit wanted to take up excercise, not wanting to jog in the street she expressed an interest in doing some Gym work. The commercial Gyms don't allow under sixteens to join guess it is an insurance issue plus maybe they see them as disruptive. The only Gym that allowed it was the local council one which is awful. It costs £13 a year to be member they do not allow her to join an unlimited membership but only pay as you go, at £2.10 per visit. I joined as well on unlimited at £36 per month. She goes 4 sometimes 5 x a week so is costing me £38-42 a month. She is only allowed to go between 4pm and 6pm Mon to Friday and is not allowed at all on a Sunday not sure about Saturday. Which is really short sighted and considering the Government want fitter youngsters I think both the cost and time restrictions are really silly. When you consider that the flashy well appointed Fitness First just up the road is £35.50 per month I a mamzed anyone uses the council one.

Now she is confident enough to go by herself I have cancelled mine as it was killing me with cycling everyday as well.

My point is I found it really hard to find excercise that she could do on a regular basis, very little club or school led activities that would give her the right level, and not only hard to find but expensive and really poor facilities. I even wrote to Fitness First etc as I think they are missing out on a huge potential market.

Secondary to this, it is less expensive and easier to eat unhealthy than healthy. We started healthy living a few years ago and it has added to shopping budget by some margin. The only thing that counter balances this is the reduction in take aways. My sister is really overweight, and I always assumed it would secret eating as the house is always packed with goodies. But when I drilled down the diet was awful and very little knowledge of what was healthy and what was not. She got quite offended when I suggested some changes :-(

 

[ladyjulian]

It is when you have to sit next to a fat women on a 5 hour flight and as she approaches her seat she ironicly says, "sorry, i'm next to you" as she squeezes into her seat. For the whole flight I was leaning over the edge of the seat as she overlapped into mine.. Now, while you could argue that the seats were not wide enough in the first place, I don't take up space in others seats.

Disgraceful. I hope you tutted judgementally at her to indicate that you thought she was a social pariah who had no business being fat in public.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Disgraceful. I hope you tutted judgementally at her to indicate that you thought she was a social pariah who had no business being fat in public.

Why should paulus have to accept 5 hours of discomfort thanks to somebody else?
Maybe persons too large to occupy 1 seat should have to pay for 2 seats or upgrade to Business to avoid disadvantaging others?

 

[Paul J]

The problem is singling out a single group as unacceptable when the grounds for selection are not unique.

Erm being Fat is quite unique unless you are already fat so using your theory they are unacceptable?