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AIBU?

To think that Embarrassing Fat Bodies on Channel4 is sending the wrong message?

49 replies

cremeeggsbenedict · 14/06/2011 12:27

DH popped this on last night and it made me quite cross that they spent the entire programme saying that surgery was the answer for the people with problems on the show. AIBU to think this is just giving people more excuses to not take the diet/exercise route to being healthier

To cite a couple of examples there was the very obese couple about whom the doctors said it was "too late to lose weight through conventional means" and that gastric bypass surgery was the "only answer". Surely eating less would have been appropriate, and helping them to understand their food issues through counselling would help as much, if not more than drastic surgery.

There was also the woman who had a prolapse and urinary incontinence as a result of being obese and having had children. The program said she couldn't do anything about her weight until they addressed the prolapse etc as she couldn't exercise. Why would it stop her from reducing her calorie intake?

The other one that annoyed me was the girl who wanted a breast reduction. Now in all fairness she did have huge boobs and they probably were causing her issues but she was also overweight and wearing the wrong size bra. Why was surgery the "only solution" when she may (and I appreciate in this case it's a may) have reduced her bust size by losing weight and would certainly have been more comfortable had she worn a correctly fitted bra.

It just seemed from the program that quick fixes are the only answer and willpower/control weren't given as alternatives to surgery - there didn't seem to even be a "try dieting for a few weeks and we'll reassess" message

AIBU to think that the message that surgery is the only answer is wrong and people should be encouraged to try all other means first?

I appreciate I probably am but the programme really irritated me last night.

OP posts:
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Nullius · 14/06/2011 12:31

Its always been the way on that programme, I think its more of an incentive for people to apply. For example there have been women who have had cosmetic surgery on there, granted by the doctors, that they would never had got if they had seen their own GP on the NHS.

Think about it, if you're so embarrased by your little boobs, saggy tummy etc do you really want to go on TV and show the whole country?! Of course not its barmy.

But you would do it for free surgery, saving you thousands of pounds. People know if they go on that show they will be packed off to a harley street surgeon pronto. The producers of the show get their "contestants" and ratings, you get new boobies.

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tallulahxhunny · 14/06/2011 12:32

I have no idea , i turned it on last night a few mins after it started and the first vision i got was a big hairy fanjita spitting at me!! i almost threw up and was very shocked to say the least!!! So i never got watching beyond that!

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lesley33 · 14/06/2011 12:35

I agree with the breast reduction. But the reason the NHS pay for gastric bypasses etc. is that the vast majority of very overweight people who lose weight put it all back on. So surgery is recognised as more effective.

But I have often wondered if dieting would work if very overweight people were given help to address their food issues as well - just as happens with anorexia. After all I don't think you become very very fat as on this programme without having deeper food issues than just greed.

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Malificence · 14/06/2011 12:50

The first episode did feature a woman who needed surgery but was told to lose weight first, she had an enormous pubic area, seriously it was the size of a melon, plus a large overhang of stomach flab.

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TattyDevine · 14/06/2011 13:32

Look, the fact is, that whilst reducing your calorie intake and increasing your energy output will lead to a reduction in weight, statistically it is incredibly unsuccesful at achieving this in the long term.

Less than 10% of people who diet and exercise will maintain that weight over a 10 year or more period.

Now when that means that you are stuck wearing size 14's and spanx, so be it. Tough shit. If you don't have the willpower then you can't wear the skinnies.

But when it comes to seriously obese people, it means they will probably die. These people are mothers, fathers, daughters. These people matter to somebody else. They are more than just some big fat mess.

Telling them to go away and diet is no good if they don't or can't, and end up so obese that they can't even have the surgery without major risk to their lives. There comes a time where a doctor will say, right, this is not happening, lets get you sorted.

Why do Channel 4 have to be sending out a particular "message"? Why should this message be that if you can't do it the traditional natural way then you only deserve to die?

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Yukana · 14/06/2011 14:18

I'm afraid I agree with Tatty. The people who do become large because of their diet or lack of exercise, sometimes lack the willpower or time to dedicate themselves to sorting it out.

There is also the fact that some people once they get bigger, are so unhappy with themselves they can't see the traditional route working out, and need a push (and I don't mean a 'Lose weight, you can do it!') to start them off on a better way of life.

I can actually see this, a person majorly obese unhappy with themselves, thinking they've become so big they can do nothing but accept it. Being obese can not only have physical affects, but mental ones too.

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FranSanDisco · 14/06/2011 14:22

Yes I watched last night and it did in fact help me reduce my calorie intake as I couldn't finish my salmon pate on crackers after the prolapsed fanny section Shock.

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TattyDevine · 14/06/2011 14:24

Osso bucco, anyone? Grin

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DaisyLovesMetronidazole · 14/06/2011 14:35

In general, that show makes me Hmm just a tad.

The title including the word "embarrassing" for one thing gets my goat.

They also do a fair bit of turning the ordinary into a medical mystery.

And they seem a bit fast and loose with the labiaplasty for what are usually normal vulvas.

One of them always looks a bit disgusted when she examines a patient too.

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LittleMissFlustered · 14/06/2011 14:38

I like the bit where the fat family go through tests to, for the most part, disprove the myths perpetuated by some obese types. Last week they were shown to have no genetic propensity toward obesity. This week it was shown that only one of the three had 'heavy' bones, and that they were probably caused by the obesity itself, the body having to adapt to the extra weight.

On the surgery note, they do offer a lot, but occasionally it seems deserved. The guy who did lose the twenty stone on his own getting help to remove the folds of skin he was left with for example. The nhs would not have helped, despite him doing the weight loss himself using exercise and sheer bloodymindedness.

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Binfullofmaggotsonthe45 · 14/06/2011 14:38

Mixed feelings from me as i am overweight and dieting. Oh and i am also an f cup.

I agree the girl had a good 3 stone or so to loose and her cup size would have gone down, her breasts seemed overly large due to weight. Even more obvious when she came in after the reduction and just looked overweight.

Hopefully her confidence in her body will encourage her to get out and exercise more though? She did say that she had been put in the park playing football since the op so possibly it's a vicious circle, big boobs, weight gain, bigger boobs.

I was a bit cynical of the prolapse lady, she couldn't exercise (not even aqua aerobics) yet she would attempt to have sex with her husband with her rectum in her vagina. I think i would have tried to lose some weight before the op too using calorie reduction.

To be honest it was her crusty hoofed feet that made me felt queasy not her weeing. I wanted to take my callous remover to them, they looked so painful and then she hobbled into the surgery in ridiculous high wedges, that can't have been good for her prolapse. I thought Dr. Monger was very decent and dignified though.

The married couple - well it's still car crash tv isn't it. They saved themselves £10000 by allowing the indignity of nude clips and vignettes of them shoving family bags of crisps into their mouths. Does it make them eat any healthier though? Will they live any longer? Or just eat less but still unhealthy foods?

I am having to work hard to re educate some bad habits and practices, and i think this is key, the surgery isn't quick fix, it's painful but it won't make people healthier will it? What is it in our psyche that makes us this way....they need addiction counselling and therapy i think.

I hope they realise it's a lifestyle change and turn themselves around.

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GwendolineMaryLacey · 14/06/2011 14:39

More fool you lot for watching anything called Embarrassing Fat Bodies tbh. The title is so exploitative it made me feel sick. Roll up roll up, who's next for the freak show?

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manicinsomniac · 14/06/2011 14:40

I've never heard of this programme but seriously, the title - isn't it a bit fat shaming?

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Littlefish · 14/06/2011 14:46

The breast girl needed a well fitting bra. That would have helped with the back ache.

She also needed to lose at least 2 stone.

I say this as an overweight person (who has lost over 3.5 stone in the last six months), who has 34K cup breasts!

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Chrysanthemum5 · 14/06/2011 14:55

The woman who had large breasts really seemed to need surgery though. They removed 7lbs of breast tissue - no way would eating better or a good bra have helped with that. At the end she was walking better, could stand straight etc.

The others, yes, a better diet and exercise should have been the first option not surgery.

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CalamityKate · 14/06/2011 14:58

the first vision i got was a big hairy fanjita spitting at me!!


Grin

Yeah, that was a bit of a shock. DP is generally a fan of fanjitas but even he turned a bit green and asked if there was anything else on Grin

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pumpernickel10 · 14/06/2011 15:08

Last week some chap had 6 stone cut from his stomach.
I couldn't watch it this week too off putting for me.
I do think it's good to show folks though what does happen if you continue to over eat. Some have medical problems other gorge on fatty food.
Don't get me wrong I love my food but eat in moderation

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pumpernickel10 · 14/06/2011 15:10

I was 2 stone overweight and hated it :(
But on slimming world now and 13 lb off my ideal weight. It's hard work but worth it.

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manicinsomniac · 14/06/2011 15:41

ugh, I just found it on 4oD (yeah, I should have better things to do with half term I know - call it procrastination!)

That is probably the most demeaning thing I've seen in a long time.

"There's no shame because we're all the same" followed by a posed shot of 3 perfect figured, well dressed, attractive, white teethed grinning doctors.

Then images of them examining naked bodies with looks of disgust, resignation, horror or disapproval.

Victimisation tv at its worst.

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pumpernickel10 · 14/06/2011 15:43

The male Dr can talk he's had a hair transplant and is so vain

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BulletWithAName · 14/06/2011 15:47

My DP nearly threw up when he saw that woman's fanny in glorious HD. So did I to be honest.

Programmes like that make me want to punch the TV screen. The majority of the people on there could just exercise a bit of willpower and lose the weight naturally. They seem to get this surgery just thrown at them for being fucking lazy.

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GwendolineMaryLacey · 14/06/2011 15:53

Or you could stop hurling abuse at the people and don't fucking watch it ffs. Your DP sounds like a bit of a twat if that makes him 'nearly throw up'.

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supergreenuk · 14/06/2011 16:03

I felt sorry for that guy who was up against dr Christian on the internal fat thing. I mean honestly wasn't it just a chance for the doc to show off that he spends 6 hours a day in the gym.

I do have plenty of issues with this program and the supersize v superskinny program. They never tackle things in the best way but for some people you just wonder why the hell hasn't there own gp sorted them out months ago. Embarrased to go to the doctor but don't mind getting it all out on tv.

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pumpernickel10 · 14/06/2011 16:05

Shame on you bullet I've a friend who's had a band and she's not " fucking lazy" she's tried every diet going but sadly lacks willpower on the end she paid privately to have this surgery she looks great.
A very fattest view you have my dear.

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lesley33 · 14/06/2011 16:16

A friend is very overweight. She has lost lots of weight several times and then put it all back on. As a child her sister who is 8 years older than her was anorexic. But her sister spent lots of time making cakes, etc for her much younger sister when she was 7 and 8 years old (my friend).

My friend now has lots of issues around food, often binging in secret. While her sister got help including counselling on the NHS to beat her anorexia, my friend got nothing.

Her GP has suggested surgery to her on the NHS. This is because he knows she has dieted several times, got very slim and put it all back on. I think she needs counselling from someone who understands the issues people can have around food and how they can be tackled.

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