Are older people obsessed with commenting on other peoples weight?

Yeah 60's seems a bit young to be classing as 'old' and weight obsessed. My parents are 70's but definitely have goldilocks' notions about weight. Having grown up with parents affected by war, my parents have very set notions about weight. My Mum still tells me I have done well if I finish my dinner - I'm 42! On the flip side, they'll tell me it's an ill wind that blows no good if I lose a few pounds due to a vomiting bug. There's a 6 pound window before I get random comments either way.

I'm 67 and have never knowingly commented on someone's weight unless they bring the subject up. Some older people presumably do, some don't. It's rather like young people - some of them think that it is imperative to remain in physical contact with their phones 24/7, others don't.

My cousin's grandad met his then girlfriend for the first time. She was bilingual, a very successful barrister and pretty good at surfing. The only thing he could think to say about her afterwards was 'she's a big girl'.

My gran was obsessed with my auntie's weight as long as I knew her. It destroyed their relationship.

Nobody else in our family ever seemed to notice fatness so on my experience alone, I can see where you're coming from.

I feel your pain ❤️

I would guess she didnt have many people to talk about in the 70s, now its fairly unusual to see someone of a slim build/normal weight. Perhaps thats why she's talking about it more

yes 100%. Not exclusively older people, but a strong majority.

probably because they’ve lived through so many periods where weight was the be all and end all.

i remember my ex showing a pic of somebody he knew in the paper to his GM, she said “what a nice girl, nice and slim” and it’s always stuck with me because wtf.

all my older relatives comment, it’s like a big anticipated moment if you’ve not saw them for a while because when you enter, it’s immediately going to be followed by a visual scan and update on your weight. Tiresome.

that said, so many people are fat now and “body positivity” has a lot to answer for.

Maybe it's because all of this body positivity has encouraged younger people to think that being fat is ok. There are so many young fat women wandering about. They dress up like a goth or in Hello Kitty gear and bunches as if that detracts from their obesity. It's their " safe space" . Maybe that's why you @ByZanyRubyOrca don't hear it there?

My mother (aged 80) is sadly also like this. She now has dementia, but that's not the reason- she's been like this as long as I can remember. Everyone is judged on their weight, fat or thin, and commented on. I recently lost six stone, and she eventually said, "oh, you've lost quite a bit of weight, haven't you?" Yes mum, yes i have. "You look quite ill, you'd better not lose any more". For the record, I look bloody good, I do not look ill, but she can't bring herself to compliment one of her own children on weight loss. Instead she said, "oh you'd better not have a piece of cake with your coffee, you don't want to put it all back on!".

I didn't want the cake, but after that little barb, I had it anyway.

That's a clever gotcha, isn't it? 🙄🙄

OP clearly isn't talking about weight in the medical sense, is she?

Fighting talk @ByZanyRubyOrca 😆

You beat me to it.

Ageism is the only form of discrimination still allowed.

Actually, it depends who you are thinking of as older 🤣

I’m thinking of the generation above mine and they really do fit your stereotype.

Then someone referred to people over 60- well I’m thinking of older people as people in their 80s. People in their 60s are my sisters age. I’m 55.

So if you think about older people as 55+ then I disagree 🤣

@ByZanyRubyOrca when you say that no one should comment on anyone’s weight, do you include medical professionals who may be commenting from the perspective of susceptibility to ill health from being overweight.

If it is impacting health and well being, it’s reasonable to speak about it surely, whatever age you are. If many people weren’t conscious of being overweight, there would be no Weight Watchers et al, no one on a diet and the current weight loss injection industry wouldn’t happen.

I agree OP people my mums age and above seem obsessed or unable to not mention it at times. They would describe people based on their weight etc and are so pass remarkable about it. My granny's age group just seem to say it directly to children and everyone it's awful. It was my experience growing up.

1954

My mum is terrible for it, as was her mum. I think she’s losing inhibitions with it, as she’s got even worse in recent years.
My aunt was fine, then last year made a couple of pointed comments to DH about it.
DH’s mum is bad for it- at least about her sons, ok with me and SiL

They are the worst of all the people I have ever known and they are all 80-90.

However, that’s not ‘all’, and my lovely FiL would never have said anything!

I remember putting a pencil skirt on and asking my grandma what she thought of it. Her answer: don't bend over, I can't sew. I still laugh thinking about it. They grew up in a very different era when you could say things like this without reprimand.
On an aside, she was asked as my grandad blew out the candles on his retirement cake what her wish was and she replied, "the widow's pension". Even my grandad laughed at that. People weren't policed back in the day with regards to what they said. I'm not saying it was a good thing but it was how it was and it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks.

I disagree, but obviously this is a trend, I don't think anyone literally means that every single person over the age of 60 feels the need to comment on someone's weight or size...

I agree op. My parents both do this and my mum was a horror for it. Never had anything nice to say when I was her ideal weight either!

I recently commented positively on someone's weight/size saying they were fit and healthy really and received an absolute roasting from my teen!!

So yes, this is generational and a good thing I guess.

Been a nurse for 30 years and cannot say it is a common pattern I have noticed. We have the odd rude older person but then we have many rude younger people too.

Yup!

You asked the question and we answered it, that's how questions work. If you don't like the answers then next time, don't ask the question.