"Men and obesity Wheres the help with weight loss"

Sorry Helena but that blog reads so obviously fake I would question anyone who would even put it forward as being real.

I find this interesting:

www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~rothblum/doc_pdf/weight/AComparisonofLesbiansGayMen.pdf

Sanity I'm not really denying any of those points you made. All I'm saying is why is a an article written by a man about male experiences a femisnt issue?

I often see here something along the lines of "if men have an issue with something then they should do something about it for themselves" for example with DV. This author is doing is trying to highlight something that seemingly men don't get enough support with, he's isn't trying to minimise what women go through. ( although chunky does raise a good point)

Err - I'm with the people saying that this isn't a woman bashing article, and it's good that he's doing something about it himself, but I think there's some tricky use of language there - he said that

A recent freedom of information request by the charity Men’s Health Forum revealed that 110,324 women had received weight-loss help from their local authorities in 2013/4, but just 29,197 men. In other words, you are 277% more likely to get help with weight loss if you are a woman.

That's just the stats on who accessed the care - for all we know it's mainly women who asked for it - it doesn't say that there were 277% more programs for women, or that women were 277% more likely to have it thrust at them on a plate, just that they were more likely to get help.

...it is a statistically unsuccessful weight loss program, in the long term.

Seems like you saw the same research I did, 10 out of 1000 people (1%).

Of course obesity is a problem of modern society. In fact, a higher proportion of men in our society are obese than women.

So why is most of the advertising for the weight loss industry directed at women? You can't really believe that this is because women get more support to lose weight. It's because more women are suckered into shelling out money to these companies because of the pressures placed on us by society to be attractive to men.

The real disgrace is that the NHS is wasting money giving weight watchers vouchers to obese patients, as all the evidence shows that it is a statistically unsuccessful weight loss program, in the long term.

It is not the fault of women.
He's not blaming women as far as I can see. He's not asking that women provide the support that he feels is needed to tackle obesity in men.

I'm not sure why this article is a feminist issue.

Sorry missed aloud of posts ( I know you are all dying to hear my views). No I didn't complain about the advert, I couldn't care less what a supplement company think I should look like to go on a beach.

I'll happily butt out of this thread if that's what you want. All I'm saying is if I came hear and tried to tell you how you should think about something which I haven't experience you'd quite rightly tell me I don't know what I'm talking about because I haven't experience it. Well that's what you are doing to this man and his article. He isn't minimising the struggle that women face, he is just highlighting a male issue. That's what the advise is on DV threads isn't it? If you've got a problem then men should do something about it. This journalist is trying not to highlight and issue.

Supplement companies are exactly the same as weight lose companies IMO. They both feed off people's insecurities, the promote a look which is largely unattainable or heavily doctored or highly genetic.

Ok Helena but what's who those men are attracted to got to do with anything? Do men not see things about big biceps and six packs on dating profiles?

So weight loss companies are ignoring 67% of overweight men because there isn't a pressure on men? What about the £91m sports supplement industry? Are they not pressuring men? Or the fact that there has been a rise of 645% of steroid users who attended needle exchanges.

I'm not arguing about the pressure women face, it's horrible and it scares me because of what my daughter will face but being overweight isn't a female problem. It's a modern society problem.

*Whose

mide7 do you usually say to women that X isn't a feminist issue and happens as much to men?

Women's role as the passive object of male gaze is a feminist issue. The weight loss industry feeds off it. Men's health and fitness industries are totally different in what they feed off and in turn perpetuate societally.

You've said your piece now mide that you don't think weight loss is a feminist issue and men have it bad too. I hope you're not going to keep banging on about it. It's a pretty basic point.

Well, you note there was no publicity surrounding the damaging image of a man, but there was plenty surrounding the damaging image of a woman, because someone was concerned enough about it to start a petition, and the media picked up on that. Where was the petition started by people concerned about the damaging image of a man? Who's job was it to start one?

Who's expecting others to do it?

Is that not one the article is doing Helena? Trying to raise awareness of a issues that is affecting men ( obviously it affects women to).

Then you say
"I Cant Even. The support for men isnt there because the pressure on men lookswise isnt the same as it is for women. " minimising his experiences. Look at the stats he's provides, 67% of men are overweight or obsese but your 277% more likely to get weight lose help it your a woman.

Yes, it's potentially damaging. So, why were the people to whom it was damaging not making a noise about it? But, as you state, "no one mentioned the male version". Perhaps these people should organise themselves to ensure that society's notice is drawn to the damage such images might cause them? Instead of expecting others to do so?

No I'm saying there as much damaging images and misinformation out there for men as there are women. Just because people didn't complain doesn't make it not potentially damaging.

A couple of months ago when that protein world advert was in the news about the "are you beach ready?" thing, no one mentioned the male version that was up. A man in swimwear looking all lean and muscular with beach bodies written on it. Is that not as potentially as damaging?

Are men not capable of protesting about such things, if they find them offensive, Mide7? Are you really saying you expect other people to fight your battles for you?

How do you know tho Helena? You've never been a man. When I was fatter I got shouted out at to.

The fitness industry is exactly the same for men tho flora. A huge ripped man selling a product which he takes and got ripped. Obviously ignoring the 10+ years of training, the diet, the steroids, the tan, the lighting. Yes I understand it's currently a bigger problem for women and also a longer standing problem but things are changing.

A couple of months ago when that protein world advert was in the news about the "are you beach ready?" thing, no one mentioned the male version that was up. A man in swimwear looking all lean and muscular with beach bodies written on it. Is that not as potentially as damaging?

I can't see how NHS helps women more than men deal with their weight, IME tier 2 and 3 services are gender neutral in their approach.

Quite a few men go to my local Slimming World group, and a lot of men go to the gym. There's also lots of online slimming advice sites which men can access.