To think that it is not particularly healthy to "promote" being plus size?

[MaterTheGreater]

I'm sure this discussion's been done, so no yawns please, but on Radio 2 this afternoon they were talking about the story in the news that 1 in 4 items sold in women's clothing are a size 18 or over.

They were saying that this was great and that Adele was a great role model for women.

Now I agree that they shouldn't be sending size zero models down the catwalk, and I think it's great that some designers are using something like a size 14, but I really don't think it's in any woman's best interest to think that a size 18 is a good thing.

I love Adele - she has an amazing voice, and comes across as a lovely girl, but she is definitely "overweight", and healthwise that can never be a good thing.

I know that obviously if you are taller with a bigger frame, then you need a bigger size, but I think even at 5'11" (which a good friend of mine is), an 18 would still be overweight.

I am 5'8" and a size 18 on the top half and 16 on the bottom and I am totally miserable. I am constantly worried about my health and the effect that my weight has on it. I am currently trying to shed the pounds, which is hard, but I really do not want to be this size - it's disgusting and unhealthy and I hate all the "big is beautiful" bollocks.

off not of

I think it's quite common, Olifin, and that's why you get people who are very thin pointing out they eat lots of rubbish like Mars bars but actually they don't eat much overall.

On the other hand years ago I remember a friend complaining her lunch was alot smaller than mine and yet she was heavier. Hers consisted of a can of coke and a mars bar whereas I had sandwiches, hula hoops and a banana. Mine had fewer calories of course but she hadn't realised. I'd then eat a Mars bar later in the afternoon to give me energy for a run.

"How can you know from the outside"

You can't, but the percentage of people who are overweight due to medical conditions is actually very small. We have a staff canteen and all the people who are overweight are the ones who will have lasgane and chips, whereas I would choose a salad with my lasagne. Nothing to do with being smug, but I actually prefer salad and couldn't physically manage to eat chips with lasagne anyway.

I would never be rude to anyone about their weight, unlike people who have said to me "aren't you skinny". I find being told that I am skinny as offensive as someone with weight problems being told they are fat.

"i dont agree with that whatsoever. The number of people with thyroid conditions alone are staggering, as well as diabetes (though they are plenty of thin hypothyroiders and diabetics, i do not dispute it) but also the sheer quantities of people on meds that cause weight gain are also staggering."

I think you are kidding yourself, and I doubt that the medical profession would agree with you. I don't doubt the people who have thyroid problems or are on meds for health issues, but it is now well known that if you carry too much weight you are at much higher risk of diabetes. So how do you know that the overweight diabetics you know aren't diabetic because they were overweight in the first place?

I, too am poor value at an all-you-can-eat place. I tend to avoid those places because the food generally is of poor quality anyway.

I agree bunbaker. Being overweight or obese is one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

And as for hyperthyroidism: it can be fairly easily treated with medication. (I'm not suggesting it's particularly pleasant for people to have to go on medication for the rest of their life but I suppose they have little choice if the symptoms of having an underactive thyroid prove unbearable). Once the medication has had a chance to work properly (9 months to a year, as I understand it), then there should be no difference between that person and any one else, in terms of their ability to lose weight. If there is still a problem, then their medication needs adjusting.

Sorry, i meant Hypothyroidism.

Amazing how many people have such huge opinions on the way other people look. If someone is overweight/underweight and unhealthy then why on earth does it bother YOU?

There really is more to life than obsessing with how others live theirs for goodness sake. Some shops sell from a size 6 some sell up to an 18 and beyond. So what? Get a grip of yourself and live your own life!

Olifin "it can be fairly easily treated with medication."

You are misinformed. Please visit the Thyroid Patient Advocacy website to become better informed about this condition.

Successful treatment is dependent on what caused the thryoid to be underactive and whether you have access to decent doctors who have experience of treating this disease by looking at the clinical signs and symptoms or doctors who just "treat by numbers" on a one size fits all basis.

If you have auto immune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) it can be difficult to titrate medication as the thyroid gland is being attacked by anti-bodies until it is totally destroyed. Or, you could have thyroid hormone resistance or a conversion problem. Over 10% of all hypothyroid sufferers still have symptoms remaining even though their medication and lab results are "within normal range".

personally speaking - if i eat more energy than i expend i gain weight
simple

eating less means i loseit

Fair enough. I stand corrected.

LeonieDelt

You have my sympathy. Unfortunately I know how you feel..... Knackered mostly

I am 13 years post diagnosis with 2 wonderful DC aged 10 and 8 and I am still riding the Hashimoto rollercoaster.

Leonie you are still here. Excellent. I'm not going to post a link but re: childhood obsesity have you heard about the possible link between obesity, immunity and vaccinations.

You see, all you people saying you could not eat lasagne and chips, that is the thing. I could easily eat that, and then pudding. Now I don't usually, but I would like to. So I need willpower every day, all day. That is tough. Some people find it much easier not to eat those foods, whereas others crave them, and every day is a battle.

agree itsalarf - i am on a constant diet

"If someone is overweight/underweight and unhealthy then why on earth does it bother YOU?"

I'm concerned when I see it affecting families.
At the store where I work, I saw an entire family (mum, dad, and some others), of very obese people. They had three children who looked obese too. They were buying a McDonalds toy set for the kids. The kids had difficulty walking due to their size. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, but in this case, it was hard not to judge.

If someone was causing their children to be underweight to the same degree, then it would be considered abuse or neglect.

I'm currently being tested for a thyroid problem and now I'm panicking. I heard it was straightforward take-1-tablet-a-day-and-you're-fixed. Can it really cause all of those potential problems?

Thyroid conditions and Type 2 diabetes are caused by unhealthy lifestyles.

HypERthyroidism is an OVER-active thyroid... you will loose weight dramatically. This is what happened to me. I caught it quickly, unfortunately was unable to take any of the medication and had to make drastic changes to my lifestyle; quit smoking, quit eating fast and processed food, and eating smaller portions more often through the day and exercising.

HypOthyroidism is the UNDER-active thyroid and one that lots of overweight people use as an excuse to why they can't loose the weight. Along with the medication and change in lifestyle, this may be corrected within a year to be livable and manageable, depending obviously on what particular one you suffer from, as is with hyperthyroidism. Mine still runs high, but it is manageable.

Unhealthy people bother me because it puts my health care payments up every year due to the increase of medical issues due to diseases caused by unhealthy lifestyles that cause obesity. It bothers me because too many times I'm had to sit next to someone on a plane, train, bus, that cannot 'fit' in the seats, making my whole travel experience unpleasant because they lack self-control to not shove another twinkie in their mouths and take a walk each day. I've been overweight and was comfortable in my skin, but innately knew that it wasn't healthy.

Having a celebrity promoting plus size clothes makes young people feel and think that it is OK, instead of examining the unhealthy nature of their choices. Its merely the opposite of size 0 mentality. I bet under all those plus size clothes, Adele is still wedging her ass into some Spanx like the rest of them.

You loose a pound or so a week? That is very good. Exercising an hour, 5 days a week is great. You sound like you made the appropriate changes in you life to make yourself healthier.