The number overweight people at swimming today

[pingu2209]

I went swimming today with my 3 children. I am not exagerating to say that well over half the children and teenagers were overweight; some were seriously obese.

It really was noticable. Girls as well as boys. Anything from age 4 to 14.

Okay - at least they were exercising but I was really shocked.

[piprabbit]

I'm a fat swimmer. I was a fat swimmer 20 years ago too.
And I pretty sure I could out swim the OP then and now [fatsmug emoticon].

[FanFuckingTastic]

Of all the children in the school my daughter attends there are barely any who I would consider obese, so it must be a local phenomenon.

[FanFuckingTastic]

And yes, I am a fat swimmer.

[gimmecakeandcandy]

Overweight children is not 'normal' or a good thing at all. It is sad that parents are letting their children get fat - and unhealthy - and giving them a lifetime of eating and health problems. I don't think the op worded things well but I see what she is saying.

[motherinferior]

I went through our local gym on the way to have my eyebrows threaded the other day (ahem, I do go swimming as well, honestly).

There was a quite seriously obese woman on the treadmill, all among the buff young blokes.

And I thought "wow, go for it, girl". I was so impressed.

[AuntieMaggie]

You would stare at my 6 year old niece as she is overweight. What you don't know is that she has an eating disorder and doesn't eat enough to feed a bird most days.

[AllYoursBabooshka]

I would rather be a little more positive about these kids.

They are out swimming and getting some exercise rather than sat in a fast food place or in front of the television.

If you are truly concerned about the health of British children then by all means start a thread about it, you will no doubt get a lot of posters who share your worry.

But you shouldn't come on MN and post about how shocked you were by all the fat people you saw swimming today and expect people to not to be offended.

[ChairmanWow]

Jesus, obesity on the rise? Why did nobody say anything, or, like, report it on the news accompanied by a a surreptitious shot of a large person walking down the road but only their body or something. I'm shocked to the core at this news.

Please be more thoughtful about peoples body image. For some being in public in swimwear is a huge, huge deal and now as many PP have said there is the added thought of judgy pants folk inwardly tutting at them. Personally it took me a lot of years and counselling to overcome bad body image issues.

There are ways of discussing this without making others feel inadequate.

[babyfirefly1980]

Rewrite your post but replace the word 'overweight' with disabled or black or Muslim. Is it still an acceptable attitude to have towards others?


Agree with this poster.

[WilsonFrickett]

Rewrite your post but replace the word 'overweight' with disabled or black or Muslim. Is it still an acceptable attitude to have towards others?

Agree with this poster.

^^ I don't, sorry. Although I do think the OP is badly worded, there is nothing negative about being black or Muslim. There are negative consequences to being obese though.

[thistlelicker]

I'm fat! I like swimming and as a / to op just ate a kit Kat while I typed this! Stereotypical! God forbid none of your kids are obese and end up with a complex because of people like u ! Arse !

[FanFuckingTastic]

Yeah, one of which is that people judge the fuck out of you.

[lljkk]

YANBU Pingu. Sorry you're getting a hard time.

[maddening]

They are in the right place.

I hope you didn't make your distaste at the sight of them obvious. Nothing like making someone shy away from exercise because they feel more awkward than they do already.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

everything bad is like being black MrsD

Did you not know that?

I'm joking btw. Joke. I'm not suggesting black = bad.

[motherinferior]

The analogy, I think, is with discrimination: that it's a group of people being singled out and effectively criminalised.

Personally I feel v ambiguous about it as being labelled fat as a child by my family has left me with lifelong Issues.

[countrykitten]

Think that people have unfairly jumped on the OP (en masse as per usual) for a poorly worded post - I think that there is a bit of wilful misunderstanding going on so that people can be outraged. Child obesity is a very worrying phenomenon and imo the OP was trying to say this albeit a little clumsily.

I too am rather at the very misguided black and Muslim comparison. Some posters are truly very confused....

[nellyjelly]

Ffs OP making an observation not a judgement.

[countrykitten]

And who on earth has 'criminalised' black, Muslim or overweight people? WTF?

[moosemama]

Well, I am one of those dreadful overweight people, but you won't catch me in the swimming baths, precisely because of people like you.

What you wouldn't know from looking at me is that less than a year ago I was two stone lighter, very fit and did circuit training 6 days a week. Since then I have had an injury which immobilised me for several months and a sudden decline in a health problem which means I am unable to exercise.

Swimming, or at least movement in water would be a good way for me to restart exercising, but I am so distressed by my weight-gain and unhappy with the way I look that I simply don't have the confidence to put a swimsuit on.

Fwiw, I am vegetarian, don't eat processed food and have 3 dcs and a dh who are all built like whippets!

Perhaps you didn't mean your OP to sound like you judge every single overweight person you see, but it doesn't help people like me to think that others are looking them up and down and thinking about how fat I am.

If you have a point to make about your concern for the rise on obesity, there are lots of other ways you could have raised the subject for debate without targetting overweight people who are trying to do the right thing and get some exercise.

[maddening]

And it is fine to discuss the issues and possible solutions to help people - just as you would help an person with anorexia but sometimes the language banded around is less than sensitive to what is a big issue to lots of people for many many different reasons - it is not simple for all.

[wonderingsoul]

your right all us fattys should be In a zoo where people with perfect bodies. like your self of course and point and laugh.

don't forget the doughnuts to throw at us!!!