To think that unless caused by an underlying health condition, obesity..

[GraysAnalogy]

should not be classed as a disability?

Recent story about a childminder being sacked as he was too overweight to do his job properly. He took this to court for unfair dismissal and it is being argued that his obesity could be classed as a disability.

There has been no ruling yet.

In your opinion, should it?

But people can take action to counteract obesity - be that physical or psychological help. A disability cannot be changed so the environment has to be changed to make it less disabling. Why should businesses have to pay to accommodate people who refuse to help themselves?

To stop being facetious for a moment (sorry, I know I am), you cannot prove that any one individual's obesity isn't caused by a medical condition outside their control, not least because it's sheer arrogance to assume we already know all the medical conditions that exist. So it's an odd argument to make - you're essentially saying, "You're okay, you have a disease on the OK To Be Fat list. You get to keep your job despite not being able to carry out all the necessary tasks. You, on the other hand, as far as we can tell, have no excuse. Off to the dole queue."

So if it's not a hormone problem it's not a disability? What about someone with autonomic dysfunction, who is advised by their Doctor to not stand?

It seems sometimes that people shouldn't have any responsibility for their weight and if someone dares suggest it they get shot down.

It's very very easy to become overweight. It's bloody hard to get rid of the weight. And of course, for some people there are reasons as to why their weight is above what it should be. But for a lot of us we're this way because we haven't been responsible. And people get upset over me saying that - I'm not sure why. I cannot blame an underlying condition. I wish I could, I'd feel better about myself, but I can't and don't think I should be classed as having a disability if I put on a few more pounds.

Joan that would also be my worry. Plus I could imagine having to watch what I'm eating in front of my boss in case they thought I was going to gain more weight and become 'disabled' and able to sue them.

It's nothing to do with taking responsibility in this case. It's whether being obese can be classed as a disability. Which like many self inflicted disabilities could be

joan no, I said if it was caused by hormone problems then it possibly could be.

enpoid I understand your point and yes, it would be extremely difficult in distinguishing the two which is why it would be all or nothing; obesity is either a disability or not. Full stop, whatever the cause.

Classifying disabilities as worthy or not really is a slippery slope and not the sort of society I'd like to be part of tbh

But Grays, you're the one suggesting a list of real medical conditions that the courts could check me against to see if I can be legitimately sacked. Surely the onus is on you to state how you would decide what qualifies to go on this list, not on me.

So go on then. Does my neuroleptic-induced metabolic syndrome and obesity count as a proper medical condition? What about my friend's binge-eating/night-eating disorder? What about my other friend's medically-unexplained constant hunger? You're the one suggesting a definitive list.

What about someone who has nerve damage in their stomach? They can't feel full so don't know when to stop. How would you know if someone has that? Are they allowed your empathy OP?

I am not stating a list of medical conditions, that would be up to whomever deems medical conditions as causative factors of obesity.

If there is a recognized medical reason why you are obese and can't lose weight for some reason then I'd say it's a disability. If it's just that you aren't exercising enough or aren't eating the right kinds of food then it's self inflicted and shouldn't count as a disability.

obesity is either a disability or not. Full stop, whatever the cause

Hang on, I thought you were saying people who are too fat to do their jobs should be treated differently depending on whether you think they have a good excuse?

There is no medical conditions that prevents you from losing weight. There are conditions that make it extremely difficult to lose weight, but not impossible.

empoid don't you understand the use of a semi colon? I said 'it would be extremely difficult in distinguishing the two which is why it would be all or nothing, obesity is either a disability or not...'

That's what I said it would have to be to work. Not what I believed.

So, wait a minute, Burke. Assuming you count my having to take medications which cause weight gain as a legitimate medical reason, you're saying that I stopped being disabled the moment I stopped taking the tablets, even though walking up the stairs was still just as hard and painful as it was before?

I don't see what the semicolon has to do with it

If it was as easy as just being told to stop eating as much and move more then you might have a point.But the fact is that it isn't that easy if overeating has got to the point of being a compulsion it is a mental illness ..For many obese people telling them to lose weight is no different to telling a depressed person to cheer up

If it disables you, it's a disability.

Yes, we should have good obesity caused by steroids or being in a wheelchair and bad obesity caused by sin.

Now why does that remind me of a sketch on Brass Eye?

ral

Hmm. I don't think that being obese is in itself a disability.

But I believe that being obese can be a cause of disabilities. Certainly, when you get to the super morbidly obese end of the scale, where you get people who are so obese that they can barely manage to move about unaided, I don't see how that's anything other than disabling.

Although I don't see the argument for only classing obesity as a disability if there's an underlying health condition.
If someone's obese enough for it to cause them major problems functioning normally, then it's equally disabling for someone who was just too greedy as it is for someone who has an "acceptable" underlying health condition. So I think that by the time things get that extreme, the cause is pretty well irrelevant.

It is a legal minefield and I admit to reading the story in disbelief.

All that will happen as a result is that larger people will somehow mysteriously not get the job. A bit like women of childbearing age being skipped over for a job or promotion because they might suddenly leave to, you know, further the human race or something detrimental.

what about someone who does a dangerous sport and makes an irresponsible decision which leaves them in a wheelchair.They are responsible for their own disability

enpoid it means it was following on from the sentence previously, so what it would have to be not a statement I just randomly came out with and believed.

I understand that this gets heated but can people stop being so emotionally charged? I wanted a discussion not an attack.

Isn't it considered a mental health issue?

I couldn't imagine a thread saying depression isn't an illness going down well. So why are we allowed to slate the "fatties". The fact is if it was as simple as stop eating so much there wouldn't be such an issue with obesity?

There are often deep rooted, underlying mental health issues involved with people who are morbidly overweight.