To think that some women go on and on about the obesity crisis and weight

[Tobythecat]

Just to be smug about their healthy eating and slimness?

I have noticed it on here a lot and real life, even a good friend of mine posted something on facebook about it and i was disappointed with her for being so judgemental.

People who fat shame and go on about the obesity crisis and talk about overweight peoples eating habits dont seem to think that these individuals likely have binge eating disorders and bullimia.

I have had a binge eating problem since i was a child and used to starve myself. Im overweight and trying to lose it but im sick of some smug women who try to make people like me ashamed of our weight issues.

A good friend of mine just posted about a quote from the bible about obesity and gluttony. A lot of her friends are carrying weight and i just felt like she posted it to feel smug and superior. Shes always going on about how she used to make herself sick and talks about how she only eats salad and healthy stuff, whilst offering me a biscuit.

AIBU to think that a lot of women do this as a way to feel superior?

cleofatra I have also read the full paper. Yes I agree that some of those measures were self-reported.

Do you dispute the overall conclusions of the study?

Which were:

In conclusion, increasing adiposity, whether total body and ‘central’ adiposity measures, have generally adverse associations with CVD outcomes in middle-aged men and women. Public health campaigns should emphasize the importance of an individual intentionally maintaining as lean a phenotype as possible to gain maximum CVD benefits. The association of BMI with CVD is more susceptible to bias rather than other adiposity measures and, therefore, health care professionals should challenge any public misconception of some ‘protective’ effect of fat on CVD risk.

On what basis?

Exactly my experience pipkin

The slimming world board is full of lecturers in nutrition.

Allicatz don't really agree with you about the bible. Gluttony was seen as a negative thing, the Romans and Greeks (the word "diet" comes from a Greek word I think) also. It goes to show the temptation to overeat has been around a long time ... but I think now its harder.

@Dungeon
Of course they do. Slim people eat too! You probably just don't notice.

Of course slim people eat, but you very rarely see slim people walking down the street eating high-calorie food.

I do notice, I walk everywhere and I am very conscious of the people i see around me, especially when it comes to food and weight - having had eating disorders for over 20 years, I am hyper-aware of what other people eat and drink.

(FWIW, I notice men as much as women - this in response to a poster above who said that we never say anything about men being overweight.)

No, I actually don't refute the study conclusion but don't think its a wonderful piece or a strong association - in fact even the conclusion says "generally adverse associations".
It's been a long time since I've had to critically appraise a paper. I'm sure there are some red hot and smart people on here who could do a fab job on it.

And no, I don't think it's rude to report what I've observed - I don't see slim people walking along the road eating subway sandwiches, sweets, crisps, etc.

But why, even if this were true, is it your business?

Why is being fat so terrible, but having another health condition perfectly acceptable? Or why is someone's weight a health concern, but other health-related activities not commented on in the same way? Because they're not so visible. Do you also judge people who eat meat? Drink alcohol? Go outside in summer when they have hayfever? Have sex? Take drugs?

I have zero patience or tolerance for food or life bores. YANBU.

cleofatra they say 'generally' because they are talkin about a very large number of people.

If you look at the data in detail, they are quite shocking. For example@

One SD increase in BMI (5.2 kg m−2 for women and 4.3 kg m−2 for men) was associated with a 13% higher (HR of 1.13, 95% CI 1.10–1.17) in both women and men in the risk of CVD events for BMI over 22 kg m−2

That says that for each increase of one SD unit in BMI over 22, you increase risk of cardiovascular disease by 13%.

That's a MASSIVE increase in risk, and the large size of the study shows that this is true (and not a statistical glitch).

There are lots more data in that paper and all of it is very strong and should have a major impact on people's view of their own weight and future health.

alligatorsmile

But why, even if this were true, is it your business?

It's my business on this thread because we're discussing these issues. I obviously don't say anything to anyone in real life!

Why is being fat so terrible, but having another health condition perfectly acceptable? Or why is someone's weight a health concern, but other health-related activities not commented on in the same way? Because they're not so visible. Do you also judge people who eat meat? Drink alcohol? Go outside in summer when they have hayfever? Have sex? Take drugs?

No one is choosing to have hay fever, or other health conditions.

I don't see anyone saying that it's fine to take drugs or drink alcohol to excess on this thread?

And not sure why you think having sex is bad for your health?!

OK, so if we agree that fat=unhealthy.....I'm still missing the 'so what'?

I'm overweight. I last had a chocolate bar or piece of cake in 2017. I have had precisely 2.5 pizzas so far this year. I go to MacDonald's about twice a year. I eat 5-7+ portions of fruit and veg a day. I exercise. I have excellent cholesterol and blood pressure. I do not have any signs of diabetes. I'm wondering why I concern people like this so much.

Oh wait. Maybe it's not concern. Maybe it's contempt?

alligator I don't hold you in contempt (if that was directed at me).

It makes me sad, depressed and anxious that on a typical day walking around, the majority of the women I see are fairly overweight (and I live in a nice bit of London - when I work in other parts of the UK it's far, far worse).

I don't think they mostly look happy or comfortable, I think they look physically uncomfortable and it makes me feel unhappy to look at them.

Your weight obviously doesn't personally, specifically concern me because i don't know you. But if you have kids or family or friends who love you, you should think about losing weight for their sake and for yours.

in the end it's no skin off my nose, as you point out, re. you personally. But on a societal level, it is a concern, because obesity is costing the NHS billions of pounds and it's only going to get worse.

I'm talking about things that could be labelled "self inflicted" if you go down that route. Obesity = self inflicted. Cervical cancer = self inflicted? Going outside when you know you have hayfever = self inflicted? Sports injury = self inflicted? Drug overdose = self inflicted. So if your problem with fatties is that we're a terrible drain on NHS resources but we've done it to ourselves, then why don't you have the same problem with others? Should we withdraw medical attention from people who've only "brought it on themselves"?

Or, if your problem with fatties is that you don't like the way we look, then just come out and say it.

BTW, GorgonLondon thanks for this bit. I needed a laugh!

It makes me sad, depressed and anxious that on a typical day walking around, the majority of the women I see are fairly overweight (and I live in a nice bit of London - when I work in other parts of the UK it's far, far worse).

not sure why a lady with wobbly bits walking nearby makes you anxious? Unless you're concerned she's going to eat you?

I should confess that I just went and ate a mini magnum. I am not, however, overweight and swim a few miles each day :)

Slim people eat too!

Not sure I can go along with that.

alligator I think the self-inflicted thing is a really complex issue, but I didn't say anything about withholding NHS treatment from anyone.

The reality is that obesity is costing the country billions of pounds, and more every year.

Why do you find it so impossible to accept that that is a genuine problem, and not some sort of smokescreen for not liking the way that fat people look?

As for your second post, what I said was it makes me sad, depressed and anxious that the majority of people I see are overweight - can you not see how that connects to the previous point?

One fat person you might not notice, but when you walk past ten people in a row and every single one of them is seriously overweight, it makes it clear that something has gone very wrong in our society.

Oh I should say when I write [you] I mean "society" or "one", not anyone in particular. I'm enjoying an interesting debate not trying to have a pop at anyone!

Or, if your problem with fatties is that you don't like the way we look, then just come out and say it.

I'm quite happy to admit I find fat people very unattractive. I can't see anything appealing about being twice the size you should be, waddling down a road, sweating and panting from minimal physical effort.

The reality is that obesity is costing the country billions of pounds, and more every year.

So are other conditions. Why focus solely on other people's weight?

Maybe I'm not trying to attract you, ragingmentalist

This thread is about obesity alligator . If it was about drug abuse or alcoholism then we'd be 'focusing solely' on that.

But why the whataboutery? Drugs and alcohol also cause huge problems in society, that doesn't make any of the stuff that has been said about obesity untrue.

Well I think the original point from OP was that there is a contingent of people who 'use' the obesity crisis as a way to express their smugness and superiority about not being fat. I was drawing parallels with other issues to highlight what I see as the logical absurdity of saying that fat=unhealthy and notfat=superior, when the opposite of "unhealthy" is not "superior"

Of course slim people eat, but you very rarely see slim people walking down the street eating high-calorie food.

What do you mean by "high calorie" food? You were talking about sandwiches and crisps which of course slim people eat. You might not notice what they are eating but the idea that they don't touch sandwiches or crisps is ridiculous.

Well OK, it's not what I was saying but I guess the discussion had gone off on a bit of a tangent.

Not everyone who is critical of 'fat acceptance' is using it to feel 'smug' or 'superior', or assumes that there are no unhealthy slim people.

It genuinely makes me feel anxious about where we will be in 20 years time when I see (with my own eyes) that not just some, but MOST people are actually overweight.

Gorgon you are wandering around London sad, depressed and angry and worried about other people who you think don't look happy and then assuming this is because they are fat?

I don't think that your concern about other people's wellbeing is doing you any good. And also, for someone who is happy to work with academic material to prove a point, I'm sure you realise that what you have written amounts to a self fulfilling prophecy.