To resent people who use the "she's thin because she's rich" fallacy?

[GinDaddy]

I recently read an article on Carole Middleton, mother of the Duchess of Cambridge. It was one of the creepy DM ones that highlighted her "trim figure" in a bikini or whatever nonsense they wrote, at her age of 60-something.

What struck me were the comments underneath the article. Hundreds of them saying the same thing:

"She's only thin because she's rich and has the time to be thin".

AIBU to think this is a slightly silly fallacy, a nonsense argument used by people who potentially resent their own weight and situation?

ok YES I agree that if you have staff, you have a business and/or are retired and therefore can control your hours and schedule, that automatically opens up huge swathes of time for the gym, and home cooking.

However how does that account for Oprah, Rebel Wilson, Gemma Collins, etc etc? These are well off (rich in Oprah's case) powerful women whose weight has fluctuated a lot. I'm not criticising them whatsoever. I'm just suggesting that surely there's more to it than just "she's rich therefore she will be thin?"

Carole Middleton has good genetics sure, but it's clearly more than that. She has had a life of self discipline, perhaps borne out of her initial job in the skies, and a slightly old fashioned sense of weight and "keeping one's figure" that has clearly been transmitted down to her daughters. I think her approach pre-dates the money, it's clearly simply a life choice - one no better than anyone else's, but a choice nonetheless.

AIBU here to think the "she's rich, therefore she's lucky and can be thin" is a bit of a straw argument, when I can see plenty of folk around me who don't have such resources but perhaps share Carole's ethos and therefore have prioritised the things that make them a certain way?

Fully prepared to be stamped on as is the AIBU ritual but it's an argument I see time and time again

There is a link between weight and wealth, but is some of that down to wealthier people's sense of control of their lives and life choices, and also the preponderance of fried takeaway shops and convenience stores in poorer areas?

Well exactly. This (and other, related reasons) are why it's easier to be slim and heathy if you're rich than if you're poor. Obviously other factors (genetics/mental health/greed) can override this, and some poor people are slim and rich people fat. But there is a link.

Yes but there is no doubt that middle sized people ALL have massive credit card debt.

@FairytaleofButlins

Gemma Collins' net worth is £2.7m as of October 2019.

Surely that kind of money is considered rich enough to give her choices?!

YABU!

At the extremes, it is true. If you have been brought up on a terrible diet - eg of you are the second or third generation who has not learned about cooking and nutrition, and have not been taught to eat healthily, it is very hard to change that. I used to do a job in which many of my clients were from this type of background, and I know that there are more people out there than you might imagine, who never eat fruit and vegetables.

However, I think on the whole, the reason that Carole, Kate et al are thin, is learned, constant restraint. I bet they rarely if ever snack, drink little alcohol and, through a lifetime of restrained eating, are satisfied with a modest amount of food. They are also probably used to getting hungry before eating, whereas in today's snack culture, many of us never really experience hunger.

You don't need to be rich to emulate that, but it must help to have been brought up that way, and to be aware constantly that you are in the public eye and under scrutiny.

I'm just suggesting that surely there's more to it than just "she's rich therefore she will be thin?"

of course
but it's also true that if you could use the hours you spend at work to exercise and get massages and beauty treatments (physio is a must when you DO exercise properly), you would look a lot better.
It's also true that when you don't have to worry about work and childcare, it is a lot easier to train and go to competitions.

It's a lot easier for Pippa Middleton than it is for your average full-time working mum. Not impossible, but her life is a million times easier.

Gemma Collins' net worth is £2.7m as of October 2019.

and you know that is actually TRUE figures because...

@Fozzleyplum Yes but the reason they're so restrained is partly because there's more pressure to be since they're in the public eye and partly because if you have less stress and time pressure in your life it's easier to be.There's no doubt it's will power on top of those things too though! I also think with more money you have to be less restrained - with a bit of cash you can go out for a tasty meal that won't make you fat. If the only treat I could afford was Maccy D's I might well go there.

Camilla has reassuring middle aged spread. Fabulous

A friend of mine has worked as a financial advisor for those living with debts and wanting to make a new start (sorry, I don’t know the English word for it). She has done a lot of studying towards the psychological effects of poverty and debts and appearently being in this kind of situation causes so much stress that many lose their ability to think long term goals. Stress often causes emotion eating in people, plus no spare energy left to think about cooking healthy foods on a budget, depression because of poverty can make it very hard to find the motivation to exercise, healthy foods are often more expensive etc.

So yes, I do think in that way poverty can cause overweight.

I also think it's just cultural. If you've rarely eaten in fast food restaurants growing up there's just less temptation as it's not part of your routine.

@FairytaleofButlins

How do we know anyone's net worth unless we go look up their holding company's last set of accounts at Companies House?

For goodness sake, look at her endorsements, TV appearances, products. She is clearly worth more than I am, and most probably you are.

If you work full time with a 2 hour commute there and then back again so leave the house at 7am and aren’t back until 7pm, your opportunities to exercise and cook healthy food from scratch are limited.

If you are so rich that your lifestyle allows more free time, you have more choices, I guess. You can go running, spend more time cooking and at the gym.

Money helps with hobbies and interests so your main satisfaction isn't from food. Boredom is usually the cause on poorer areas.
Though it is not black and white. I'm wc and slim. I move lots and don't have a big appetite.
Katie Hopkins as vile as she is proved the point by gaining 4 stone, skinny people are not lucky or genetically slim, they eat less and move more.
Anyone can be big anyone can be small emotional issues aside.

Totally agree @musumum, had a particularly stressful ( economically and emotionally) few years and my weight has ballooned, I was thin for most of my life, even dropped the baby weight swiftly.
If I was wealthy, I wouldn’t need to work full time, care for a SEN child with little support, and have more time to relax, go to gym, cook etc.

I also think it's sad that in 2019 women are still lauded for their ability to stay slim above everything else. Now I'm not saying that we shouldn't be aware of the obesity crisis but I feel like there is less representation of "healthy" sizes in the media & it's either very thin or overweight. I was born in the 80s & was desperate to look like Cindy Crawford etc but I was very tall & skinny. For a long time I felt too thin, fast forward to now & apparently I'm meant to have a 6 pack, 1 month after giving birth. I don't & didnt when I was thin.

I don't understand some of these comments. There is a mid ground between poverty and rich. Yes there is a link between poverty and obesity. So how does that impact on the ops point?

And she's correct, just because she's wealthy doesn't mean she's thin. I've met plenty of wealthy people and they, I absolutely assure you, come in all shapes and sizes.

Maintaining a slim figure for many requires self discipline and hard work, that self discipline isn't removed because you've money. The idea is ludicrous. It's a way of putting her down and under mining her.

And the fact that poverty is linked to obesity is simply not relevant.

Also, if you look at countries in Europe where people are quite thin but where many have to live on a budget (East European countries) you’ll often hear that people are thin because healthier, raw foods are much cheaper then processed ones, junkfood etc. so even when you’re on a budget, you’re forced to cook. When you’re poor and MC Donalds is cheaper and easier then buying groceries and cooking from scratch, many poor people will choose MCD.

For goodness sake, look at her endorsements, TV appearances, products. She is clearly worth more than I am, and most probably you are.

what is clear is that you are not an accountant and have no idea of the real figures. But ultimately, who cares.

There is an undeniable link between poverty and obesity

Agree with this. When you have a chef to cook you nutritious meals, a home gym, people to babysit whilst you exercise, money to buy organic, healthy food it makes it a lot easier to stay in shape. Of course its not as simple as rich= thin, poor= fat but to deny that money (or lack of) affects your health is completely incorrect as its been shown time and time again that it does.

I also think it's just cultural. If you've rarely eaten in fast food restaurants growing up there's just less temptation as it's not part of your routine.

just read all the threads on MN where posters are mocked, abused and ridiculed for daring to say they don't stuff themselves every 2 hours and can "survive" for longer than 3 hours without snacking, let alone feel sick after eating an entire pizza.

There's a VERY unhealthy attitude to food for many , and priding yourself on the ridiculous amount of junk you can swallow is an expression of that. It's rather sad.

obviously rich people can be thin and vice versa, but personally I think there is a real link between socioeconomic status and weight.

In my profession for example, long hours are the norm - 12 hour days are standard, often longer. But people still find the time to eat well and exercise, no doubt helped by significant wealth meaning they can afford cleaners, expensive healthy convenience food etc. On qualification people are earning 6 figures, so have decent disposable incomes.

It is really noticeable how thin is the norm - anything above a size 14 really stands out. Personally I think there is a lot of unspoken judgement of anyone that isn't thin. They are perceived as lacking motivation and self control. It is amazing what the pressure to conform does to people's waistlines.

just read all the threads on MN where posters are mocked, abused and ridiculed for daring to say they don't stuff themselves every 2 hours and can "survive" for longer than 3 hours without snacking, let alone feel sick after eating an entire pizza

YES! I just posted on that thread! People saying they were full after a three course meal were ridiculed and accused of lying WTF?
Its not exactly healthy to be stuffing your face every 2 hours and it IS possible to go more than 3 hours without eating.

Maintaining a slim figure for many requires self discipline and hard work

that's the thing, it's not that hard work when you have a healthy attitude to food and lifestyles in general. If you start believing that being slim is HARD, you are fighting a losing battle. If you consider it as normal, you are half way there.

being TONED needs work (even famously very buffed male actors are proud to work out A LOT). Being slim is normal for some.

You'e absolutely right, plenty of well off people are overweight just as hard up people can be thin.

It’s utter cobblers. I’m thin,skint and bloody starving. Please send leftover Quality Street!