To ask what you think when you see a young, fat person?

[AugustSlippedAwayIntoAMoment]

I'm very, very aware that this thread will probably get some nasty responses.

But I'm young (26), overweight and short. I try to dress nicely and I'm actively losing weight, but I'm just curious. What do you actually think when you see a fat person? I've never given it much thought before now as I've been fat my entire life, but what do you really think? Am I walking round oblivious to the fact I'm being judged all the time or do people just not care?

It's that feeling when on an aeroplane and the person next to you has their hips spilling into your seat & their legs crushed up against yours & you can tell they are uncomfortable. The last time flying I spent the whole journey squashing my legs together & pressing myself up against my DH on the aisle seat. It was awful. I always sit in the aisle seat but this time there was no way DH was going to swap with me.There should be areas on a plane where if requested larger people are able to pay a little extra for 2 seats without paying the full price.

I think ‘damn, I’m looking good’.

There should be areas on a plane where if requested larger people are able to pay a little extra for 2 seats without paying the full price.

The problem would be the same as extra legroom seats where people that don’t strictly need extra legroom are prepared to pay the extra because they want it.

Worse really because having long legs isn’t a choice.

Having concerns for society is all well and good but I don't think people are honest about this really, particularly when people approach middle age, there is no great secret, essentially you've just got to not eat very much. Only 1 percent of people are naturally thin and the documentary I watched on this was covering scientific tests on people that do no specific exercise other than walking from A to B and didn't prohibit UPFs, this means you may not know anyone that is naturally thin, I honestly don't think I know anyone that fits the above description, the one person I did that seemingly eats junk all evening is taking medicine for something and it speeds up your metabolic rate so why aren't people just honest about this - eat less!

Why would an airline sell a second seat at less than full price?

I can see at a pinch a very last minute arrangement for flights that are not full where extra seats are sold off to other passengers at check in if they fancy a bit more room. But anything else would be commercially stupid.

Sounds awful but I always think ‘don’t ever let yourself get like that’. I’m 46 so much older, but I’m finding it hard to stay slim.

I pulled a friend up once for laughing at a very overweight jogger. In my eyes, that person was actively trying to better themselves and help their health and I have the upmost respect for that.

I notice as I work hard to be fit and keep my weight down and wonder why others just aren't bothered. I'm one of the oldest on my office at work and 90% of the women aged 22-28 are on the heavier size, I just find it surprising at that age. Nobody thinks it will be hard to lose weight and keep it off until they're older and realise it's a long bloody slog.

Admittedly a random & exasperated thought after reflecting on that particular flight. Anything other than going through that again for 5 hours.The comfort of all passengers is equally important. Having someone practically taking up half your seat when you have both paid the same price is unfair to say the least. It's not the fault of the larger person.Its the fault of the airlines for not accommodating people with a larger build.

Do you have similar concerns for people's health, or the overall picture in our society, when you see the relentless focus on weight loss that can lead to disordered eating and poor nutrition? Or when you see women who get toxins and silicone injected into their bodies (with unknown long-term effects) for purely cosmetic purposes? I assume you're also very concerned about the amount of car pollution on our roads that literally causes long-term health effects and even death?

Or is it just fat people you're concerned about?

I honestly feel a bit sad, as I worry for their health. but I don't think it's their fault. Our society's culture around food is appalling.

I have two lovely 25 year old colleagues who are both quite overweight. They are 'grand' now - reasonably mobile and agile, though honestly nothing like they should be at their age, are pretty and are good with makeup, clothes, etc. But as we all know, youth is incredibly forgiving. Though never more than mildly chubby, I was able to do lots of things to my body in other ways when younger and pay very little price for it. As we all know, that does not last. So I genuinely do worry about them across a range of dimensions as they get older, aesthetics is the least of it. In contemporary sedentary society with such abundant and bad food and drinks everywhere, you have to work damn hard to stay strong, fit agile and yes, slim or at least not overweight. The sooner that becomes part of everyday life the better. Its dull, a little bit limiting sometimes - certainly since my mid 40s I don't eat nearly as much as I would like - but also completely necessary if you want to have a healthy and lively middle age, let alone old age.

To put it bluntly, it depends how fat. The threshold is pretty high in today’s society.

If I noticed that you were unusually big, and young, I’d feel sad for you because it’s the easiest time to be effortlessly not fat. I’d also wonder how you’d let yourself get that way.

You would have to be really noticeably obese for me to have that thought process though.

Nothing because it's pretty much the norm. There are more fat people than slim people in this country. I would notice if someone was extremely overweight but wouldn't think anything of it.

I wouldn't think anything of it, but if someone points it out to me I've usually just felt bad for them for having to deal with the scrutiny but also grateful that I'm healthy and have the genetic advantage of a good metabolism and slender figure.

Because there is less tax on one passenger flying rather than two for a start. I’m sure there are other savings too. The luggage allowance would be the same and only one body to carry so potentially less weight. Less fuel used.

I agree. Overweight children I notice more so. Seeing obese children makes me sad.

I don't think / notice anyone's bodies usually. I guess if I saw someone who was morbidly obese, I'd notice that they're obese. But most of the country are fat or obese. It's a sorry state of affairs and it's the norm now.

When I was on holiday In Majorca, so many brits were fat or obese and it just proves we've got a national problem. People need to get a grip on their weight. Especially when it's only diet related and you've got young children who are going the same way. But it makes no odds to me. I can't say I pay much attention or care.

I didn’t think I would see an honest response on here to be fair.
For me, most of the time I am in my own little world and just want to get my stuff done to get away from the crowds of people. Occasionally though, I will look up and see the sheer proportion of obese and morbidly obese people around me in a supermarket (for example) and feel quite shocked by it because it wasn’t this way 30 years ago. Seeing someone that big was a rare occurrence when I was young and now it’s very, very common.
Around 67% of adults in this country are overweight or obese.

I’m pleased you have had some nice responses on here OP. Lack of judgment for a situation they have no knowledge of should be the answer, but i thoroughly expected otherwise as I am often quite appalled by the level of censorious judgement ( especially on here) of overweight people and especially women.

I have two friends who really struggle - for good and valid reasons - and so I am informed enough not to judge or cast aspersions. I know that sometimes things are not easy and also that some of the thinnest, most weight-obsessed people I know I are just that: very boring and self-absorbed as well as quite smug and nasty about other people’s bodies. Obviously that isn’t everyone; but it has taught me there are more important characteristics in a person. I would smile and hope you were having a good day.

Yeah this is a different kettle of fish. There are only a minute amount of obese children that are of that, due to health conditions.

Thinking about it more, I do judge parents with obese children. By the way young kids run around constantly and have fast metabolisms, there's no excuse. If my 3 year old was obese, not caused by any medical conditions, I'd think I'd failed as a parent.

I tend to wonder why people do this to themselves and wonder if they do not consider the long term health implications. I know there are sometimes underlying conditions but most young obese people are not obese because of illness but because of lifestyle choices. I feel sorry for them tbh

To me, there's a difference between "just fat" and morbidly obese. When you see someone with their belly hanging down their thighs, and clearly struggling to move well, I do think why did they let themselves get so out of hand? I feel sorry for them.

Lots of liars on here. The vast majority would look at a morbidly obese person of any age and at least notice them and register the fact that they are overweight. Nobody looks at an extremely fat person and thinks oh look there's another person, that's ridiculous.

Exactly, I said the same. It’s akin to ‘I don’t notice colour!’

There are very few where I am, but most people around me are young and not white. Immigrant area.