Why can't we discuss how fat we've all become?

[Nodinnernogift]

Obesity is becoming the norm. Why aren't we allowed express concern or any views that are less than celebratory about this?

I mean seriously why?

If whole parts of your country were in the grip of a meth addiction we would be allowed have a discussion about it.

National campaigns to stop people smoking are applauded.

Look around you. Look in the mirror. We are all getting bigger and bigger. It reminds me of when people would visit the US in the 80s / 90s and come back with tales of huge people and massive portion sizes.

Does nobody care? It's like the Emperors New Clothes. I don't get why it's a sacrosanct topic.

Yabu - it's nobody's business
Yanbu - it's fine to address this as a societal problem

I don’t really see that many overweight people in my area and never have ? (London borough so maybe it’s less of an issue in some places ?)

I quite agree OP. I don't think shaming people is a good strategy but neither do I think hugely overweight bodies should be celebrated.

In my view it’s less of an issue in London as people walk more (anecdotal!). As for me I am worried about how plump we are all getting - including me! I would like some initiatives taken like they do in Japan to keep us thin and healthy.

They half ass (no pun intended) government measures just piss me off too. Sugar tax? Sorry, is it not obvious substitute sweeteners wreak havoc on one’s metabolism. Milkshake tax? Christ.

This country, and government, have no clue about nutrition.

I no longer live in the UK. But went back to Britain a few weeks ago. I was utterly shocked how obese everyone is. It's a real health crisis

Totally agree. Thought that this this morning as I saw parents dropping kids off at a school. About 70-80% were overweight but probably don't think they are.

Hopefully these new weight loss drugs will sort the country out, otherwise the NHS will get even more over burdened

Actually this is very true. We have a hobby that takes us around the country most weekends and I have joked how certain postcodes have a direct correlation with different BMI averages.

I feel like we are losing a grip of what's normal.

Couldn't we have national campaigns about portion sizes, leave the car, 10k is Ok for daily steps or whatever - you know the naff stuff we all laugh at but then we do start reaching for the seatbelt automatically.

What I don’t understand, having recently halved my size, is why nobody, not even on weight loss sites/bariatric surgery groups, uses the word fat. ‘Oh,I was so heavy, my mobility was compromised’ says someone who then adds their weight (eye watering weights, even for me at almost 24st until quite recently. It seems that it’s treated almost like an old fashioned racist term would be viewed! Can we no longer use that word?

Whilst as an extremely fat person, I obviously needed very plus size clothes, I can’t understand why certain companies (think tights, fetish campaigns) use incredibly fat (ooh, I wrote the word!) models. I understand that some people might want to see how something looks on a size 26, but some companies appear to flaunt it and use words like ‘bootylicious’ or ‘juicy’ etc. Nope, it’s just fat.

Well you could say that everyone has opportunity to exercise and eat healthy food but the reality is that many people eat and drink to self medicate and escape dull lives of sedentary, boring, low paid jobs with long hours in a country with crap weather and few opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

That’s my excuse anyway.

I'm a size 8 and no one in my family is obese or overweight, so I'm not discussing other people's weights. It's of no concern to me personally and it's rude.

We stopped at a motorway service station in the Midlands yesterday and couldn’t believe how enormous everyone there was, queuing at McDonald’s for the junk food. People everywhere stuffing their faces with bellies bulging out even young people in their 20s and 30s. Honestly felt disgusted.

Whilst I agree less cosmopolitan areas have higher obesity rates, London is hardly a load of gym bunnies. I live and work in Zone 1 and the majority of people I see are out of shape: fine, not morbidly obese but a large midriff, obvious visceral fat. What’s “average” is now doughy.

And why do we talk about “shifting” weight instead of losing it?

Whilst I applaud your morality, unfortunately it IS a societal problem. I’ll trot out the most obvious effect: NHS resources.

We don't need sugar, fat and carbs in the volume that processed foods give us - add in constant snacking, drinking milky coffees by the pint.... it's little wonder that obesity is so rife. Look at the surge in food delivery companies, not only can't people be arsed to cook but they can't be arsed to go and get it either.

Not only people , I volunteer in a charity shop , if anything vintage comes in , the sizes are tiny .
I reckon a vintage size 14 is a today's 8/10 .

I’m not sure. Surely everyone knows these common sense things?

obesity is all just so normalised under “body positivity”. Whilst I grew up in the Size 0 popularity and don’t wish for people to feel that pressure again, maybe we do have to start shaming instead of cutesy slogans?

Because there are no simple solutions (other than the injections which have just appeared) it's just another pathological symptom of late stage capitalism.

Edited to add: why aren't we allowed to talk about it? Surely it depends on what you're saying about it and where.

After being a size 6 my entire life I'm now fat. The reason being, I can finally afford to eat without restrictions.

I grew up incredibly poor and was basically malnourished for a long time. Now I can afford nice tasty food, I eat what I want when I want.

I've gone too far the other way however I can't stop myself. I think it's a trauma response of being restricted for so long.

And yet you seem to have joined the discussion 😂.

I think you should mind your own business. I’m a size 16…get over it. I don’t drink, don’t have anxiety or mental health issues, I’ve never smoked or touched drugs, I don’t do extreme or dangerous sports, just a bit of swimming and hillwalking. I’ve given birth to three kids, all without pain relief. All my kids are healthy by the grace of god. I just like my food a bit too much. Unless we do a full cost benefit analysis on every individual and what they cost the nhs with their lifestyle, I think people should just shush commenting on other people’s business. God knows I know plenty of skinny people costing the nhs a fortune too. Just because weight is a visible flaw doesn’t mean you get to fat shame under the pretence of concern. I would lay money you have your own issues because as humans, we all do.

@TimeForABreak4 listen I agree COMPLETELY that no individual's weight, size, body, shape etc should be commented on and feel it's a case of MYOB in spades. However I'm talking about averages, the proportion of people being a healthy weight is getting lower and lower.

I don’t know, I think it was the norm a few years ago but recently, in my area anyway, the trend now seems to be towards fitness and weight loss, particularly with the injections coming in. Maybe in other areas it’s different though, but in mine I’m seeing a lot less obese people then there used to be.

There are many many people who talk
about nothing else

I believe overweight people struggle to get a GP to help them with anything that doesn’t start with you need to lose weight/ it’s your weight

plus social media is full of fitness influencers and eating disorders

im not sure where you see all this avoidance to talk about it, to be honest?!