To think that “fatphobia” is sometimes just discomfort with the truth about health?

[MeasuredOnyxSwan]

Not always but sometimes. We’ve turned every health comment into oppression. When did personal responsibility become offensive?

There’s no such thing as fatphobia.

Not sure if you're being deliberately silly, but obviously these things are all relative. For some people, £150 a month is a drop in the ocean. For others, it's more than they have left for the entire month after bills are paid. The idea that everyone can easily find a spare £150 a month is just ridiculous.

And no, those are not the criteria for prescription. In most practices you have to have a BMI of 40 or more and at least four weight-related conditions (this information is available on Google, FYI). Not all practices can and will prescribe; some will refer to you to specialist weight loss services first.

DH has always been on the plump side, particularly on his middle, so I never expect or wanted him to be skinny, though if he lost weight and was slimmer, that would be great too. In the last couple of years he has gained a stone or two though. I have mentioned it but only once when he talked about it himself and that he needed bigger clothes sizes. Other than trying to gently encourage him back to the gym with me, and going out for long walks together I haven't mentioned it. It's pointless as anything has to be his idea and I get that. He knows, he knows I know. He's a grown man and I can only do so much.

I think the point is, any 'observation' you make about someone who is not you is likely to be emotionally charged. Because for one thing it isn't 'neutral' is it? We are categorically saying being OW is bad for health.
If you want to apply that to yourself, then that's obviously fine. However, once you extend your observations and negative conclusions about weight to others, you cross a line into territory that were it about any other subject would be socially unacceptable, unless you had legitimate reason to do so (eg you are the persons doctor).
To illustrate the point, swap OW for consuming alcohol. Then try going around telling the world and it's mother how 'concerned' you are that other people like a drink.
Tell them how important you think it is that in social settings people should be reminded of the illnesses linked to alcohol consumption, and how much alcohol related issues cost the NHS. 'Gently' tell your best friend or your sister every time they ask for a glass of wine that really its far better for them to have a green tea, and you say this only because you care.

I don't think that the body "positivity" movement did overweight/obese people any favours. It simply isn't healthy to be fat and it certainly isn't attractive. Now with WLI's it's almost "why are you fat" and has gone full circle. I'm type 2 diabetic, have lost 4.5 stone the tough way (still have 2 stone to go) and can't believe the difference it's made to my life. I've got better skin, more energy and have come off nearly all my medication. But it took years to motivate me to do it - and thankfully a very supportive diabetic nurse.

Eating crap makes you feel crap. The better you fuel your body, the better you feel. I'm horrified by what I see in supermarkets masquerading as food.

It’s genuinely fascinating and plop it all in the middle of the complexity of public health policy and it’s starts to explain why “personal responsibility” for overweight is such a dog whistle phrase
No it doesn't at all. Personal responsibility is still in the heart of it. I'm a good example. Recommendations are that women should consume 1800 calories a day on average to maintain weight. Yes, on average...but I'm very small, maybe a shit metabolism too, who knows it's, but my daily calories intake to stay at my weight is 1200- 1300, 1500 if I do 10000 steps, 1800 with one hour intense exercise and 15000stepd.

It's bloody unfair, but it is what it is. I have the choice to adjust my intake of calories accordingly, or ignore it, convince myself that its unfair and not my fault, put on weight and blame everything else but myself.

It doesn't come from a serious place of concern though.

I've been massively praised for my weight loss. But the truth is I was a lot healthier when I was overweight: I had good blood pressure, low cholesterol, I could run without being out of breath and I hiked a lot. I ate well, but just too much. The only unhealthy thing about me was my weight.

Now the reverse is true - the only healthy thing about me is my weight. I have low blood pressure which causes me to faint, I have high cholesterol, I hurt all over , I ache and have limited range of movement and I can't hike any more or do the sports and activities I loved. My mental health is poor.

And yet so many people say "you must feel so much better, you must be so much healthier".

You can tell exactly 0 about a person's health by looking at their weight alone.

The term itself is meaningless, no one is actually afraid of fat people

You’re right, even factual statements stop feeling neutral when they’re directed at other people, because they land inside a whole history of judgement and bias. I suppose what I was getting at is more about how any wider discussion on health and prevention now feels almost impossible - people assume it’s coming from a place of moral superiority rather than curiosity or concern. But you’re right that delivery and context matter. The alcohol example sums it up perfectly - intent doesn’t erase impact.

Would you say the same about homophobia

Don't be too literal in interpreting the word

Well Im autistic so aren’t you being ableist right now? Not my fault words don’t mean what people think they mean.

Are you my Mum? My mum has nagged and criticised me about my weight most of my adult life. She always says it's concern about my health. It drives me bonkers

The word isn't fatpeoplephobia. It's fatphobia. Fear / horror / disgust at fatness, leading to fat people being treated poorly.

If you want to apply that to yourself, then that's obviously fine. However, once you extend your observations and negative conclusions about weight to others, you cross a line into territory that were it about any other subject would be socially unacceptable, unless you had legitimate reason to do so (eg you are the persons doctor)
That's all very well but that's not how society works. We have opinions on everything and society, via the media mainly, encourages people to express their views. And that we do! That's what MN is all about.

Should we never talk about how misogyny is affecting our society? How parents who drink are poor role models, whether legalising cannabis is right or wrong?

I had no idea about your autism.

It was a comment about not interpreting words too literally. Don't take it personally.

There's a big difference between saying 'being overweight can negatively impact on health' and saying 'you are unhealthy because you are overweight'. The first is a statement of fact which you can make if you wish (though it's hardly revolutionary), the second is a judgment you're not qualified to make unless you're the doctor of that person, specifically treating them for a weight-related issue.

I've been massively praised for my weight loss. But the truth is I was a lot healthier when I was overweight: I had good blood pressure, low cholesterol, I could run without being out of breath and I hiked a lot. I ate well, but just too much. The only unhealthy thing about me was my weight
Another common misconception. Yes, you can be healthy in your 20s, 39s, even 40s whilst overweight. You just don't see the damage it does to your body, year after year, because its not visible yet.

Then you hit your 60s and he hits you like a rocket. Undoing the damage without interventions is almost impossible at that stage.

If you are so unhealthy at a healthy weight, you need to get your gp to investigate. If you lost weight with the help of medication (and no judgement there at all), it is more likely to be side effects of the drug rather than being a good weight. I definitely would investigate an increase in cholesterol. It can be due to genetics. The menopause will also increase cholesterol whatever the weight.

Jesus I’ve seen it all now.

no, people finding my fat body unattractive is not the same as homophobia.

Go on then op tell us your dress size?!

Are you my Mum? My mum has nagged and criticised me about my weight most of my adult life. She always says it's concern about my health. It drives me bonkers
I'm really sorry about that. I definitely don't nag or criticise, we have constructive and empathetic conversations about it. They are often started by my daughter herself. I know how hard it is to lose weight. That doesn't mean I tell her not too worry, that she really isn't fat, that she's healthy anyway and its okay to continue as she is.

Why are you commenting on people’s bodies?

That’s creepy.

There's a big difference between saying 'being overweight can negatively impact on health' and saying 'you are unhealthy because you are overweight'
And again, I've never implied any different. My point is that there is also a difference between sating 'you are unhealthy because you are overweight' and 'don't worry about you weight, you look very healthy to me, and people who tell you otherwise are just assholes.

My dress size isn’t really relevant to the discussion, it’s more about how we talk about health in general, not individuals.

Applied to my Dad to point they missed other conditions and underlying contributing factors to weight ( his whole endocrine system was showing signs of issues) and his sleep apena even when he lost all the excess weight in my teens was never treated.

Having said that my MIL not overwight got dismissed for being an old woman - her pain ignored and a treatable condition left to get so much worse and it impacted her moblity - and then despite still not being overweight she had constant warnings weight gain coud make it worse - while true and worth telling her so she had facts ignored most of current damaged cause my MIL staying active despite pain and being ignored for so long.

Creepy and messed up. Not a comment but a whole thread created to insult overweight people.