Do you think a women's size 16 is fat?

[LegencyMonsters]

Met a friend for coffee today and we got onto the topic of weight.

I mentioned that I used to be a size 16 and said I’m glad I’m not that size anymore as I was fat. She disagreed, saying a size 16 isn’t fat and pointed out that it’s actually the average size for women in the UK. I replied that while it may be the average, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s not fat.

Would you consider a size 16 to be fat or not?

AIBU - YES - of course!
YANBU - NO - Not fat at all!

Not my viewpoint at all.

I'm 5'3. If I were a size 16, I'd be obese. So, yes, fat.

I think a size 16 at any height is fat yes

If I were a size 16 I’d definitely be fat, but someone much taller and more muscular could probably carry it.

It's definitely overweight - but how much depends on height and muscle.

What does 'being fat' even mean?
Some people have more fat on their bodies than others in a simple sense.
I think we need to change the use of the word fat so it isn't used as a negative label.

And for clothes sizes, it's just a number sewn in your clothes. It shouldn't mean anything.

Totally depends on height and bone size

I modelled too but am a very different build again so I'm not sure you can be as categoric as you are.

I was overweight at size 16 but I quite liked the shape I was, much much fatter now, so maybe looking back through rose-tinted spectacles

Also depends on your body shape, I know people who are pear shaped and wear size 16 bottoms but have a much smaller top half so don't look fat iyswim ?

Totally agree.

Some people on this thread have a notion of what fat is to them, but it may not be the same to others. You can have a "fat" bum but otherwise narrow, or be thin but flabby, or bony but wide. I mean what is fat?

I’m 5ft 4 and a size 16 and wouldn’t class myself as fat. Nobodies ever said your fat to me. But I have a chest, hips and a bum always have no matter what size

Same for me at 5 foot 3. That would mean being over two stone overweight or three stone more than the mid point of ideal weight.

Well I’d hope no one is saying ‘you’re fat’ to anyone! That’s the behaviour of an absolute twat.
Thankfully(!) threads like this prove that most people prefer to just say it behind people’s backs.

I think that most people who are a size 16 will be overweight or obese.

As for whether it’s an average size?

Most of the people living in my area are overweight or obese, that’s very very normal round here, so saying size 16 is average doesn’t feel like a good argument against size 16 being fat.

I'm 5'9. Size 10-12. Ideally 10 on top, I'd they believed that a size 10 woman had long arms. I would be fat at 16. I would feel uncomfortable at 14. Although to be honest, wheen i was a slimmer, less curvy teen, 30 years ago, i was a size 14, so hello vanity sizing.

No, not true. A taller person has a bigger waist, shoulders etc just to be in proportion, so needs the larger size.

Just like if a 5 ‘6” man wears an XL size it’s likely he’s overweight. If a 6’3” man wears an XL he’s very likely not.

I'm 5'5 & UK size 16 ( large belly & 38A boobs) more than one Dr has told me I'm considerably overweight & must lose weight for my health. I'm not in UK where it seems to be more acceptable to be larger. I feel fat tbh, clothes shopping is hard and I have to buy XXL clothes, when I can find them.

I’m a size 16, I feel fat because in my head I’m still a 12! I get away with it quite well as I’m tall. However we as a nation are getting fatter so yes it is pretty standard these days. I think if you’re smaller it’s easy to see it as fat - I know I did!

Yes, it is

Someone upthread, can't find the post now, and mentioned people having a funny idea of what weight is.

This is like how my well-meaning mum didn't have scales in the house growing up because she didn't want me obsessing, but she also used to say stuff like "you don't need to weigh yourself, you're so slim, there's no way you'll be over 8.5st"

I was a size 8 in the late 90s (so not today's sizing) - I used to wear a lot of tailored stuff, so not stretchy - and I never weighed much less than 10st.

She also assumed for some reason when I was about 14 that my boobs wouldn't grow much and told me that was good, trying to be reassuring, that it was a bit vulgar to have anything over a C cup. Well even at a size 8-10 I was a 32DD and now I'm an F. Er, thanks mum. You tried.

This very simple fact seems to confuse some people.

Yes it’s obviously a size 16 is overweight for most people though not everyone looks fat at that size. I’m size 14/16 right now (size L anyway). I’ve lost a lot of weight recently, and I’m feeling better in myself, having struggled with MH issues and family problems. I’m hoping to go down another dress size.

Average is also fat; two-thirds of UK adults are overweight.

Im 5ft 10 and a 14 is overweight on me so I think a 16 definitely is.