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!

Size 16 is fat in most shops because of vanity sizing.

I’m 5’7 and a 10/12 looks best on me I’m currently a 14/16 and consider myself fat tbh which is why I’m losing weight.

I’m very similar - I am a size 8 now but when I was younger I was a size 14 and I was definitely very overweight. Lost about 3 stone since then.

Yes, but I don't have a moral value I ascribe to that.

@Dinosaursloveunderpants1 BMI isn’t out of date. It’s a really simple calculation that approximates body fat for the large majority of people, and is a useful tool for indicating whether someone is underweight, overweight or obese. If it indicates that you are obese, not just overweight but into the obese category, then it’s worth considering if your body fat percentage is too high.

I would say it would mostly be overweight or most likely obese, yes.

You are definitely not fat!

It depends on height obviously but generally it would be overweight. For some women it would signal obesity if particularly short, for taller women a bit overweight.

I will add the caveat that dress sizes are a hideously and notoriously inconsistent. You might be a 16 in Zara clothes but 12 in H&M, for example. Some women are also a 16 in trousers due to wider hips/bum but a 10 on top.

see that's why I think people should be careful what they say....I mean could she be a size 16?

Larger surely? Sizes were way smaller then.

"Size 16" and indeed any "Size" is pretty meaningless as there's so much variation in sizing, even within the same clothing brand.

The important thing is that you are within a healthy weight for your height - in most cases, if you are within BMI 18.5 - 25 you are healthy and not medically overweight (or underweight). It's quite possible to be a 'size 16' within those BMI limits depending on your frame, the actual size of the garment, and how your weight is carried.

Again this is relative to height though. I’m 5ft3 and if I was in a size 14 I would be “fat” in that I would be overweight.

Just because it is the average size doesn't mean it isn't fat. I am a size 16 and I am fat!!!!

Yes it's fat, at 5ft 5 I was disgustinly fat, at size 16,and started mounjaro, now a 6/8, feel 100% better.

Fat is subjective. If said person was very tall, curvy but in shape then no. V Likely to be overweight though

I'm size 16 and think I'm a bit too fat. Although it's more noticeable with my clothes off. You wouldn't look at me out and about and think "she's fat".

For my body it’s size 8 skinny, 10 slim, 12 chubby, 14 getting fat, 16 fat. It depends on the person though. If my body stayed an hourglass shape and I didn’t get a big round face and double chin I’d probably feel differently.

I was a size 16 and was fat. I didn’t realise how fat I was till I lost the weight but looking back at pictures now, I was definitely fat.

I do think a lot of people don’t wear the right sized clothes in the first place which makes equating clothes size to weight trickier.

Im a size 16 and id say yes. However I'm no longer obese

Very few size 16 women will have a healthy BMI.

I am five ft 4 and when I was size 16 I was medically obese.

For many women it would be overweight. How big is this friend? Going on about it being ‘fat’ seems a bit insensitive.

I think she was probably saying that to be nice 🫣

Yes. I'm 5' 9" and currently overweight at a size 14. I am looking a overweight. If I put on anymore weight I absolutely will be fat. Historically I was a size 12 even at my lowest weight due to my hour glass shape, never really fit in size 10 beyond the age of 15.

I’m 5ft 4 and was obese at a size 14 (based on BMI). I did look fat in photos. Now a size 10 and still a tiny bit overweight (according to BMI).

I know a few size 16s that carry it well, I wouldn't personally consider them fat (even if their BMI says otherwise) so I get where she's coming from. Saying that, though - if someone I hadn't seen said they were a size 16, I would imagine they were on the chunkier side.