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!

I am 5'6 and at a size 16 was obese on BMI and definitely fat

'Fat' tends to be a term some see as insulting though rather than a descriptor

Well I’m 5ft 11 and weigh about 12st 9. I fluctuate between a 14 and 16 depending on which shop it is. I admit I’m near top of my recommended weight but still not classed as overweight.

There some people that will be that size and don’t look fat (more so if tall). Most I think would at least look overweight if not fat, yes.

I do t know because I have a friend who is very tall, almost 6 foot, and she wears a 16 but there’s barely an ounce of fat on her. I think for most people a 16 would be fat though. There are always outliers.

A size 12 at 6ft can't be overweight, surely??
Or are you American? US 12 = UK 16, I think.
Though you'd still have to be going some to be a fat 16 at 6ft.

I was once a size 30, I'm now a.l size 8-10. I felt fat personally until I was about a size 12 but I dont think I would see someone who is size 16 and think they looked fat, it was just how I personally felt.

It’s not necessarily fat. Just bigger. Some insecure women will allude to it being fat though

As someone who’s been in a 22 to 26 for the last 35 years I feel positively slim now I’m a 16. It’s all relative.

Depends....

If you're 5 ft 0 then maybe a bit............

If you're 5 ft 7 not so much..............

I'm a size 16 (and 5 ft 4) and I'm a bit fat.

But no-one can make a blanket statement that a size 16 is 'fat.'

16 to18 above the waist, 12 to 14 below

Fat? Or just female?

16 is a dress size, not a a measure of fatness. Too many variables.

I don't judge people by their dress size, and I don't have prolonged conversations with my friends about whether they perceive themselves, or others, as fat. It's a very dull topic of conversation, and one that hopefully will soon cease to exist, as those that are overweight are able to remedy this using appropriate medication.

I have a very curvy 6ft tall friend, and she is max a 14, yes I would class size 16 as overweight and quite probably fat.

Having said that I'm a size 8-10 in today's clothes and honestly I'm fat. I have a big tummy roll, love handles, back fat and wobbly cellulite.

I was obese (just) as a size 16. 5’7”

I think its perception isn't it? I'm 5 ft 10. If I were a size 16 I'd probably weigh around 11 stone 7 lbs. For me that would be fat, overweight, flabby

Atm I weigh 10 stone and I could lose 7 lbs but I won't

I'm a size 10 or 12 depending on where I buy from and I'm comfortable with my weight and dress size

No way would I feel comfortable wearing a size 16 because that would mean I'd be a lot heavier and have more fat

Maybe other people would be happy with more padding?

What do you mean by 'fat'?

If you mean in a medically overweight sense I'm sure there are very easily available calculators that will tell you even if 'size 16' is not a scientific measure as far as I'm aware.

If you mean in the newly socially-acceptable sense of 'morally despicable, lazy, and an acceptable target of judgement for anyone who fancies a point and jeer', fuck off basically.

i’m tall and a size 14/16. My BMI is 27 and my waist measures more than half my height. I am fat. (Losing weight though).

I'd be obese at a size 16 but others wouldn't be.

Clothing sizes are not relative to weight though are they?
My BMI is obese.
Im 5ft 8
Size 16 top and 16/18 bottom - veering into 18 for my huge stomach.

I'm 5'2", so yes, it is on me.
On my friend who is 5'10" - no. It's proportionate.

Depends on their height, frame and body composition.

A woman who is 5'9" and a body builder wouldn't be 'fat' at a size 16. A woman with a small frame, no muscle and a height of 5'0" at a size 16 would obviously appear fatter.

The term 'fat' as an adjective is very subjective any way. For some people it means 'a little bit over the optimum weight' while for others it means 'morbidly obese'.

I can't see the relevance of height.
The size is body measurements , whether 5ft or 6ft.
Weight is a different matter.

This doesn't make sense. Yes, a 16 is a 16 (from the same range in the same shop!) But you must realise that taller people are proportionally larger.

A 5-foot woman who wears size 8 might be averagely slim. A 6-foot woman is very thin at size 8.

I'm 5'10 and would definitely be overweight at size 16. I could carry it OK, but I'd be overweight.

Edited to add: I'd be much too thin at a size 10, because I have a broad frame. A size 12/14 is healthy and slim on me.

It is for me. Currently a size 14 and I am overweight, need to do some excercise and my bmi is high.
But its not for everyone, people can be size 16 and much more healthy and toned than me with less body fat depending on lots of factors.