Perceptions of 'healthy' or 'overweight' are really skewed by the area you live in?

[alwaysdream]

I'm sure I'll get roasted for this, but here goes anyway...

I live in an area of London where pretty much nobody is 'overweight.' Particularly young people.

Last night, in Wembley Stadium (Harry Styles concert), the ONLY food available was chicken and chips or doughnuts. That's it. And - I know this will sound very judgemental - but I'd say about 7 / 10 people were quite 'overweight,' but all walking around in tiny shorts and cropped tops, etc (I know this is the vibe at this kind of event). It made me wonder if this is 'normal' for young people, on a national level? I know it sounds judgemental, but AIBU? Are most teens overweight where you live?

I really don’t think most people give a crap what other people wear.

Shorts help you stay cool in the warmer months and anyone who wants to can and should wear them.

Oh for fuck sake, another fatty bashing thread.

No one is making you wear anything.

I don’t ever really get dressed to look sexy or flattering? I just like what I like and wear it. Do you think I’m doing it all wrong?

You sound pleasant!

I have no skin in the game, as I am not overweight, but attitudes like yours are bloody awful!

The vast majority of the people at the Harry Styles concert were young women. Let them have fun, wear what they like and enjoy a night out without worrying about miserable fuckers like you judging them. It’s bad enough they live under the male gaze - they don’t need other women with hateful attitudes pissing on their parade, too.

I’m pushing 50 and when I see a young woman wearing what she wants - not hiding underneath sonething baggy or worrying about not having a flat stomach or toned arms or slim thighs blah blah…I think, more power to you! I pity women who are constantly on a diet, hate their own reflection and are on S&B trying to find something to wear that covers their arms/legs/arse/belly. Thank god the younger generation seem to be done with that shit!

that post honestly doesn’t ‘ come across as disgusting ‘ to me. I think most people think these things, and wish for times of greater tact, decorum, prettiness. Looking at someone and unavoidably thinking ‘ you eat shedloads of fat and sugar’ doesn't spark joy.
Why do you need to feel joy when you look at random people going about their day?
I really do think the time of walking on eggshells around fat badly dressed people has passed. It was a brief period where sanity let itself be gaslit. It’s over.
you know those blokes who walk round wuth their trousers hanging down low, so their underpants are on show and they look as if they’ve shat themselves? Well, we are allowed to say they look brain dead.
Nobody needs to walk on eggshells because nobody is asking for anyone’s opinion. Nobody is getting dressed in the morning hoping some random on Mumsnet thinks they look good. Even blokes with their pants showing.
no more gaslighting acceptance, no more walking on eggshells. It’s toxic.
Whats toxic is spending so much time commenting online you believe your opinions matter to anyone else but you and yours.
Just get on with your day wearing whatever it is that you like, I can guarantee someone somewhere doesn’t like what your outfit but they won’t tell you because their busy getting on with their day too.

This shows that “body positivity” was never really A Thing at all. 😂

As soon as they had a choice, none of them chose “fat”.

I live near Edinburgh ( not in Edinburgh as I’m not wealthy lol )
Many of the younger women seem to be small ( maybe 5’ to 5’3 “ ) and slim but not too slim , with tiny little waists .
And then a few average size young women but rarely see a very overweight girl ?
A few older women maybe a bit overweight?? But no obese women

I understand what is being said (I think) - it’s become the norm to see people - very over weight - spilling out of their clothes, and I think what some people are saying - is that - the question is “is there a generation now that feel comfortable and happy being over weight and not afraid to show it “ and “is over weight being viewed now by some as normal, even healthy ?

For example the advertising now with over weight people - (for example the Tampax advert with the over weight ice skater - being portrayed as healthy / active

I feel normal to slim in my area for my age and height (I'm size 12-14). When I go into work in London, I feel large and bulky compared to everyone else.

So yes, I think there is some truth to this, for me at least!

You are in a cognitively limited space where you imagine contradicting people constitutes an argument of merit. Sigh.

2/3 of the UK population are overweight or have obesity. where on earth do you live that everyone is slim?

I mean it’s not rocket science to know that poverty and being part of a lower socioeconomic group means that you don’t have access to good nutrition and can’t afford to eat fancy healthy foods every as you’re time poor working and keeping your head above water.

More affluent groups can afford a ‘lifestyle’ and weight loss drugs and health clubs and gyms.

I was there last night, failed to see all the overweight people. Very odd.

Exactly!

There are so many women with issues about food and weight, such that they hate other women who don’t have the same degree of poor self-esteem. It’s really sad to witness.

No you are in a cognitively limited space where you imagine others share your value set around aesthetics. Really, many people don’t care how other people look or what they wear.

Yes I lived in Spain and my up and down weight over the years/baby weight gain /loss was much commented on endlessly my ex MIL and her sisters
I loved her dearly but it was testing at the time lol

I live in a pretty poor town and the vast majority of the teenagers are slim, many of the older people are fat

I know loads (I mean loads) of men and women who dress badly, eat loads of fat and sugar and drink tons of alcohol. I think we’re way past the assumption that it is as simple as what people eat.

Far better that we look deeply at the correlation with poverty vs affluence. Said thin people are also in the poorer circles I grew up in and still see around me today. You see a mix of both types, but why do some gain weight while others don’t with the same intake is a more interesting question.

It’s also true that you don’t have to eat that much extra to maintain a high weight. As I recall from a weight loss diary from an excellent company I lost several stone with about ten years ago, it said just 2,300 calories a day will have a sedentary woman maintaining a weight of around 15 stone or something. Average recommended is 1800-2000. At 2,000 you can maintain a weight at the lower end of 10 stone/higher end of 9 stone.

The equivalent of roughly 300 calories is the average cappuccino (around 265 last time I looked) or one of this little cupcakes you get in twos in the supermarket (285 last time I looked). Half a supermarket pizza is around 450. The average single chocolate bar or individual sized packet of potato crisps is around 160.

It really doesn’t take much…

People are huge now.

I think better quality food is definitely a thing. It’s fascinating to look into this, and I think more work should be done 🙂 I wonder if high cortisol levels contribute as well - stress.

I think the trend to drink “non water” drinks has a lot to answer for for weight gain.
and it starts so young - I see small children with those fruit shoots of other sugary drinks ALL the time -
imagine how hard it will be for the next generation to stay a healthy size if parents keep giving these things to their kids

And your argument of merit was... (assuming I'm not too cognitively limited to recall it), oh right, that people wearing what they want constitutes gaslighting?

Adding - I guess the gaslighting is that you're societally expected, if not obligated, not to point and taunt them for offending your snowflake sensibilities? Poor you.

Lol.

If you’re asking if wealth and social class dictates weight, then course it does. Look at the women pictured in the royal enclosure at Royal Ascot this week. All high society and wealthy influencers looked absolutely incredible, not one over a size ten.

Go to the cheap seats and it’s a different story.