Being overweight is a underlying condition

[Oakmaiden]

I had totally missed this.

If you have a BMI above 40 then you are considered to be at high risk and should self isolate for 12 weeks.

Anyone know why?

I think there's a lot of size self identification in that picture too, not that it shows anything useful. The woman who says she is size 12-14 clearly needs larger clothes than the two who are similar height and 14/16 or 16, no matter what the label says.

But the OPs point doesn't really stand either as it's not being merely overweight that's an underlying health condition, but being morbidly obese, with a very large amount of excess fat, much of which is likely to clog the arteries or sit around the organs, which is known to affect health and increase the risk of obesity related conditions.

Definitely. Even a pregnant woman with a BMI of 40 may have her icu treatment denied in the face of competing for resources with another pregnant woman who has a lower BMI. That is the stark reality of all this - the higher risk groups need to self-isolate because in the event of a crisis they may well be hung out to dry.

Definitely? Based on what published evidence or is this more ridiculous scaremongering?

Hi @alloutoffucks the post with the people all weighing 11 stone was I think posted to show that BMI might be a crude measure. It wasn't to say 11 stone is in the at risk weight range. Just wanted to reassure you of that as nobody needs extra anxiety right now

In a separate note this thread is one of the worst I have stumbled across for a long time. We need to be kind! Especially right now! People who are obese don't need a "wake up call" or "to sort their shit out".

People need kindness, help and support. Living in a society that does everything it can to encourage people to overeat often highly addictive food most definitely doesn't help either. We live in a world where making the healthy choice isn't often easy. Of course it can be done but we need compassion and not judgement for those that struggle

@ViciousJackdaw - there rests the case for the prosecution!

I think the wish to avoid fat shaming becomes entirely counterproductive when it leads to people at significant additional risk being left without relevant information

When I was morbidly obese I developed asthma, my GP told me that the extra fat in my abdomen was pushing on my lungs and making them smaller and thus more prone to respiratory problems. I imagine that was the same reason people in this BMI range were offered the flu jab for the first time last year. Obviously even withing the morbidly obese category there will be degrees of risk, someone with a BMI of 40 will be at less risk than someone who has a BMI of 50.

Sadly I lost a friend due to obesity at the end of last year. She was in the super morbidly obese category (think 30+ stones) and she had developed obesity related respiratory failure.

A lot of exercise increased my lung function, it only took a few weeks to see I was more able to breathe more deeply and fill my lungs more fully.

909090Gertrude - I think to say everyone whose bmi is over 40 has caused it to simplify the situation and is very ignorant. If you have been healthy and happy all your life it would be easy to spout such ignorance.

What a nice supportive thread. As someone with a BMI of 49 due to an eating disorder caused by childhood abuse, I can say that the harsh, judgmental comments have really lifted my spirits.

The cynic in me thinks it is because those in at risk groups will be the ones refused treatment when icu beds reach capacity.
We will only be given palliative care.
I am of the understanding this is what happened in Italy. Those refused treated (in more pendanticly weren't prioritised for a iCU bed) were patients who had a lower chance of survival. That's all patients not just those with COVID-19.

This is why social distancing and isolation needs to be implemented now. It will lessen the demand on ICU beds.

MashedPotatoBrainz

It's a scary time for all of us right now, I hope you can stay safe and do your best to ignore the ignorant people on this thread and elsewhere who are fat shaming.

Absolutely MashedPotato, it’s one thing to discuss sensible precautions we might take on social distancing but we don’t need jabs about is being self caused. Walk a mile in my shoes and then see where you are.

Due to the fact that someone with a BMI over 40 cannot change that fact by tomorrow, it will take society to take action today to protect.

BMI is indeed very crude, I have short very muscly friends who are classed as overweight on the BMI scale but are just very fit and muscly, in reality if people are overweight they are very aware of it and don't need BMI tables to tell them.

The higher the weight the higher the risk - hospitals will not have the respirators to deal with obese individuals and the all round care needed for someone seriously overweight/obese/morbidly obese will be intensified, meaning focus will be taken away away from those not in this weight range.

This virus will highlight the dangers in being obese.

What they are saying is that morbid obesity is a serious risk to health anyway, regardless of the coronavirus outbreak.
That's a medical fact. I'm sorry if you don't like that but it's the truth.
This.

I'm asthmatic and that puts me at a higher risk.
Option 1 - accept that being asthmatic puts me at higher risk if I were to contract the cornovirus and socially distance as much as reasonable for my own benefit

Option 2 - decide it's mean and lung-shaming to point out that having asthma has higher risks than someone with a healthy respiratory system so ignore the advice because that way I can feel better about myself. Doing this makes it more likely that I'll catch the virus and experience complications, and add unnecessary strain on services, but as long as medical advice didn't hurt my feelings then that's worth it.

Fuck it my BMI is 55 and I'm carrying in as normal if I attempted to self isolate I would be laughed out of work. I also have no intention on doing so.

@LolaSmiles Option 3 - Patronise you having asthma and say you really need to do something about it.

Lets not pretend there is not the usual MN hatred of fatties on this thread.

Because of the strain on the heart and lungs

I can’t see anywhere on here where people are fat shaming in terms of unpleasant and unnecessary remarks about appearance, or saying a size 18 is huge. The original question was about why a bmi of 40 could be considered a health risk and people have explained why it is general terms - though obviously it will affect individuals in different ways, and over different timescales

alloutoffucks
Why would I patronise myself?

I was talking about what MY actions can be given I'm in a higher risk group.

The same applies for others in higher risk groups. Either take on board the fact you're in a higher risk group and adjust your behaviour/plans accordingly because you know your condition (eg full self isolate, stringent social distancing, social distancing etc), or complain that it's not fair someone has put you in that category because it's mean/shaming.

If people choose to do the latter then it is fair, in my opinion, for that decision to be challenged because it is irresponsible.

@LolaSmiles

Has anyone said to you " you may have icu treatment denied in the face of competing for resources (for having asthma)" or " in the event of a crisis you may well be hung out to dry" though?

That's the difference here.

I think it’s to do with the pulmonary strain. People who have such a high bmi will probably already be putting their pulmonary system under strain, of you add Coronavirus it’s not going to end well. If you are at risk please try to limit your interactions with other as much as possible. If you need help please please please ask your neighbours, even if you don’t really know them. Most of us who are in lower risk groups are eager to help anyone we can.

If anyone is worried about this, I had a BMI of just over 39 on 1st January this year and it’s now 34 and still decreasing. I did Michael Mosley’s Blood Sugar Diet/Fast 800 and there is a super supportive thread on the weight loss forum here. It’s very rapid, very effective and easy to stick to.

Personally if they were all equal risk I hope the doctors would give treatment to the the asthmatic or diabetic because they are not the fault of the individual. Smoking and obesity are lifestyle choices.

Type 2 diabetes is associated with an unhealthy lifestyle; the risk of asthma is increased in people living in areas of high pollution....surely they could be considered as lifestyle choices too? How about someone at risk of respiratory depression through cocaine or opioid misuse or with high levels of inflammation through drinking alcohol daily? Not on the high risk list but potentially in need of treatment.

Well, this thread shows that some posters put their hurt feelings above their safety, health and life. Feelz over facts.

Says it all really.