Talking about weight and covid

[Iamsososoexcited]

In the 44-53 age group, 73% of people in the UK are overweight to obese. This is a government statistic according to the House of Commons library.

Does anyone else think this is massively concerning?

This awful virus arrived a year ago. It has a disproportionate effect on people who are overweight and obese.

People are washing hands, wearing masks, keeping their distance, isolating with families to stay safe. Why aren’t people losing weight to stay safe as well?

I don’t understand. It is like being told there is a course of action you can take (losing weight) that will drastically improve your chances of surviving this terrible virus, and yet people are not doing it?

Please help me understand?

It’s impossible to know if overweight people have lost weight over the last year or so to protect themselves against Covid. Who would have the numbers?

The bloody pandemic has caused weight gain in many of my friends.

Right now, when people are struggling emotionally, perhaps financially, worried about their jobs, schooling for their kids, trying to keep them occupied during lockdown, nlooking after older relatives and trying to keep them safe, I doubt there is much space to consider weight loss. It is at the bottom of a very long list.

YABVU OP, and goady.

A deliberately obtuse post from OP. Anyone who thinks it's simple just to lose weight should question why people ever got overweight in the first place. If it's just sooooo easy then we would all be slim wouldn't we.

Goady, fat shaming nonsense. OP should request this thread is deleted as it's clearly not been created in good faith.

@Hrpuffnstuff1

It’s “lose” by the way.

@DayBath

I agree. Nothing but a nasty, fat shaming thread. As if people aren’t already struggling with their mental health.

This thread needs to be deleted.

I’m four stone overweight and totally ageee with the OP

I have done nothing at all to lose weight over the last year

I think your post has probably given me a kick up the arse OP

Instead of anybody kicking off about a fat shaming post, how about just reading it at face value?

People are too defensive about weight

@SeldomFollowedIt your attitude is the very reason we have an obesity crisis in this country.

You're suggesting the Thread needs to be deleted because you're too sensitive and in denial about your weight and if someone makes.

Grow up love.

@YogaLite

Excellent link about Japan *@Hrpuffnstuff1*

I want to know what happened to Boris's health drive he promised in lockdown1

Apparently he was as fit as two butchers dogs.. Yeah sure you were or are, Boris.

The majority of people in my age group are unhealthy, excessive calories, swamps the organs and bloodstream. Fat on the outside means fat invading the bloodstream and surrounding the vital organs.

If we know 75% are overweight/obese, and the excuse is addiction of depression, we really are doomed. But I don't believe it, cut that figure by half and outcomes will be better health wise for everyone.
The NHS should not be used as a cure all for peoples recklessness, it's fiscally incapable of doing that. The NHS or any health system is not designed to mitigate health.
We've had decades of body democracy, we're are those advocates now. What an unwise path, voice that turned out to be.
In this country we're free, free choice, but unfortunately we're not free from the repercussions of our actions.

Japan has taken direct action, there's a clear link between food, weight and well being. We're all going to die eventually but not like this.

I've been thinking about this a lot recently and I completely agree with you OP.

Plenty of posters on this thread saying that pointing out that obesity increases risk from covid is fat shaming but I'm sure they think its perfectly acceptable to shame those who break the rules (and by shaming I mean calling them idiots, selfish, twats etc not just pointing things out).

If 100% of the population stuck to the rules then the NHS would still be overwhelmed due to spread within the rules. Hospitals, care homes, workplaces, supermarkets etc. But if 100% of the population were a healthy weight then I'm pretty sure the NHS would not be overwhelmed, despite the pandemic.

I'm overweight, I know it's not good for my health, and I don't mind being reminded of it every so often as it gives me the kick up the arse I need to do something about it.

@Iamsososoexcited

I genuinely don’t *@MerryInthechelseahotel* Mental health / poverty don’t account for 77% of people in my age group. What else is at play? People are not seeing families, restricting lives (in accordance with government rules) but not doing the one thing that can help them?

What else is at play is that humans are designed to eat calorific foods if they are available to store fat. Literally how we have evolved. Now highly calorific foods are in over abundance all year round and most people eat far far more calories than they use. It’s literally as simple as that. To go against evolution and how your brain is naturally wired takes huge will power and determination every day. Most people just don’t have that or CBA / take the east route with food and so you get 73% overweight.

[quote SeldomFollowedIt]@Hrpuffnstuff1

It’s “lose” by the way.[/quote]
Thanks, hardly a literary piece from my phone is it.
There are grammatic errors, I'd like to change but we can't can we.
The point stands.

If being in intensive care unable to breath with covid isn’t the incentive people need to lose weight, then nothing is. It’s not fat shaming to say that obesity is a factor of people dying, it’s a proven fact.

@tootsytoo

Not at all. I believe this country has an obesity crisis. One great book to read is “why we eat too much”. It is written by a doctor in London who specialises in obesity. It explains exactly why people are overweight, and how to solve it long term. It is not just a case of a calorie deficit, you wouldn’t want to read that though and educate yourself, as judging from your comments you validate yourself through fat shaming others.

I do believe this thread should be deleted at a time when peoples mental health is really suffering. That’s not me being overly sensitive. It’s about having some empathy. Something you wouldn’t know anything about.

Also just being curious,
why do fat people, who in your opinion make excuses about being fat make you feel sick? (Your words).

If anyone needs to grow up it’s you. Perhaps gain some true self esteem by building yourself up from within, instead of knocking others when they are already down.

@Happymum12345

Agreed and I don’t think anyone has denied that. Obesity in this country is a huge problem.

It does then however become fat shaming when you read statements such as “their excuses make me sick”.

Small minded, and lacking in empathy.

Ah - @Iamsososoexcited is the poster who posted the equally lacking-in-sensitivity post about going on holiday to the Maldives followed by a trip to Switzerland to go skiing.

I think you need to learn to read the room and have a bit more empathy, consideration and sensitivity.

I also note that originally you posted in AIBU rather than in the Coronavirus topic, almost as if you wanted to spark this kind of rather goady debate.

Facts are one thing. How you talk about them are totally another.

What is more important?

Facts or feelings?

The trouble with social media, is that we dont know who we are talking to.
In real life, we can change what we say and how we say it, according to who we are speaking to. Or even choose not to say anything at all.
On a social media forum, we are talking to [well people are choosing to come and listen] everyone, and all at the same time.

I'm in that age group and through the menopause, badly, it's very hard work not to.put in weight let alone lose it.

It's an absolute essential for me to keep to a good BMI, so I do what it takes, but it's so hard work, the discipline and determination required certainly is a huge challenge.

Like most I eat for comfort and I need more comfort when stressed, sleep deprived and bored, so this year has made it twice harder.

I'm managing because I am born a determined person and do thrive on challenges. Most people don't have that level of determination so appreciate it's even harder for them.

Saying that, it is in all of us to do it, denial is the biggest pest.

Interestingly, there is a lot of anger posted at me. At no point have I been goady, aggressive or sworn. I have simply asked “what are we, as a nation, going to do?” A nation where is 73% are overweight is not good. Something needs to be done.

Why are people so quickly so angry and aggressive when asked to talk about weight? Maybe if people weren’t we could make some progress. Until then what they hope and ask for, as in the case of please delete this thread, is that we will shut up and allow this self destructive path to be allowed to continue.

When my boyfriend (now husband) smoked, I made it a deal breaker based on losing my grandad. He didn’t get angry, he accepted what I was saying was true, worked hard and quit.

You did not ask what we are going to do as a country. You asked why people, individuals, are not losing weight because you apparently cannot possibly understand why.

@GlittercheeksOakleaf The people make up the country... 🙄

There's a gazillion posts on MN about trans ideology and the prevailing view is that facts are more important than feelings.

Conversely, there’s a gazillion posts on MN about weight issues and prevailing view is that feelings are more important than facts.

Totally with you OP. YANBU.