"Too old and too fat" interview with a Theresa Coffey

[itsgettingweird]

Now that's not actually what she said!

She suggested some of the reasons why our death rate may be comparably higher is because we have an aging population and have an obesity problem.

Piers Morgan chose the words too old and too fat because he's the test he is and likes to play mind games.

Dr Hilary actually backed her up and said our average is higher and our obesity is higher than most other European countries.

He also said this could be a contributing factor alongside other factors we know about which of course is boarders, failed T and T and late lockdowns.

PM suggested she was blaming the public. I didn't see it that way. She was pointing out it could be a contributing factor - she certainly wasn't blaming the 90yo for being 90 and catching covid and dying!

Boris himself said his weight was probably a contributing factor to why he suffered badly. He accepted that there was some responsibility on his part to rectify this.

Did anyone else feel it was totally blaming the public or just a way of adding reasonable contributing factors whilst failing to continuously acknowledge the governments own contributing failures?!

It’s not like she is young fit and skinny is it so actually I think she was just stating statistical facts and hush they are. Piers Morgan is just a tit!

He is!!!!

They were both so smug and thanked her for being the first minister to suggest reasons for our death rate - in fact 2.

Then totally smuggly twisted it into she was blaming the nation for being too old and too fat.

For a start it's no ones fault we have an aging population - but it is fact.

And it is our fault we have an obesity problem (I'm overweight too) as that is a personal responsibility.

And as you say she's no skinny Minnie Aldi g chicken herself and I didn't get the feeling she was blaming the population.

Just stating facts backed up by Dr H.

Well, we are an old, relatively fat nation so it's probably right

I think Piers has a bit of a complex as he's put quite a bit of chub on.

It won't be helping. The younger people dying without comordities seem to be overweight. Covid puts pressure on the lungs and heart. These are already having to work much harder for obese people so it follows they are sadly more likely to die.

@lunapeace

I think Piers has a bit of a complex as he's put quite a bit of chub on.

🤣🤣

I think he defiantly has some kind of complex.

Think it's mainly a superiority one!

I'm 5"7 and 14 st 3. I'm over weight and size 14-16 (more comfortable at 16 end)

I've put on a nearly a stone since lockdown 1.

My BMI is now in obese range (31).

I know I need to eat better and exercise more. I know I'm about 2 stone and more like 3 overweight.

We have an odd idea of overweight in this country and no one ever thinks I'm over weight. They think I have some kind of issue because I say I am and that I need to get myself sorted.

He's just shit stirring. Anyone with any sense would understand that fitness, weight and age were contributing factors to most health issues.

I think part of the issue is the recent wave of the Fat Acceptance movement and how obesity and being overweight have become normalized or being portrayed as "healthy", even though it's anything but. If you're overweight or obese, your health and mortality are at greater risk whether covid is around or not.

I find it crazy when I see headlines like "Young, Healthy Person Dies of Covid-19!" but when you see a photo of them, you see that they're obese. Being overweight isn't described as being a health problem anymore, when the fact is being overweight or obese puts you at much higher risk.

The unfortunate thing too is that lockdown isn't making anyone any healthier, and the issue of us being an unfit nation, if anything, looks to increase only further.

@faerin

I think part of the issue is the recent wave of the Fat Acceptance movement and how obesity and being overweight have become normalized or being portrayed as "healthy", even though it's anything but. If you're overweight or obese, your health and mortality are at greater risk whether covid is around or not.

I find it crazy when I see headlines like "Young, Healthy Person Dies of Covid-19!" but when you see a photo of them, you see that they're obese. Being overweight isn't described as being a health problem anymore, when the fact is being overweight or obese puts you at much higher risk.

The unfortunate thing too is that lockdown isn't making anyone any healthier, and the issue of us being an unfit nation, if anything, looks to increase only further.

Agree.

I know my current weight is affecting my health - albeit only slightly. I feel unfitter and also when I'm feeling more bloated i get more acid reflux.

There have been studies about healthy gut and covid.

We do also have a much higher average age of living. If you have higher numbers of over 85's you'll have more deaths in numbers of this age range. It's just basic numbers.

I don't deny late lockdowns and greater infections numbers are also a contributing factor.
But if (for example as I don't have actual figures) we have higher numbers if 40-50's dying than other countries per 100k of population it must be due to other factors. Death rates and death numbers are different.

That is exactly what she said.

When asked what the main reasons for the highest death toll in the world were she came up with elderly people and obesity.

Piers Morgan simply repeated this to her using words like 'old' and 'fat'.

She chose to blame these categories rather than admitting the government shambolic 'management' of the pandemic is the main reason for the chaos.

Then she ran away by cutting the interview short when she realised what she had just said which is simply cowardly for a minister...

Car crash interview.

Not to mention that she is herself overweight and that there are pics of her circulating in Twitter right now with a cigar in her mouth and a glass of alcohol in her hand. Hardly a shining example of healthy living, so she is not exactly well placed to lecture others on that point...

@ElectraBlue

That is exactly what she said.

When asked what the main reasons for the highest death toll in the world were she came up with elderly people and obesity.

Piers Morgan simply repeated this to her using words like 'old' and 'fat'.

She chose to blame these categories rather than admitting the government shambolic 'management' of the pandemic is the main reason for the chaos.

Then she ran away by cutting the interview short when she realised what she had just said which is simply cowardly for a minister...

Car crash interview.

You've missed the point.

We've already all agreed as I stated in my OP that she deliberately avoided the governments mistakes.

But she didn't say we are "too old and too fat". She said we have an aging population and higher levels of obesity.

The way PM twisted it was to use inflammatory and emotional language and he knew exactly what he was doing and he knows exactly why he did it.

Dr H actually backed up it's a influencing factor in our death rates alongside the other stuff.

The point is she didn't blame the population - she made a factually correct observation. Albeit ignoring the other glaringly obvious reasons such as late lockdowns.

Boris himself admitted that being overweight was a contributor to his bad experience of Covid. It's a fact, why do we shy away so much from the issue that even before the lockdowns we were an unfit, overweight population. Look at us in comparison to Japan? Difference between light and day.

It's hardly headline news that being overweight is a major issue with regard to health, is it?
We've know it for years, but Covid is ramming the message home, it rather, it should be.

Piers Morgan. Unwatchable twat. A strong Trump supporter before Trump's lunacy became embarrassing.

Exactly. She didn't say anything that wasn't factual.

Although she did avoid any of the blame falling on governments actions.

And she didn't use emotive and as she called it "insulting language" and blame the nation for being "too old and too fat"

She simply said we have an older and aging population and therefore likely we had more deaths as deaths are age related and we have an obesity problem which we know is a risk factor.

Another thing I think they aren't looking at which is clearly a factor is percentage of BAME population. We also know that's a risk factor.

Obviously there's no denying that late lockdowns and action mean more infections but more infections in an at risk population due to its demographics will have an impact.

Well we do have a problem with obesity, so...?

Piers Morgan just says whatever he thinks will win him points. Many people won't like the subject of obesity pointed out though - you just have to have seen previous threads on here where a healthcare professional has brought up the issue of someone's weight and they have become hysterical, asking if they are being unreasonable to put in a complaint against the HCP.

As a nation, we are too fat and too unhealthy (myself included) and it is putting a massive, unsustainable financial strain on the NHS. Then folk get upset when the NHS can't afford enough staff and other resources and deliver a (in their eyes) below par service.

Agree.

But I'm not even sure it was the fact she mentioned obesity.

I just think in his mind it was the fact he could become what he considers his superior self and twist the wording to make it sound like an insult.

He ended it when Dr H agreed it was likely a contributing factor alongside the government failures. He pointed out we have one of the worst rates in Europe and are almost as bad as America.

She has a point Piers definitely twisted the wording it has been well documented coronavirus affects the elderly and obese.
Personally I don't think it's the only reason for the deaths.

I think it’s fairly obvious this is largely a disease of the metabolically unhealthy in younger people.

There are also some people with other conditions but by and large it’s the overweight who are struggling

Why can’t we just say it? And why can’t we have an honest discussion about the damage it does?

There is no such thing as fat and healthy. I’m not fat shaming or finding overweight people “disgusting” as you hear said on MN. Just that if you can, you have a responsibility to yourself to maintain a healthy weight.

If PM had interviewed Dr Hilary & he had given the same answer I imagine Dr H would have been applauded for his honesty.

But because a fat, older female said it...

'Then she ran away by cutting the interview short when she realised what she had just said which is simply cowardly for a minister...'

She didn't run away, she had another interview, Morgan had kept her waiting for her allotted time so tough.

He needs to learn how to interview people he is an amateurish prat. I cringe whenever I see him trying to 'grill' anyone. Susanne Reid omg where is her pride to be sat next to that arsehole every day.

It’s odd how it’s become a problem to state that being old or fat isn’t ideal for longevity

His interview skills are awful he obnoxiously shouts over or refuses to allow the person speak.