Is being Obese an illness?

[agel]

Yes or No
Im really not trying to start an argument. I want to understand what people actually think/know/believe about this.

I am obese and am trying to gain some sort of control over my eating through therapy at the moment. I’ve tried diets and exercising that do work but long term I don’t seem to be able to change my lifestyle enough to keep the weight off. I hate living like this and how people treat me differently because of my size. My family don’t understand at all. My partner is not understanding and it’s seriously affecting our relationship in many ways. It seems unfair because I don’t feel I have much control over this. It’s actually very lonely being in this situation. I rarely mention the topic of my health or weight to others because pardon the pun it’s always the elephant in the room! But you can almost hear what people are thinking. I hate the judgemental looks and comments. I rarely go out now because of anxiety and panic attacks brought on by this situation.

Would you say the same about depression?

We all know we should be eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and talking with friends and family if we are feeling down and for most of us we can cope with life's ups and downs and yet some people get so depressed that they can't function.

To quote you 'There’s clearly medical conditions that could make it more likely, but it all comes down to the balancing of what goes in and what gets burnt off.'

So even people with disorders such as bipolar are suffering self-imposed misery because they're not touching enough grass and listening to upbeat music because of a lack of self-control and discipline and a lack of wish to do something about it?

It’s different. I thought that would have been obvious?

What is it about obesity being largely a self imposed condition that seemingly offends you?

Just look back even a few decades. People have ballooned in that time period however our basic biology hasn’t changed. That should tell you something.

I’ve struggled with weight throughout my lifetime myself but entirely hold my hands up and accept I’m at my fattest when not exercising and eating healthily whereas I’m leaner when actively eating healthily, not drinking, and exercising.

@ExpectMore something can be self-imposed and also an illness. The two are not mutually exclusive! Surely that is obvious.

I get that the upfront/ongoing cost must appear phenomenal to NHS budget-holders but I do think there's a short-sightedness to this approach. I honestly don't know if anyone has sat down and worked out the vast cost of obesity-related illness to the NHS and other services and weighed that against the upfront outlay on WLI. I don't know if you could. There was a 24 Hours in A&E a while ago with a morbidly obese bloke who ended up there with awful sepsis in his leg. He ended up in ICU but survived. He was someone who had literally lost his job as a bus driver due to his weight, was badly controlled T2D (hence the leg infection) and being treated for depression because he was basically a shut-in - again due to weight. Add up all the costs incurred just in the one snap shot - not just immediate health related but benefits as well - and in a relatively short period of time, then multiply that across the population. I'm not sure withholding WLIs IS cost-effective. (This programme's filming pre-dated WLIs by a year or two - there's a slim chance he might qualify under the ridiculously tight NHS rules now but pretty unlikely).

It's like hearing aids. My DH recently got them. He explored private and NHS options. He ended up going private because - as well as a months-long waiting time - the NHS wouldn't cover rechargeable ones, only battery powered "but we will continually supply the batteries you need for them" . WHAT? How, in the long term, is that cost-effective? The price difference versus however many years of batteries. It seems mad to me.

That’s interesting re hearing aids - reducing waste in the nhs is apparently an aim. this would seem a win win win - reduce cost of batteries, reduce waste through resource efficiency, improve quality (the public users being the customers). With their enormous buying power it ought to be possible to contract for recharging aids. Another them and us situation and shortsightedness. I am prescribed hearing aids but haven’t been able to wear them - it’s chalk and cheese to wearing specs before anyone says it!

It’s not an illness, that much is obvious. It is a disease, per the definition of disease. Self imposed in this case.

In your haste you’ve forgotten the basic facts.

I'm not negating that but informing me about those emotional reactions or perceptions isn't appropriate. It's not really my problem.

You’re right. We all know the “just snap out of it” “just pull your socks up” “ just keep reminding yourself how much you have to be grateful for” bla bla bla. Exactly comparable to “just eat less” “just move more” “just take responsibility” “just control yourself”. Just just just.

It’d be cheaper if people took accountability for their own health and well being and didn’t rely on drugs full stop. They were around years ago when obesity levels were much less. I get that sometimes people need some short-term help but the current levels of demand and use are excessive: it’s another symptom of the trend for instant fixes or rewards rather than the simple basic tried and tested boring approach.

It’s frightening when you look around and see how many folk are obese when you consider the damage they’re doing to themselves and the costs to the tax payer.

I was using the term that the OP used to start the thread.

I would argue that obesity can be both an illness and a disease. Perhaps in your haste it is you who have forgotten the facts?!

Don’t fall into the trap previous poster did of conflating 3 x conditions, supposedly in an attempt to mask the fact that accountability goes a large part to addressing obesity issues.

For some reason, PP seems offended by this despite it being the recognised state of affairs by the medical profession.

I mean, a simple google and review of even the NHS website makes this clear.

Quote:

Causes of overweight and obesityYou put on weight when you your body turns extra calories from food and drink into fat.
This is often caused by:

• not doing enough physical activity to use up calories from food and drink
• eating and drinking more than your body needs, especially food and drinks that are high in fat and sugar

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/overweight-and-obesity/

I understand she used that term, hence I answered no.

You can argue all what you want, and I’ll politely choose to disagree.

In any event, all the debates around whether it’s a disease and / or illness and / or something else are frivolous. Facts of the matter are that it’s largely self imposed and that people can do something about it if they both choose to and apply themselves.

@ExpectMore I don't think there is a single person in the world who doesn't understand that the accumulation of fat on a person's body is caused by an excess consumption of calories.

What causes the person to over consume the calories is the far more interesting question. Although clearly not to you!

Honestly, I don’t need your lecture, perhaps you don’t appreciate it but guess what, I already know.

If you can be arsed to RTFT you might see there’s been varied and mostly thoughtful - and often very personal - conversation. Way beyond the eat less move more take responsibility parroting.

Oh, give it a rest with your judgemental over-simplification of a complex issue.

You clearly believe people who are obese just sit about never trying, never desperately working their way through every weight loss programme, fad diet, latest exercise craze. And nobody's going to convince you otherwise. So I'm not wasting my time trying.

It’s interesting in so far as you quickly get to the answer: “lack of self control” (for those who are aware of what a healthy diet looks like) or “lack of education” (for those who are unaware of what a healthy diet looks like).

In the uk, given the prevalence of education re. healthy eaten, it’s the former.

Some folk like to pontificate when it achieves nothing. Best just taking action when the answer is obvious.

That’s the issue. Everyone looking for the latest quick fire solution or craze when the answer is basic, boring, and right in front of us all: eat a healthy diet and stay active (either through general lifestyle or exercise to augment a sedentary lifestyle).

Not judging anyone btw. Just stating fact. As I noted previously, I’ve struggled with my weight and it’s obvious what’s caused me to put it on when I have and lose it when I have.

Thanks for saying that, I don’t think I’m particularly good but I try to be fair and honest. I actually got some help from a coach a while back about what I hated in myself feeling jealous. I’m never jealous of items - houses, cars, etc- but the cacophony re ease on WLIs was too much. Anyway I found a way and I am genuinely- genuinely- pleased for those whose lives have been transformed. I feel the more we hear this the more chance the rest of us might have at some point, as pressure and persistence can deliver results.

Oh the irony of your observation about some folks liking to pontificate!

I'm not sure it is even an addiction. The majority of people aren't taught nutrition, they arent taught to cook, they eat what is presented to them as easy and readily available, and that means (in most cases) highly processed poor quality food, with far too much sugar, insufficient fibre and often with synthetic ingredients.

I let my spare room a few years ago to a single man about 40yo. I cooked for myself from scratch so I made him breakfast & evening meals at the same time.

He was obese when he moved in, stayed two years and slowly lost weight without trying. The meals I made had lots of veg, meat/fish, eggs or cheese, wholemeal carbs, no sugar. Healthy gut biome is important, requiring a wide variety of fruit and veg for good digestion.

Eating healthily is not difficult but requires basic knowledge that too few people are taught. It's so silly.

I largely agree but isn’t this taught in schools? It was back in the day when I attended and I’m sure they wouldn’t have removed it from the curriculum since then given the prevalence of healthy eating programmes that we’ve had.

ah thank god you’re here to tell fat people why they are fat, and how in your opinion the weight loss injections usage is excessive and it’s really people need to take accountability and stop being lazy and greedy,

honestly, come off mumsnet, write to the who and all the global health authorities, they need to know you’re genius level insights.

then come back and tell us how that went for you.

ps, sorry to hear you can’t afford the meds

Your view is refreshing! I’m fed with how many folk on here take disagreement to be “judgement” and / or a personal attack. We seem to be losing the ability to debate objectively as a country (and at our peril!).

Sure,