"Men and obesity Wheres the help with weight loss"

[HelenaDove]

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jul/12/men-obesity-weight-loss-help?CMP=twt_gu

I Cant Even. The support for men isnt there because the pressure on men lookswise isnt the same as it is for women.

The article states how hes had to do it all himself. Hes also moaned about how mens articles focus on how to get a six pack in six weeks FFS womens mags have been running articles like "lose 5 pounds in a week" for decades.

Im glad hes achieved the weight loss hes wanted. Speaking as a woman who has lost ten stone i know what its like.

But the situation has arisen in this way because of patriarchy and the pressure women to pass the fuckability test. It is NOT the fault of women. The article says there is more support for women but there is more pressure too.

And the article explains how a FREE weight management programme was created.

Women who go to Slimming World or Weight Watchers have to pay a joining fee and a weekly fee. In a world where women are still paid less than men.

Yes although obesity isn't a male issue, any disparity between men/women I would expect from the cultural assumptions men aren't supposed to ask for help.

A GP friend of mine would be champing at the bit to offer support and advice to anyone who came to her seeking to make lifestyle changes to improve overall health.

I'm no expert but I'd imagine looking at excercise, calorie intake and quite possibly alchahol intake would be better stones to look under.

Oh and getting adequate sleep, I forgot that one.

King im on the dating over 45 thread I commented on there that i like men who look a bit more "lived in"

Dadwashere why do you think stuff in the blog is made up Plenty of women have been commented on and abused in the street. It happened to me when i was bigger.

It is unfortunately a regular occurence as INickedaNames post shows. Ive seen a few weight loss stories of women who lost weight because of bullying or a nasty comment and in these articles the bullying or nasty comment is usually mentioned in just one sentence or less and completely glossed over.
The bullying and abuse is minimized which in turn makes ppl believe that there is no way it could happen on that level but it does.

There are a few experiences on Everyday Sexism and Hollaback too.

Buffy I think has said what I wanted to say - this is a much more nuanced issue than the article (which reads as if it was composed in about 10 minutes last night) suggests.

Healthcare avoidance is a major issue among men, and it's hard to see how HCPs influence this when the challenge is getting them to go to the doctor's at all. As a Public Health problem it certainly needs to be looked at, but there needs to be an evidence base to divert funds away from current provision, i.e. if you build it will they come? The huge discrepancy in numbers of referrals to weight management services compares to what ratio of patients who presented, for example?

Yes, for the time being men will tend to be in the minority when attending most general Weightwatchers sessions. The same way as I am in the minority in every meeting I have had in my entire professional life, I expect. So he had to hear about how menstruation affects your weight - so what? It's true, it does, and it was useful info to nearly everyone present. He's not going to drop down dead because 5 minutes of the session was not personally useful. I don't drink, should I groan every time alcohol is mentioned?

So if his article was intended to be a call to arms for healthcare campaigners to be looking at ways in which public health marketing can be targeted at overweight men - good idea. Crack on. It wasn't, however, I suspect because the Grauniad just wanted a bunfight and not to contribute to an informed debate on men's health.

As it happens I know several men in my group of friends and family who are being extremely open (and successful) about their weight loss and I hope this trend continues.

Brilliant post and analogy Buffy

Dadwashere why do you think stuff in the blog is made up Plenty of women have been commented on and abused in the street.

Oh I know, the abuse is real, my wife is fat and I have lived with lovers who were fat. I am aware of a fair deal of the shit, spoken and unspoken, that fat women have to put up with from some men and women and society in general. But that blog with its 'message from a man', reading like it was penned by Christian Grey after he finished weeping over a Mills and Boon novel, that is just laughable.

It has a lot of epic poetic quality in it... 'I'm a man... With all the red hot lusts of a man..' Thats men for you, not a day goes by we dont declare we are red hot and lustful. 'I'm so disappointed in myself Michelle because I've genuinely not felt this way about anyone in ages.' A man declaring he is disappointed in himself back to back with the woman getting him in touch with feelings he has long lost touch with, how very original. 'I don't want that to happen baby.' lol.. baby.. now I know its Mr Grey. 'I don't want to be lying there next to you, and you asking me why I'm not hard.' Yea, like a guy is ever going to volunteer that short of having a crowbar and blow-torch used on him.

The sexism and misogyny on The Biggest Loser.

features.aol.com/video/biggest-loser-contestant-says-show-was-biggest-mistake-her-life?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00001348