Michael Buerk. Is obesity a disease?

merlotgran, I've tried just about every permutation of weight loss. I've lost the whole lot several times but it doesn't stay off. To lose weight past the first stone now, I have to cut down to one meal a day, of very low cal food.

It isn't just the dieting. It's the KEEPING it off long term.

I CAN get motivated. But every time I have to do it, it's harder. Remember, I've been trying this for over 40 years.

The same for hypermobility. Building muscle strength and not stressing joints with excess body weight protects the body from the regular sprains and injury that hypermobility makes you prone to!

Where there is a genetic element: genes only load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger

With underlying diseases like thyroid, lifestyle becomes MORE important not less

And with things like fibromyalgia, movement and healthy diet are the only current "cure" anyway as well as a possible cause!

"Fat shaming" USED to mean being unkind to an individual

Now though its morphed into an attempt to shut down any real discussions or warnings etc about obesity.

The RISE in obesity is not because of genetics or thyroids or mobility limiting disabilities.

The RISE in obesity, and the "normality" of being overweight (which can easily slip into obesity, but not so easily back out of it) is because of a change in overall lifestyle/society.

Used to be that your clothes would "warn" you if you over indulged but so many things these days have lycra/elastic etc in them that you can gain well over a stone before your clothes dont fit!

Its easy for things to slide especially if youre distracted with life events. And the more it slides before you really realise, the harder it is to undo!

Its also harder to notice if you are sliding into obesity if "average/normal" these days is over weight anyway (and we're all supposed to pretend thats not happening, and be "positive" about the changing shape of society" and you still look okay relative to your peers.

I would never ever tell anyone they've put on weight, but this thread is about weight gain.
Its fine and not rude to discuss it, its just that people get very defensive about it.

Friends or family absolutely do not have the right to say that you have "put on a few pounds"

For some people it is a "creep"

You would say if a loved on was smoking or drinking too much. But not if theyre eating too much? Even though its just as harmful?

Notanan2 - it's fat shaming that's the problem, why would you want to shame anyone if you were genuinely trying to help them with a problem. Friends or family absolutely do not have the right to say that you have "put on a few pounds" your GP or consultant of course could and should tell you about your weight because they are more aware of your health circumstances and have no hidden agendas other than to help you in the right way of keeping healthy. To anyone out there who may not know or understand, you are not helping a fat person in anyway by telling them they are putting on weight. It's rude and none of your business. If you are concerned say if it's a very close family member bear in mind that they may have unmet needs and there could be a bigger problem in the background and let them know that you are there for them if they have any concerns. If they voice their weight to you then maybe you can start talking about it, otherwise say nowt, whether that be in regards to weight or anything else.

Gagajo. Have you thought of finding a slimming buddy? A friend who will join you in doing WeightWatchers online? You don't have to go to meetings and you can compare weight loss and jolly eachother along. The recipes are delicious.

There's no need to struggle alone and you may be amazed at how soon you start to see your weight coming down.

Part of the problem is that it cant be discussed as a problem without wails of "fatshaming"

If you are someone who suffers from "slow creep" weight gain, in the past friends/family/gps could say "you've put on a few pounds" but now we're all supposed to pretend society isnt getting fatter and society is losing sight of what a normal healthy body or a normal healthy meal looks like..

I'm overweight. I've been overweight my whole adult life to differing degrees. It's probably going to kill me. My mum and dad are slim. My granny, who I look like, was fat.

I'm active. I was fat all through my gym years when I exercised regularly in the gym, taking classes, swimming. I try not to eat crap. I love veg and was dissuaded by my GP from eating too much fruit.

I've been on diets, more or less, my entire adult life. I literally can't control my weight. The downside to the constant dieting, is that my metabolism is now very low, meaning I have to cut down to under 800 calories a day to lose weight. Which is FINE and I can do it. But not permanently and eventually, I weaken and the weight goes back on.

I would love to have some help with my ongoing problem. I'd love to be able to control my weight to ensure I can spend as much time as possible with my lovely grandson. But there isn't any help available and I can't do it alone. I've tried Weight Watchers, Slimming World etc. Not for me.

Be as judgmental as you like. But I'm cursed with this weight and I need help. Being cruel won't help and makes you part of the problem.

Unless there's a medical problem causing it e.g. thyroid, being overweight is down to what you eat and how active you are. My OH and my sister are both obese. Sister is very inactive and eats mostly carbohydrates cakes, sandwiches, etc. OH is very active but drinks guiness, eats large packets of crisps, large portions of cheese and crackers every day as well as big cooked meals. He's overweight. The reason why has become more obvious since he retired. It's not a disease but I think comfort eating. Same as any addiction.

I wonder if being ignorant, rude and without empathy is a disease or is it entirely of ones own fault? Or maybe it's genetics. I do hate it when I see mothers with their screwed up sour faces and then see their sneering, judgemental offspring hopping behind them. Apologies to the kind natured people on this discussion for the above remark. I felt uncomfortable writing it but was trying to demonstrate some sort of comparison. Whether you are fat or thin, love yourself and try as much as you can to be happy with you because as clearly demonstrated on this thread there are many people who will try to cut the legs from under you to elevate themselves. Kindness in word or deed is beauty personified and there are many beautiful people.

It's been said here before. "Eat food, mostly plants, not too much."

And if you care at all about your health, including weight, read How Not To Die by Dr Michael Greger. 658 pages long, currently online for the price of a couple of lattes. It is thoroughly researched and has a couple of hundred pages of Notes at the back citing the scientific research papers that informed the book. It is an absolute eye-opener on areas like the deceptions practised by the giant food corporations.

Or see him online. Or download his Daily Dozen app for a quick way to see what you should eat - daily - for optimal health. And if you eat the range of foods we need for proper health you really won't want or have room for the harmful junk that is so heavily advertised and pushed at us. When did you last see an ad for cabbage?? Why try and subsist on a joyless, punishing diet that is actually starving your body of vital nutrients?

There is an article in the book entitled Does Eating Obesity Cause Obesity? It mentions a study identifying poultry as potentially the most fattening meat. Men and women eating even an ounce of chicken a day had a significantly greater gain in body mass index over the fourteen year follow up period than those who consumed no chicken at all.

Apparently the fat content in poultry has ballooned from less than two grams per serving a century ago to up to twenty-three grams today. That's ten times more fat, and it's "artery-clogging saturated fat". The book is American, so this is interesting stuff to know just before we are likely to have the "privilege" of buying US-raised chickens here.

jenkins
I get that you sounded angry in your post but please...do try to make sense when writing.
Most of your comment makes no sense at all and no normal sentences.
Thank you.

Notanan- the food goes to waste anyway.
Either in the bin or down the drain via your gut after you have extracted the calories??

Hear hear Mumofmadboys. I often have a starter as a main or ask them to wrap up half of what I leave of a main. My friend always carries a Tupperware to bring home leftovers.
Notanan2-what’s this about folks with UAT shouldn’t eat broccoli? I didn’t know that! Wonder what else i’m doing wrong?
I knew a couple of very slim young men who married fat young women and, guess what, within a couple of years the men were fat too! Bad diets.

I wish cafes and restaurants would all sell small portions of each choice

Thanks for that feedback notanan2! I’ve downloaded the app. Will try it!

I am obese.
I'm 4 foot 11 inches (I shrunk an inch due to bone density loss) and I've struggled with my weight for decades.

However, to conclude that I eat rubbish is simply not true. My diet is predominantly healthy and veg based with some white meat and fish. I eat plenty of wholegrains and mostly cook from scratch. We limit processed foods. So why am I obese?

Good question. We do eat out quite a bit, or go away, and during that time we drink wine with meals and eat desserts and cake. I think my portion sizes are too large overall and I eat too fast (causing me to eat beyond when i know I'm full). I sometimes comfort-eat.
I did lose a lot of weight with Slimming World online, just by limiting some foods and increasing the veg. The weight has increased recently and I'm struggling, but I am not a lazy feckless individual who noshes burgers and fries (I loathe them) and I don't drink colas and sugary drinks.

I'd love to lose more weight for my health and I'm trying hard, but don't always make good choices when we're out and I think that is a big problem for me.

Sadly it can be a Catch 22 situation, paddyann.

If you are what you consume, then that would include medication too, some of which can cause weight gain or odoema.

If only it was that simple blue 60

You are what you eat.

I hear you, Day6.

It is sad to know that people are convinced that overweight people have brought it on themselves.

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned much is mental health. Weight gain can be common in depression. Do we have any sympathy for that sort of weight gain or not?