the word 'greed'

I think probably quite a lot of people (including myself) are occasionally greedy - and on such occasions they would probably be quite happy to acknowledge it as greed.

I feel that someone who regularly eats so much as to damage their health and affect their mobility, who is not really tasting and enjoying their food and who feels compelled to keep stuffing him or herself, has emotional and psychological issues.

I don't think most people would sneer at people with anorexia and tell them they just need to get some food down them. Over eating is another manifestation of emotional pain and it is cruel and counterproductive to label people who over eat as "greedy".

Apologies Witzend, I evidently got the wrong end of the stick. Hope I haven't offended you as I love GN and feel quite at home here. I don't use any other forums, Facebook, Twitter or Mumsnet, although I think my DD does.

Auntieflo, that was not my opinion - I was relating what a lot of people on another forum think. Evidently I did not make that clear enough, though annsixty did realise what I meant.

To be fair I don't think those opinions were Witzend's own I think she was quoting from another forum. But I agree with you why should we sell "cheaply" to benefit someone else and deprive ourselves. I would rather give my home to my own children and that is not going to happen either until they inherit it.

Witzend, we are not greedy, just because we are still living in our family home. We are living here because we cannot find a smaller home in our locality, that doesn't cost more than the one we are living in. I would actually quite like to move to a smaller home, nearer the. Centre of town, but until my Fairy Godmother appears, waving her wand, it's not going to happen. We have not connived to make our house price rocket, how? Just by living here for 48 years!! As for endless cruises, we have had three over the past 20 odd years. Not really living the high life, are we? and they were for special occasions, and we saved for them. We have gradually improved our home, for our comfort and convenience. I think we deserve it, and I'm not sorry to be still here, whatever you may think about folk like us.

'Greed' is used a lot on another forum I visit, but it's nothing to do with food. It's the 'greed' of baby boomers who (among other things) prefer to stay in their family homes rather than sell cheaply to someone younger and downsize. Or who (as they like to think) have deliberately connived at rocketing house prices so that a) they can crow about how much their houses are worth, and b) take equity release, so they can go on endless cruises.

ab No-one has scoffed at anything or anyone on this thread, as far as I can see. Why do you use such emotive language yourself, while complaining that others do?

And organisations such as Weight Watchers, Slimmers' World etc would not be doing so well if people did not need help to control their eating.
(Fat Club as my DIL calls it )

If they did a re-make of Fat Friends would they be allowed to call it that?
And naughty Little Britain's Marjorie Dawes?

Marjorie Dawes [Fat Fighters are discussing foods]: Dust. Anybody? No? High in fat, low in fat? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. It's actually very low in fat. You can have as much dust as you like.

Anniebach what has the word 'bastard' or 'mistress' got to do with being 'fat' or 'overweight'. I cant see your reasoning.

No matter what we call overweight people of which I am one, no one can get away from the fact that they (we) eat more than we burn off in activity. I do understand that those who are not so active can find it hard but others simply eat. The OP was about the terminology.

btw I have no issue with bastards, partners or mistresses.

But the question wasn't about some people , there are overweight people who are so because they eat too much but this doesn't mean they are all greedy or gluttons , there is more than one type of eating disorder

Yes, steroids do put on weight or cause puffiness. Yes, the medication I am on causes odoema. But the majority of fat/obese people are not on steroids and scarcely any will be on the same medication as me.

I don't know where the 'or' crept in above post

I think 'fat' or is preferable to 'obese'.
I can't stand the word 'obese' personally. It is a vile word imo.

What on earth have children being born out of wedlock got to do with this thread
Unless they are fat, of course.

And your definition of 'mistress' is the same as mine mollie, the lover of a married man, or a man who is in a long-term partnership with someone else.

The question was is not using greedy or glutton political correctness , I don't think caring about people's feelings is political correctness and not all obesity is caused by over eating anyway so no more the fault of a person who may put on weight from taking steroids than it is the fault of an illegitimate child born out of wedlock . Why do we need to scoff at the use of words which are used to ease a persons feelings

You can't help being a bastard, or illegitimate, it's not something you can do anything about so I see no point in name calling particularly as society doesn't really distinguish on which side of the wedding ceremony you were born. Isn't a mistress someone you have an affair with on the side, someone you 'keep' for your pleasure and who knows what she's doing rather than live with in a loving but unmarried partnership? Being greedy is being greedy and you can do something about that just as you can chose not to be someone's mistress if the label upsets you. I don't think individuals get called greedy or gluttons but, as said before, as a society I think we are. I've worked with doctors and very few of them would explain our obesity problem as being caused by underlying medical issues. Very few. I don't think it helps anyone, least of all the people with the weight issues (and I am one) to pretend it's out of our hands. We can do something about but we choose not to. So we continue to eat more than we need - we continue to be greedy, we continue to live like gluttons.

Maybe not for long ... I've bought an interesting book about healthy eating. Wish me luck!

Exactly Annodomini , nothing to do with political correctness, obese is far less harsh in my opinion, what doctor would say you are a glutton or stop being greedy . I don't understand why obesity does not get the same response as anorexia , both kill

My rheumatologist didn't mention the 'f' word but she did tell me that I was obese and she was right. I once was a Weightwatchers leader and I know that there are as many reasons for being overweight as there are overweight people. None of these is simply greed.

One problem is portion size and a lot more eating out. Portions are much bigger than they used to be and probable contain a lot more fat and sugar.

I think our relationship with food is formed at a very early age and has a lot of strong emtional connotations. Addiction is involved and from what I have seen on TV programs some food combinatioin are more addictive than others. Fatty food and sugar and fatty food together.

I seem to be much more prone to putting on weight than I used to and I have no thyroid problems to blame.
But of course it all is good for the coffers of the food and drink industries.
supermarket isles marked "snacking".
Whinge over I have decided today will be my 5/2 2 day 500 calories.

Ethelbags , do you call illigitimate children bastards ? do you call women in a long term relationship a mistress not a partner ?

Or it is just such a waste to throw it out! (a hangover from the rationing days?)

Yes, there is that attitude too, Jalima. I used to have to throw out dried up crusts to prevent a certain family member volunteering to 'eat them up' and getting even more overweight

But years ago, there was just less food in people's houses, I think.

My GP is extremely overweight herself. It must be difficult for her to give advice to an obese patient who's worried about their weight. I expect most GPs refer their patients to a dietician if the problem isn't medical.

they could probably tell someone their BMI is above what it should be, but not say 'you are too fat'.

It is ridiculous that GP is not allowed to mention that someone is overweight, Im sure many people would try to lose weight if a doctor tells them. I know I would.

Nowadays, it's easy to persuade yourself that it's not being greedy to eat that extra piece of cake,
Or it is just such a waste to throw it out! (a hangover from the rationing days?)

I heard that GPs were not allowed to mention the 'f' word to patients in case it upset them, even if they are obese.

You can call me 'pleasantly plump' etheltbags