Obesity a 'protected condition'?

[tzijlstra 11]

Maybe some people have to work harder than others but it shouldn't be an excuse.

 

I'm sorry, but it is. Growing up as a teen I cycled at least 15 kilometres each day (to school and back), I played either football or basketball for at least an hour a day and in weekends usually four or five, had a paper-route and worked out in the local gym three to four hours a week. I was still more obese than most of my friends.

 

Once I started to only eat vegetables (because I decided to have a vegan period) and upped my gym regime to 12 hours a week I managed to get to a body fat percentage of 9% and be mostly muscle but still weighing in at 105 kg, which was 8 kg less than before I started being obsessed with my body... (But at 6 foot 2 I was still obese according to the stupid tables they apply)

 

Safe to say that that regime didn't last, it was incredibly hard on me, both physically and mentally and I gave up. I am now perfectly happy, sure I am not the most healthy fella out there, but I lead a good life and am enjoying myself rather than obsessing with my weight.

 

So you tell me, should I stop working so I can get more exercise so I can fit in with your world view or should I just tell that world view to stick it up a dark place and be happy.

 

In other words, what gives you or anybody else the right to judge the way I look?

[Cyclone 10]

Sorry Alice, but it really is not. I am not going to debate this to death, but I am getting a bit fed up with this argument. There is increasing evidence that obesity is largely due to different metabolism patterns. You know those skinny people that can eat whatever the heck they want? They have a fast metabolism. Poor saps like me, almost permanent diet and still gain weight, I am on a slow metabolism. (and yes, I do exercise frequently)

 

Although obesity is far more common now, there have always been obese people, due to the obliteration of cheap food the differences in metabolism are really beginning to show.

 

The research in this area is really, really lagging behind, people have always simply assumed that things like BMI etc. were valid, now that people are actually beginning to really dig down due to DNA etc. they are beginning to find more and more flaws with previously held assumptions.

 

Metabolism smatoblism, more calories in than expended = getting fatter.

 

Very few people have any medical reason for obesity other than consuming more energy than they expend. The laws of thermodynamics don't allow for the magical production of fat without food to supply the energy and base material.

 

---------- Post added 08-05-2014 at 11:24 ----------

 

It isn't a choice for many. It is an illness.

 

Your post is surprisingly poorly thought out. Are you sure that you haven't been hacked?

 

An illness is caused by either a malfunction of the body or an outside agent interfering with the body.

Obesity could be caused by a mental illness, at a stretch, but in most cases is caused by eating too much.

 

---------- Post added 08-05-2014 at 11:27 ----------

 

Wow, are you really this sick?

 

---------- Post added 08-05-2014 at 07:58 ----------

 

 

So i should stop enjoying life because i have a slow metabolism? No thanks, I'll decide for myself.

 

If an airline wishes to charge massively obese people for two seats though then it should be able to.

[Grenoside123 10]

Heard on Radio 4 today that moves are afoot in the US to make discrimination against overweight people illegal, in the same way that it's not allowed to discriminate against individuals or groups on the basis of disability, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, etc.

 

But surely obesity is - for most people- a choice, whereas all the other things are not.

 

Doesn't seem like the best way to 'turn the tanker round' and get Americans back on the right path to health...?

 

I agree with you. I would guess (and I'm sure I'd be correct) that the vast majority of obese people are fat as a result of their own actions, ie, eating the wrong foods in excess, and doing very little along the lines of exercise. I think to lump them in with people who are discriminated against through no fault of their own is quite a kick in the teeth for these groups. It also sends the message out that it's OK to be obese rather than encouaging people to try and better their health and lifestyle.

[tzijlstra 11]

Metabolism smatoblism, more calories in than expended = getting fatter.

 

Very few people have any medical reason for obesity other than consuming more energy than they expend. The laws of thermodynamics don't allow for the magical production of fat without food to supply the energy and base material.

 

You do know there are increasing amounts of obesity specialists that completely disagree with that view don't you?

 

Have a search for leptin and ghrelin, but there are countless other factors that are increasingly coming to the forefront as being common denominators in obese populations.

 

Like I said elsewhere, there is no denying that you only get fat when eating too much, however it isn't as simple as you want to make it appear. Medical scientists are increasingly in each others' hair over this as well and it wouldn't be the first time that basic assumptions have never been proven in empiric research but were simply taken for granted as being true.

 

---------- Post added 08-05-2014 at 11:46 ----------

 

If an airline wishes to charge massively obese people for two seats though then it should be able to.

 

Yes, and? do I object to that?

 

---------- Post added 08-05-2014 at 11:51 ----------

 

By the way, this discussion in the US is to do with employment law, people are getting fired for being obese or not recruited for being obese, both instances I am fairly sure are already illegal in the UK.

[Maz3 10]

Just to add my two penn'orth. I am a large(ish) person who has always struggled to maintain an ideal weight for my height. I have mostly given up this ideal, but try and concentrate on not clapping any more on. Many people are in this boat, particularly as we get older.

 

There are all sorts of factors at play here. Lack of exercise, an abundance of high calorie food, ageing, sedentary lifestyles and work, medical factors ... I found I was snacking and drinking a lot while I watched TV, and cutting down on TV has helped.

 

An observation about 'slow metabolisms'. This is actually the body working at the peak of effectiveness, making the most of the calories it gets. People with slow metabolisms were probably most likely to make it out of concentration camps alive.

[Bypassblade 10]

Yawn...OK Tzijlstra, let me ask you one "defining" trump card question.

 

Where were all the belsen prisoners with slow metabolism. Not one fat person walked out of there. If you are obese, (slow metab or not) and you ate just one lettuce leaf each day and nothing else, even with no exercise at all, you would lose weight and lots of it. Game over. Close the topic.

 

No, not one person did walk out fat, but they'd beat starved beaten, starved until they were just skin and bones, there's wasn't the new Cambridge diet introduced by the Nazis

[DeathAxe 10]

Heard on Radio 4 today that moves are afoot in the US to make discrimination against overweight people illegal, in the same way that it's not allowed to discriminate against individuals or groups on the basis of disability, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity, etc.

 

But surely obesity is - for most people- a choice, whereas all the other things are not.

 

Doesn't seem like the best way to 'turn the tanker round' and get Americans back on the right path to health...?

 

Like homosexuality then? *hides*

[ivanava 10]

You do know there are increasing amounts of obesity specialists that completely disagree with that view don't you?

 

Have a search for leptin and ghrelin, but there are countless other factors that are increasingly coming to the forefront as being common denominators in obese populations.

 

Like I said elsewhere, there is no denying that you only get fat when eating too much, however it isn't as simple as you want to make it appear. Medical scientists are increasingly in each others' hair over this as well and it wouldn't be the first time that basic assumptions have never been proven in empiric research but were simply taken for granted as being true.

 

---------- Post added 08-05-2014 at 11:46 ----------

 

 

Yes, and? do I object to that?

 

---------- Post added 08-05-2014 at 11:51 ----------

 

By the way, this discussion in the US is to do with employment law, people are getting fired for being obese or not recruited for being obese, both instances I am fairly sure are already illegal in the UK.

 

Using the airline example, I wouldn't expect one to employ a 30 stone Flight attendant.

[Mister M 1,609]

Like homosexuality then? *hides*

 

When did you make the conscious decision to be straight?

[DeathAxe 10]

When did you make the conscious decision to be straight?

 

I was just being daft :-)

[vwkittie 10]

I'm sorry, but it is. Growing up as a teen I cycled at least 15 kilometres each day (to school and back), I played either football or basketball for at least an hour a day and in weekends usually four or five, had a paper-route and worked out in the local gym three to four hours a week. I was still more obese than most of my friends.

 

Once I started to only eat vegetables (because I decided to have a vegan period) and upped my gym regime to 12 hours a week I managed to get to a body fat percentage of 9% and be mostly muscle but still weighing in at 105 kg, which was 8 kg less than before I started being obsessed with my body... (But at 6 foot 2 I was still obese according to the stupid tables they apply)

 

Safe to say that that regime didn't last, it was incredibly hard on me, both physically and mentally and I gave up. I am now perfectly happy, sure I am not the most healthy fella out there, but I lead a good life and am enjoying myself rather than obsessing with my weight.

 

So you tell me, should I stop working so I can get more exercise so I can fit in with your world view or should I just tell that world view to stick it up a dark place and be happy.

 

In other words, what gives you or anybody else the right to judge the way I look?

 

I don't think anyone's judging you, I'm just saying I have personal, medically recognised experience of *genuinely* having a slow metabolism and I can assure you, if you did you would be physically incapable of going to the gym 12 hours a week - your heart wouldn't be able to pump properly, you'd be having serious palpitations, and you'd be racked with muscular pain constantly, not to mention having serious thoughts of suicide and episodes of rage brought on by the mood swings.

[mart 71]

 

So we increase lettuce production, build concentration camps and feed camp incumbents on lettuce? A lot cheaper and easier to waggle a finger or two at the same time feeding a need...be careful you don't get obese on it though.[/quote

 

Feed the masculine ones lettuce too, otherwise it wouldn`t be a reasistic trial.