How We Should Treat Obese and Overweight Individuals

[Anonymous]

I think the YouTube presenter makes a very good point. Obesity has a genetic factor. Genes affect one's self-control ability, metabolic rate, and appetite.

Unfortunately, every time when genetics is brought up, detractors just retort that genetics is just an "excuse" for obese and overweight to "refuse to lose weight" as if it's a "conscious choice" to remain unhealthy. That is far from reality. In reality, many people who are actually overweight or obese are struggling to lose weight. They already acknowledge that they are overweight, and they are struggling to lose it because of so many commitments. Portion control and appetite may seem like things you have control over, but in reality, some people naturally have bigger appetites than others and eat bigger portions to feel full. Combined with lack of physical activity in an increasingly convenient world, this causes weight gain in some individuals.

When overweight individuals lose weight, it's no wonder that some people buy those colorful portion-control cups to help them lose weight, while other people already have healthy appetites to feel full. What the YouTube presenter fails to mention is the correlation between poverty in developing countries and slim bodies. If people were poor and food is scarce, then individuals who are genetically predisposed to be overweight would be of normal weight and healthy-looking, while the individuals who are genetically predisposed to be "normal weight" would be extremely thin or dead. I think, in this situation, it's survival of the fattest. So, we should give some credit to people who have the "fat gene", because the fat gene may be a very adaptive trait in an impoverished environment.

I believe that people should be mindful of the genetics aspect of obesity and become more sympathetic and supportive to the struggles of obese individuals in their weight loss journey. We already treat mentally ill individuals with sympathy and care, even though mental illness comes with a social stigma as well. On Quora, formerly overweight individuals report that they feel that they are being treated better by their peers just for being slender and attractive.

The stark difference in treatment between overweight and normal-weight individuals highlights the injustice that overweight people face. If we are to make the world a better place, then we must see the whole picture and understand the psychological profile of obese individuals. With an accurate examination of the person's body and brain, we can effectively treat the person's obesity. For ordinary people who don't have medical expertise, it's not their business to disparage overweight people as "lazy" or "lacking in self-control". Okay, maybe the lack of self-control is partly true, but overweight people are not doing it intentionally.

So, the take-home message is this:

- We should celebrate human diversity. People who are more genetically predisposed to gain weight are more fortunate than people who are more genetically predisposed to be slender in a calorie-deficient environment. Having "good genes" is highly dependent on how your genes adapt to the environment; there is no absolute fitness metric.

- We should recognize the psychology and biology of obesity. Doing so may help us sympathize with overweight individuals and their struggles in losing weight.

[Brokenheartedx]

My sister is quite large... but she wasn't always that way she used to be skinny as a rake.. her boyfriend would feed her up.. so it's not all down to genetics just some men don't like their women being to thin as they are scared of losing their women... if uve a man who deliberately feeds up a girlfriend/boyfriend buying high fat and takeaways constant it's a bad sign.. we all think it's because of the women or men.. they are lazy.. that's not the case sometimes it's down to their partners insecurity who do it on purpose by time person realises what's gone on their 7 stone heavier and can't deal withosing weight as it brings on health problems.. just another form of abuse that's always overlooked

The indicator is a skinny girl who played sports was in sports teams then becomes mega huge in a space of 2 years

So the lesson there is to be kind and understanding as u don't kno what's going on..

I only call one girl names and the reason for that is before I knew she was large she'd call me up with abuse picking on me.. when I found out she was large I let rip and believe me I just went for her.. she picked on me and my body for no reason, that was the only time

[myTake Owner]

True. Though, I don't think overfeeding is always done with negative intention. In some cultures, fatness is associated with familial wealth, and people are attracted to that. So, families would overfeed their children, if they have extra money to spend on food products. But people in these environments may not have access to processed junk food, so overfeeding the children becomes harder and harder as the children grow up. What happens is that the overweight children may grow up into normal-weight adults, unless they are constantly being fed excessive number of fatty and sweet foods.

[Brokenheartedx]

My mum didn't feed us sweets we rarely got them.. it was like 1 little custard cream and a glass of milk..
I've seen what obesity can do.. a woman I know developed diabetes and she still ate bad and ended up losing her legs then her life.. my sister she is terrified of losing weight because she thinks she will be left with saggy skin.. I do honestly believe a lot of obsessed people have the same thoughts if I lose weight I'll have I tuck my stomach skin into my knickers.. i feel so bad for obese people it's damned if they do or damned if they don't

[myTake Owner]

My immigrant parents came from a culture, where sweets were associated with wealth. So, the food that ordinary people ate was rarely sweet. So, I never developed a sweet tooth, and when given something savory or sweet, I prefer savory. That just limits the type of junk food I can consume. Potato chips are too abrasive for me, so that also limits the type of junk food. So, if I were to consume junk food, I can probably accept Ramen noodles and the like.

[gobsmacked3]

No disrespect intended but it irks me why people feel the need to ask these type of questions

The essence of living is regardless of anything- show the same respect to all

[inceptin951]

I think people should offer constructive criticism if an overweight person asks them how they look instead of lying to them and telling them their weight is fine. However, people should not offer criticism in a bullying type of way. Studies have shown that the vast majority of people who are overweight are not genetically predisposed to being overweight. It is due to their diet and lack of exercise.

Unfortunately in the US our foods are all processed which means we have extra fat in all of our foods so no matter what you eat, you gain a lot more than you would if you eat organic food. This is why a lot of poor people are overweight because they can't afford organic food. However, regarding criticism, given that being overweight has been proven to have a myriad of negative effects on your mental and physical health I do not believe we should lie to people and tell them that being overweight is ok.

There is a growing PC culture that actually thinks it is offensive to tell people the truth if asked. Not only about their health but about their levels of attractiveness. Males have evolved to find women with larger breasts and wider hips attractive because large breast can feed babies better and wide hips usually are better for a healthy birth. Females have evolved to find men who look physically strong attractive because traditionally before guns and other weapons it was men who protected women from nature.

The offspring of men and women with these attributes produced healthy babies that grew up to go on and reproduce people who naturally found those attributes attractive due to survival instincts. So I do not believe we should pretend that being overweight is healthy or that we have not evolved to find overweight people as unattractive. But again, I am not saying to bully overweight people but be tactful and honest if asked and don't be ashamed and think you are shallow if you do not find them attractive because it is in your genes not to.

[myTake Owner]

- I agree. Giving a sense of concern and some advice like "Wow, what happened to you? You gained so much weight!" may be a good conversation starter. Then, the concerned friend should nudge the person in a healthy direction.
- Not all foods are processed. Many foods are, but not all. Supermarkets usually place fruits and vegetables at the entrance; it's in-your-face advertising right there. You just can't miss it.
- It really doesn't matter if you eat organic or non-organic food. If you eat regular, non-organic produce and animal products, then you can still lead a healthy life. I think organic food is usually priced twice as high as non-organic food.
- Much of beauty is in fact cultural. In some cultures, people actually value fatness, because fatness is associated with familial wealth. So, many families in those cultures overfeed their children whatever they can to achieve the unhealthy beauty ideal.

[myTake Owner]

- As the child grows up, it becomes harder for the family to overfeed the child, because the extra calories are actually required to build muscle and bone and other tissues, so the chubby, overweight child grows up in a normal-weight, slim adult.

[inceptin951]

Well if I was to offer someone I cared about advice on their health instead of directly telling them they are overweight, I would ask them if they want to go to the gym with me or come over to my house for a meal.

I understand not all foods are processed but a lot of them are. I eat mainly processed foods but very small amounts and I exercise fairly regularly so I manage to stay healthy. If you are healthy and you have a friends/SO that is unhealthy you can make it seem as if you just want them to partake in a certain activity with you without them realizing you are really trying to get them to lose weight. I've done that before and it seems to work a lot better than simply telling them they are overweight without helping them to become healthy.

And I know that culture does affect our perceptions of beauty but certainly our natural instincts come into play also.

[myTake Owner]

Your age is also a factor. You are still in your 20s, and you can tolerate even "small" amounts of processed food.

[Primemutton]

As an obese person I can say that it's something you can deal with and get rid of but it's a lot harder that people think. the problem is so complex that I honestly think a lot of thinner people who are not qualified to talk about it , I'd say only medical people psychoanalysts fat people and this closely related to them are suitably qualified. The mental aspects are the biggest problem here. You have to want to do it yourself and only then can others help you. You have to fiercely driven you need goals , and I doubt anyone who hasn't had the problem really understands how hard it is to exercise when you are in that shape , much harder than for anyone who is in shape to push themselves hard. I even think supervised exercise is better so it's effective but doesn't bring on cardiac arrest. If for example you are the stereotypical couch potato eating
yourself to death and not exercising with no hope of romantic attachment ( I am not describing myself here although I am incel) then I think more serious psychological intervention is required. Those that say it's simple , exercise and run a calorific defecit and it's a simple as that should keep their mouths shut unless they know what they are talking about. If it were as easy and simple as that then none of us would be fat.

[myTake Owner]

As pointed out in the video, self-control is a prime factor of obesity, but people overestimate the power of free will. Sure, people have free will, but it's not as much as people think. In fact, part of self-control is genetically determined; hence some people struggle in controlling their voracious appetite. Though, I think it all boils down to money. Some people can eat and eat, but they may not have the money to buy the items, which limit how much they can buy. I think, if economics is put into place and that people refuse to recognize junk food as "food", then even poor people and cheapskates will become fit and healthy.

[Fathoms77]

So, I guess the "fate gene" is a new development in human DNA, as it obviously didn't really appear until the last few decades. If the "fate gene" was real and a standard part of humanity, I shouldn't be able to look at a picture of Coney Island in the 1945 and see thousands of individuals, not a one of whom is anything but thin.

My grandmother graduated with 700 students, as did my mother. I've seen the yearbooks from each... can't find an overweight person anywhere. Not among the students or the faculty. I can find a tiny handful of people we might be able to classify as "chubby" but nothing like the freak show we've got today.

People can be predisposed, with lower metabolisms and the like. I have a friend who battled it constantly growing up; he was always the "fat kid." Know what? He's a normal weight now, and even approaching 40, and it's because he has mastered himself and understood the real and only fact: It's entirely environmental and entirely in an individual's control. It has always been and always will be.

[myTake Owner]

I know one girl gained weight gradually throughout high school, and another girl seemed pretty normal in high school, but when I met her in the final years of the same university (amazing!), she became morbidly obese. Hope they slim down in their 20s, or life will just get more difficult for them.

People with slow metabolisms have to be extremely conscious about what they eat and output their energy, while people with fast metabolisms don't have to and still look slim. As they age, the people with slow metabolism will look better than the people with fast metabolism, because the people with fast metabolism will just assume that their bodies would take in the crap and still make them look slim like their younger days. So, I think it actually pays to have a slower metabolism at a younger age. You become conscious of your health earlier.

[myTake Owner]

I think obesity is environmental, but not solely determined by free will. The environment is changing. Portion sizes are getting bigger. Americans are getting wealthier. Lifestyle is getting more and more convenient.

[Fathoms77]

Yes, but none of that answers my question. Why were there virtually no obese people for the first 200 years of this country's existence? How did it go from less than 1 percent of the population to a full third?

The answer is that there is no "fat gene." People are indeed predisposed to certain body types, and some do have to work a little harder at maintaining a normal weight. That is hardly an excuse for morbid obesity; the only way someone can get THAT heavy is if they keep abusing themselves with lots of bad food for an extended period of time. That's not genetics. It's rampant horrible food, outrageous portion sizes, an increasingly sedentary society, and a general flood of laziness that has all combined to create this problem. There is no mysterious genetic malfunction at play here, no matter how desperately we try to prove it isn't the fault of those who eat themselves into a coma.

[myTake Owner]

At least you acknowledge that the environment is changing in an unhealthy direction.

[myTake Owner]

Look on the bright side. At least Americans are becoming more prosperous. America has the highest GDP in the world. It's an extremely productive nation. Industrial processed food is a part of being a productive, prosperous nation.

As the nation becomes richer, portion sizes can enlarge, because there are more resources to go around.

So, obesity is really a sign of affluence, and it has always been a sign of affluence. People in developing countries are forced to eat really small portions and can't eat a balanced meal every day because meat tends to be on the high end of things.

[Fathoms77]

OF course it's environmental. My point was that there's no fat gene, which history proves. And obesity is historically related to SELFISH affluence; kings and nobility who ate themselves into oblivion just because they could and their egos were the size of a continent.

Now, entitlement, laziness, and the ever-present safety net for every last individual, means everyone can act this way. And the obesity epidemic has resulted in far less production and achievement because a significant portion of the country simply can't produce on an appropriate level.

This isn't affluence. This is just disgusting.

[admles]

Actually, China, not the USA, has the highest GDP.

[myTake Owner]

@admles The United States is still Number 1, according to this list 2015-2016.

www.thenewstrack.com/.../

[lanternhill]

You are both aware that a lot of it seems to do with the processed food prevalent in American society today, yes? And that being wealthy generally correlates with both more leisure time/ability to exercise/safer neighborhoods and having access to healthier food? Blaming it on self control is simplistic and unfair to those whose food supply is much less healthy to begin with.

As for why poor people were thinner back in the day - they tended to be laborers and had healthier food, is my guess. Nowadays they can't afford much besides high fructose corn syrup-enriched products and may not be able to exercise after working 2+ jobs. (I know this as someone who grew up poor.)

Also, we should treat fat people as people who happen to be fat. They're not from a different planet or something.

[myTake Owner]

@lanternhill I agree. Medieval peasants ate much healthier and more balanced meals than the upper class. The upper class ate a lot of meats and sweets and spices, because they were luxuries. The poor ate whole grains (refined grains were luxurious), fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and sometimes meats. Sugar was a spice that only the wealthy could afford. In Japan, black teeth was considered beautiful. Coincidentally, the upper class had access to sweets and got cavities.

I think the diets of rich people and poor people really affect our cultural perceptions about what is a beautiful body. Rich people now have access to fruits and vegetables, and eating fruits and vegetables affects how the body looks. People have always been attracted to wealth, so I believe the way that rich people look affects beauty standards.

[Fathoms77]

@lanternhill All of that is an excuse on the part of people with less money. My family never had much money and they all worked twice as many hours a week as most people work today. We never went anywhere near a McDonalds because despite it being "easier," it sure as hell wasn't cheaper in the long run (a common myth, as preparing food at home will always be far cheaper than eating out), and my parents knew it didn't qualify as food.

It's essential that people have the necessary education, but the idea that people don't have "access" to good food hasn't been true in this country for about fifty years. You can find a bag of rice just about anywhere. You can locate things to eat at any grocery store, even the most rundown backwater store in the deep south, that aren't entirely awful to eat. You just have to put in the effort to find it and cook it.

[Fathoms77]

That's the real difference. ALL classes were thinner for the majority of this country's history because yes, portion sizes weren't insane and processed foods weren't rampant, but the biggest difference is that people back then, the poor and the rich, DID MORE. They were more active the entire way around, and they were also better educated; even my grandmother, who was raised on a poor farm and went to a poor school, had a vastly better education than whatever they're spoon-feeding to kids today.

Let's also not forget that people also took some pride in their appearance, and their ability to work hard and function at a high level, both the poor and the rich. These traits are hard to find today, which is why laziness, entitlement, and general stupidity is the direct cause of the obesity epidemic. Not the food itself and not any mythical "fat gene."

[lanternhill]

Education, as you pointed out, is part of the reason for the gap too. (I grew up poor. I've seen communities live the way I describe. Many people have no idea how to eat nutritiously.)

[myTake Owner]

@lanternhill In Food, Inc, the documentary shows a Hispanic family. In the beginning, the Hispanic family thought all the food was "healthy". As long as it was food, it was good for the body. It was only when they suffered health problems, they began to realize that the food was unhealthy, and the mother said that she felt bad about giving the food to her kids and diabetic husband. But the family didn't have time to cook. They woke up at 6 and came home at 8 or 9.

I think there should be some kind of national effort (if the government is so freakin' unreliable, then churches must step in) to educate the poor about healthy nutrition.

[Fathoms77]

"It was only when they suffered health problems, they began to realize that the food was unhealthy, and the mother said that she felt bad about giving the food to her kids and diabetic husband."

The first part: When you realize it, when you see you're hurting yourself and the people you love, how do you not take it upon yourself to try to fix it? There was an excuse years ago but not now; even the poorest people seem to have constant access to the internet. Five minutes of research will open anyone's eyes on topics like diet, health, etc. No need to see a doctor or a nutritionist. The research costs nothing and takes very little time, and anyone who can read will learn everything they need to learn.

The individual has the power to deal with all of this. Always has. Churches and government need to stay the hell away, and give people an incentive to be HUMAN again and learn how to care for themselves, just like every last one of our ancestors did.

[lanternhill]

Asker, I agree that the government should step up their efforts (WIC has some good programs). And Fathoms77, I am not discounting willpower but I think you don't quite understand the lives that some of these people lead. I speak from experience about these things. I suggest you take a look at books like Nickled and Dimed. I haven't yet read the whole thing but someone in my family, who also went through this, said it portrayed the experience very well.

[myTake Owner]

@lanternhill I went to the Amazon catalog and read the description of the book, Nickled and Dimed. I imagine that, if you are working a mind-numbing, stressful, burger-flipping job and dealing with angry customers who treat you poorly because of your low status, then I can see why people would want to grab something sweet and comforting after a day's hard work. Eating that every day causes weight gain and decreases productivity, leading to the perception that these people are fat and lazy and stupid. In fact, it's really the food that causes people to become fat and lazy and stupid, and the societal pressures that make choosing junk food extremely easy. Yes, it is possible to take the bus to the supermarket in the suburbs, but riding the bus takes time, and when you're there, you want to speed up buying so you buy impulsively. So really, the big problem is having too many food deserts in America's inner cities. We need more farmer's markets and urban farms.

[lanternhill]

Yup anout fast food making people sick. And I'm not even talking about fast food. I'm talking about stuff like instant noodles and TV dinners that parents grab because if you're a single mom with hungry kids and you've just gotten off a second job and you've spent your extra money on Robbie's non-insured dentist visit and you don't have time or energy to cook - hamburger helper it is.

[lanternhill]

*about. Sorry, my eye is killing me and it's hard to pay attention to my spelling.

[myTake Owner]

@lanternhill I wonder what would happen if poor people live by a Dollar Tree store and buy smartly. Maybe instead of buying a can of ravioli, poor people may grab a can of vegetables and some long-grain rice. But then, the rice requires some cooking time, so buying tortillas may be better, because you can just eat on the go, but then the tortillas may contain unnecessary food additives, and you may struggle in finding healthier tortillas. I suppose you can ditch the tortillas and use $3 to buy 3 cans of assorted vegetables, beans, and corn. The corn provides starch; the beans protein; and the vegetables micronutrients. Sometimes, a Dollar Tree may have a freezer, and you can buy frozen chicken legs that you can bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

[Fathoms77]

@lanternhill I'm well aware of them. Just more excuses. I know people who have battled weight issues, who have had little money and even less time, who had dead-end jobs at one time in their lives, who weren't especially educated on matters of diet and health, etc.

They made no excuses for themselves and ultimately worked to improve their lives. They made the effort. And that's the only behavior that's going to fix this problem; only the self can fix the self.

[lanternhill]

@Fathoms77 I guess we have different views on inequality, poverty, etc. and what constitutes an excuse in this case.

Speaking of health, I need sleep.

[somebodysaycheese]

Ofcourse there is a gentic factor HOWEVER its more or less what the govt allows in our foods, what people eat, whats the cheapest and mental illness.
There are so many factors but the greatest factors aren't biology BUT what we eat and what our govt feeds us.

[MikkyLachae]

Fat people should be treated like however they treat others. The same applies to them as it does to everyone else. Anyone who hates a fat person simply for being fat shouldn't really be trusted. People are free to choose how they want to live their life and they reap what that sow, be it good or bad. It's not up to others to "punish" another for living. Unless they broke the law... then call 911. Eating pie does not count as breaking a law. I like pie by the way.

[America1st]

I'll be honest, I didn't watch the video or read everything. My answer is quite simple as is the question. You treat overweight and obese people with respect and dignity as you should anybody! It doesn't matter why they might be overweight, They are no more or less a human being. Society is so caught up in what everyone looks like and people judge everyone else while hating anyone who judges them.

[Overthrow]

I agree with this. Very fair MyTake. I feel like you should have had a part in there -correct me if I'm not recalling it- about those who are obese due entirely to a complete lack of self control and lack of any exercise. Because some of these people could change and lose weight. But also because even for some of these people, there are factors out of their control that hinder their ability to lose weight. One example of this would be someone who works a lot of hours at a sedentary job. They have time to wake up, shower, drive to work, drive home, sleep, and repeat. This kind of schedule can turn anybody into a fat slob. You could suggest they wake up earlier and exercise, but if they support a family, that loss of sleep at a mentally demanding job could mean the end of their employment.

[Mustachekitteh]

Sure genetics can be at fault for it but it's still YOUR responsibility to how you react to it.

Yes some people end up gaining fat easier than others but no matter what they can lose it. Some end up having to work a lot harder than others to achieve that. With the society we live in most are too lazy to put in the suffering it takes to get there.

If the dude wants to compare it to a mental disorder the same thing applies. I have a combined mental disorder and yes I didn't choose to be born with it. It's still my choice on how I handle it and over come things I face. Some of the things that come with it is easier to handle than others. I still have the responsibility of how I react to it. Which for me I've worked on improving as best as I can and I've made some really good progress.

[Saoirse_Nua]

I think that is a fair take. Overweight people should be supported, treated with dignity and fairness.

[myTake Owner]

Thanks. You are the only person up to this point who actually read the Take. Every one else just reads the "genetics" part and replies with a strawman argument.

[BruceJender]

"I think the YouTube presenter makes a very good point. Obesity has a genetic factor. Genes affect one's self-control ability, metabolic rate, and appetite"

Thanks to my genes, I'm more prone to heart failure, so I do everything and anything to stay away from anything that would lead to heart issues. Why can't someone who is obese do the same thing?

Sure, most of us know of a "fat" gene, but if you're aware of it, if you get fat quicker, STAY AWAY FROM THE THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FAT.

You are what you eat: if you eat too much fatty foods, you'll be fat.

[JustWorthlessMe]

Fat men are considered disgusting jokes by women and the media.

Go to any wal-mart, you'll see many women weighing upwards of 2-250 attached and, often, with kids. Then look for fat men with anybody... hell... fat women get insulted and angry if you suggest they even think about dating a fat guy.

Heck... name one overweight male actor who isn't playing a clueless buffoon

[ElissaDido]

You should treat them with respect. Who knows in 10, 20 or 30 years you could be in their place. So many young skinny people end up gaining wait at some point in their life, or it can even be someone you care about.

[Anonymous]

I hate how people are supportive of people fighting against anorexia, but when a fat person is fighting against controlling their eating habits, everyone is quick to say they are "doing it to themselves" and that they are just utterly disgusting. I know that wasn't the point of your myTake, but I just felt the need to put that out there. Both extremes should be taken seriously.

[Library]

I can sympathize with overweight individuals. I treat them with respect and kindness.

[datgirl]

Tl;Dr

We should treat them like normal human beings.

[Tarvold]

Exactly like we treat people who are in AA - with support, dignity and respect, but don't take their bullshit excuses at all, not even for a minute.

[YourName123]

Completely disagree, when i graduated high school there were 2 fat kids in my class of ~400. I still remember their names.

Human genes haven't changed in 27 years.

There has been a cultural collapse in the USA, an accepted lack of accountability. You brought this on yourself, it is not a disease anymore than being a drug addict. The rest of have to pay for your added healthcare costs against our will. Please take care of your business.

[red324]

I honestly don't care if someone is obese, but I've found a correlation between people who are obese and laziness. Things like wanting a ride to their car that's 300 feet away, or the mail man who yells at me for parking too close to the mail box because he's too lazy to get out of the truck. Of course some people are stuck behind a computer for 50hrs a week, so they don't really have a choice.

[Bananaman177]

Your epi-genetics determine your genetics. You're not a slave to your genetics, you can consciously change how your genes express. You can do this at any point in your life, but the older you are, the more you have diminishing returns.

[lushbomb]

honestly if you feel uncomfortable about yourself do something about it. stop hating on yourself for something you can change. its quite simple if you're up for the challenge.