Fat-Shaming May Curb Obesity?

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  • DatEpicChick
    DatEpicChick Posts: 358 Member
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    i find this topic interesting, and there are so many different opinions!!!!

    i dont think "shaming" is the correct term i would use, but if obesity was less socially acceptable i think we as a society would see a change in the trend.... and when i say SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE i dont mean hollywood or celebrities or size .024 models that look like they are in pain, i'm talking about shiz like walmart, schools, and public outings.

    the first step to allowing nothing to change, is ACCEPTING the tendencies, once people accept that they are obese/overweight, once people accept that this is 'average' and once people accept that they dont necessarily have the body they want, but the body they can (we will say) deal with, that is when we allow NOTHING to change.

    i dont think looking at someone and making them feel about as small as an ant, but there are other methods. all of the people here on this site for instance, strong, independent, willing, and determined to change the lives they are living, and for the better. hopfully there will even more people who want a change in the upcoming years. =]

    but until then, no, being an as@hole is not the way to change anything, the more you hate on someone, the more they rebel from you, so how can you hate someone into loving themselves? ... you can't .
  • dtban
    dtban Posts: 111 Member
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    Providing support and encouragement works better than shaming...I went to my grand father's funeral this weekend, I haven't seen my grand mother since I was 9 months pregnant...3 years ago...after i gave birth I weighed 210lbs...my grandmother saw me this weekend at the funeral and said "oh my god look at all the weight you gained!!!" i was like 'WTF????' that was sooo ignorant...my response was.."gained weight? Nan, I lost almost 50 pounds!"
  • macaya5
    macaya5 Posts: 75
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    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

    No, seriously. HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAA!

    Ok, for real now. ahem.

    Fat shaming is not productive. Telling someone they're too skinny doesn't help either. The only thing that will motivate people to be healthy is knowledge. And don't just take what someone else tells you as Gospel, look things up yourself.

    It's ridiculous that a bioethicist is promoting this kind of bs. You can't make, encourage or promote anyone to do anything. People have to decide on their own that they want to change. I live in NYC where our mayor has banned the sale of regular beverages over 16 oz to promote less obesity. The only time I care is when I'm in a movie theater and I want to save money by getting a big soda to share with my friend. We don't want to pay $4-5 for a 160z bottle of soda, so we just bypass that and bring our own in or better, go to breakfast or lunch after at the diner down the street from the theater.

    Seriously. Knowledge. Wins every time.
  • NanahcubJess
    NanahcubJess Posts: 12 Member
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    Sounds like a recipe for an eating disorder.



    I completely agree. That article sounds (although I did not read it) very ignorant. Are we just going to pretend that over weight people aren't already being bullied? Bullying someone is never the answer to anything, I don't care what the problem is. Wow.
  • VeinsAndBones
    VeinsAndBones Posts: 550 Member
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    I was close to being obese once, trust me just knowing that your fat is enough! Bullying people based on appearances is WRONG in every sense of the word! Hell bullying period is wrong! Think about why someone is that big, maybe their an emotional eater... YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION THEY ARE IN AND CANNOT JUDGE, all we can do is support them, whether or not they decide to lose weight is their decision.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I'm not even reading it. I can just imagine. It is putting blame in the individual and no one else is taking any blame. Look at the high processed foods that grow up eating. What about people on welfare who can only afford cans of soup, kraft dinner, etc. I think as a society we should all be looking to curb obesity. People gain weight for all kinds of reasons: depression, child birth, medications, poor diet, physical limitations. I am not trying to make excuses for people, but shaming is not a good way to go about anything. Encouragement and support? Sure. People need to feel self-determined and motivated. People need to want this change for themselves, not because they are bullied into it.

    You're not trying to make excuses for people but that's all you did, foods don't jump in ones mouth, nor does any one type of food make you fat. The chronic over consumption of calories makes you fat, who is in control of that? You are
  • MystikPixie
    MystikPixie Posts: 342 Member
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    Seems like it would only increase the suicide rate.
  • JeninBelgium
    JeninBelgium Posts: 804 Member
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    or it may lead to increased binging, increase self-harm, increased suicide... and since when has society ever been nice to fat persons?
  • domgirl85
    domgirl85 Posts: 295 Member
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    http://todayhealth.today.com/_news/2013/01/24/16664866-fat-shaming-may-curb-obesity-bioethicist-says?lite

    Found this interesting little article.

    A bioethicist thinks that since being nice to obese people isn't helping, maybe a bit of shaming might do the trick. (That's a very concise summary, though)

    Thoughts?

    (and if anyone can tell me how to make that a link, I would really appreciate it!)

    It is NEVER okay to "shame" people in any situation. EVER! And if you feel that it is okay, you need to evaluate yourself and why you feel the need to hurt other people. Everyone will find their way differently but shaming them should NEVER be an option.
  • v_snowdrop
    v_snowdrop Posts: 59
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    people have been fat-shamed since the dawn of time, yet obesity rates skyrocket...

    I don't think it's helping
  • Kellyeee2013
    Kellyeee2013 Posts: 221
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    I think a much more effective idea is to make it harder to get health care/welfare if you are obese.

    Oh yeah. That's a GREAT idea.

    Please tell me this was sarcasm. If not, then you have to draw the line at all sorts of other behaviors. What about people who drink, smoke, and engage in other reckless behaviors? Many people do all kinds of things that directly affect their health. You're riding a slippery slope there.

    Well, it'll never happen, so yeah it was sarcasm but If we're talking free public health care though, I would support restrictions on all types of "reckless behaviors".

    There are reasons for reckless behaviours though. People smoke due to stress and addiction and whatever else, same with alcohol use issues... so what we should just not treat people anymore? No. We need more prevention and support. I gained weight and it was not "reckless" it happened over time... going to school full-time for 7 years and working non-stop on the side... I did not sit around eating burgers all the time... but getting to a gym or prepacking salads was not always the most important thing on my mind when I was just trying to survive. I am perfectly healthy, but even if I wasn't I should not be punished either.

    If someone is speeding and gets in a car accident should we let them die?
    Two men get in a bar fight and one gets badly hurt, we should let him die?
    Kid breaks arm after sliding down their stairs on a piece of card board, too bad?
    Woman had lung cancer because she grew up with gov't and media telling her its OKAY and now we know that it isnt, but too bad for her?

    These could all be reckless behaviours. Let's stop being so judgemental and close-minded.
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
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    My husband, when faced with people who make rude comments, always tells people:
    1. When the famine hits you'll be first to go
    2. You should really eat more than 2 crackers for breakfast.
    3. You're just nasty because you're hungry
    I can go on and on. So no, I don't think fat shaming would help. In fact, I think it might get your car key'd.
  • gabiinacio
    gabiinacio Posts: 124 Member
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    4 weeks after having my daughter, I went with a friend to a nearby clothing store ti give her company while she shopped.

    I had two women walk up to me and say "Did you just have a baby?" I responded yes, she is 4 weeks old, with a HUGE smile on my face. The women then says "You definitly need to wear a girdle then" and proceeded to walk away.

    That one comment has left me torn for years, and still to this day I cannot believe the nerve of some people. Having a child should have been a happy moment for me, not a moment to bash me about my weight.

    I honestly have felt more compelled to workout and eat right with positivive people and energy in my life. This is the reason I love my weight training and zumba classes.

    When I'm struggling holding a plank for 40 seconds, I hear another women say HOLD IT, YOU CAN DO IT!

    This is what we need.
  • kirstyfairhead
    kirstyfairhead Posts: 220 Member
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    Well, one of the arguments was that public shaming of smokers worked to get people to quit smoking.

    Some people are genetically predisposed to obesity. Medical issues. Hormonal problems. No one is predisposed to smoking.

    Not that that is an excuse to be obese, but it's also very easy for a slender person to make this assumption.

    Do you think it was the terrible shame of being a smoker or the £7 a packet price tag that did it most??? Oh and of course the upside of not dying of lung cancer!!!

    But hey, he's right, lets humiliate the fat kids, the therapy they will need will be so much cheaper than the health advice!!
  • Kellyeee2013
    Kellyeee2013 Posts: 221
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    I'm not even reading it. I can just imagine. It is putting blame in the individual and no one else is taking any blame. Look at the high processed foods that grow up eating. What about people on welfare who can only afford cans of soup, kraft dinner, etc. I think as a society we should all be looking to curb obesity. People gain weight for all kinds of reasons: depression, child birth, medications, poor diet, physical limitations. I am not trying to make excuses for people, but shaming is not a good way to go about anything. Encouragement and support? Sure. People need to feel self-determined and motivated. People need to want this change for themselves, not because they are bullied into it.

    You're not trying to make excuses for people but that's all you did, foods don't jump in ones mouth, nor does any one type of food make you fat. The chronic over consumption of calories makes you fat, who is in control of that? You are

    People find themselves in the situation they are in for all knids of reasons. If you were taught to eat and live a certain way it can be hard to unchange that behaviour. If all you can afford is cheap processed foods, you have 5 kids to raise, and no money or time for the gym etc it can be hard. When people are just trying to survive and get through the day, it can be hard. I just don't think we should be putting these people down more. I also do not think we should be putting all the blame on the individual. If obesity is such an issue why are there more fastfood places than healthy restaurants? Why are vegtables so expensive but for 1.29 you can feed 2 people with a box of kraft dinner? What about medications that cause weight gain? What about women who give birth and then due to all kinds of reason (money, depression, time) have a really hard time getting back on track?

    People don't just wake up and decide to be obese.

    But clearly you woke up and decided to be ignorant.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    Obese people are constantly shamed by the rest of society and have been for ages--it ain't working. Working for HONEST food labeling and more affordable, healthier food, period seems good. So does improving nutritional awareness and health education for all. Teach more people, including children, to grow food and prepare it themselves, from scratch! And please, teach people APPROPRIATE portion size!

    Instilling some sort of physically active culture is important as well. I don't think anyone should be forced to go out for a sport in school. I do think we should ALL be active, however. Perhaps there could be subsidies for gym memberships, more opportunities to be part of group activity classes or outings in your community, etc.

    I just don't see how shaming or bullying will help in any way, and I'm not an especially sensitive type, either.
  • pudadough
    pudadough Posts: 1,271 Member
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    I eat more when I feel depressed. People criticizing my weight when I am already fully aware of it makes me depressed. Which makes me want to eat and give up.

    Great plan!


    Or not.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    I will admit some doctors need to be a bit more direct with their obese patients now shaming that goes too far. Also I will admit overweight does seem to be becominng the so called norm I mean look around how many fit ppl do you work with other than myself there is maybe 2 other ppl out of 30 of us so statiscally that would be 10 percent. Who would be in there ideal weight and excercise on a regular basis Im not talking buff just in shape.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    The world is way too sensitive these days.

    AGREED!!! You have to be nice, politically correct, blah blah blah -- world is VERY sensitive!

    There is difference between that and being mean, this would fall under the mean category.

    What, exactly, would fall into the "mean category"? What part of the article did you find "mean"?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I'm not even reading it. I can just imagine. It is putting blame in the individual and no one else is taking any blame. Look at the high processed foods that grow up eating. What about people on welfare who can only afford cans of soup, kraft dinner, etc. I think as a society we should all be looking to curb obesity. People gain weight for all kinds of reasons: depression, child birth, medications, poor diet, physical limitations. I am not trying to make excuses for people, but shaming is not a good way to go about anything. Encouragement and support? Sure. People need to feel self-determined and motivated. People need to want this change for themselves, not because they are bullied into it.

    You're not trying to make excuses for people but that's all you did, foods don't jump in ones mouth, nor does any one type of food make you fat. The chronic over consumption of calories makes you fat, who is in control of that? You are

    People find themselves in the situation they are in for all knids of reasons. If you were taught to eat and live a certain way it can be hard to unchange that behaviour. If all you can afford is cheap processed foods, you have 5 kids to raise, and no money or time for the gym etc it can be hard. When people are just trying to survive and get through the day, it can be hard. I just don't think we should be putting these people down more. I also do not think we should be putting all the blame on the individual. If obesity is such an issue why are there more fastfood places than healthy restaurants? Why are vegtables so expensive but for 1.29 you can feed 2 people with a box of kraft dinner? What about medications that cause weight gain? What about women who give birth and then due to all kinds of reason (money, depression, time) have a really hard time getting back on track?

    People don't just wake up and decide to be obese.

    But clearly you woke up and decided to be ignorant.

    Ah yes excuse after excuse, overeating makes you fat. ZOMG, fast food or processed foods, do they make you fat if you are in a deficit or at maintenance? Eggs, milk, cheese, ground beef, whole chickens, fresh veg is cheap, people are just too lazy to cook stuff, once again it's on the individual and you are are the ignorant one if you thing all these external factors are forcing food down their throats and making people fat

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