Is Obesity In Adults An Illness?

[Lizruns]

I would like to hear opinions on whether obesity in Adults is an illness like an alcoholic or drug addiction?

[nailit]

TTT
Why are you substituting the word the word *illness* for *disease*?
You are just like a slippery politician who twists things to suit.

[Ryzen]

..sorry Nailit..it should have read..fresh ingredients and education!

[tamborine]

I know smokers/alcoholics/druggies go cold turkey and parents over feed their younguns & me when I visit ;)

[Rockrose]

I wasn’t over fed as a child, my mother cooked healthy meals

[nailit]

Tambo,
Im quiet aware of your own personal circumstances with ur sons addictions and can empathise with you. But not all addictions are as painfully obvious. Most addictions are kept hidden because of the stigma surrounding them.

[Canary42]

Neither - it's a behavioural consequence IMHO.

The behaviour itself could fall in either category, it depends on the causes/circumstances.

[nailit]

I struggle everyday with addictions. Most on here know about my alcohol/nicotine/food addictions. No-one knows about my other addictions (because I choose not to tell) but trying to get through each day without giving in to one or another is trying enough without self-righteous people getting on my case.
people with addictions are still people.
Hand up those ABers that have perfect lives!

[ToraToraTora]

nailit, get off your high horse me old china, I was responding to those before me on this thread who used the word "disease".

[tamborine]

am not saying its easy but its possible with help. Obesity is tho needs surgical intervention & you are very brave rockrose.

as for my son, he did overdo the weed but cant get it now but smokes regular cigs.

[pixie374]

Cross addiction isn't uncommon. I think addictions are symtoms of an illness and often the cause of other illnesses, but probably not an illness in themselves.

[tamborine]

Am not a 'healthy' eater as I eat rubbish ie sausage rolls/chips/pork pies & cake. Anything off the shelf does me. Am 8st size 14 but I smoke, more when not working. Am not after living forever unhappily so dont intend to change.

[Arksided]

No I don't think it is... Oneself and two younger Bro's have being ...erm more than portly at times in our lives. (all slim now) but have two other Bro's who are i'd call obese. Ones a labourer and works hard and can actually cook but seems to live off take-a-ways... the other sits at a desk all day... so more understanding.

What I don't understand is why on these documentaries (I'm too fat to leave the house)... people who are supposed to care keep feeding them junk and mainly unhealthy food types.

[pixie374]

That's a difficult one, arky... every adult has the right to make their own decisions, even "bad" ones and perhaps that is what they want to eat.

[joko]

PCOS is not rare and a common cause of obesity.
i am not obese but i know exactly how easy it is to gain weight with it, and most definitely not overeating.
I am only 10st but its a constant battle to control it. if i ate 'normally' i'd balloon very fast.
i am also on medication for other problems that also causes weight gain.
and pcos gets worse the bigger a person gets so it gets harder and harder to lose anything. Many women with pcos can only lose if they do keto or low carb

while most often simple over eating is the cause, sometimes it is because of other things

[BagPussAA]

It has been interesting reading all your different views regarding this topic.. and one thing has become clear.. None of you are obese or have suffered with weight issues in your life.

I am and have suffered with my weight for many years. Whilst I admit that obesity in itself is not necessarily an illness, the underlying causes of it can be. I have had serious mental health issues since I was a teenager and this was the beginning of my weight issues because I have a bad relationship with food. When I am down, I eat to make myself feel better but that makes me feel guilty, I hate myself so I stop eating completely which makes me ill so I eat to make myself feel better.... it is a vicious circle that I have been on since I was 12/13. I know that I need help but the NHS is unwilling to help me since I am not overweight enough and dont have serious health complications such as diabetes. I cant afford private care so I am stuck.
In my opinion, obesity gets treated as something of a joke by people, both in the media and by the general population. You are fat therefore you can be ridiculed as it means you are just lazy and greedy. It needs to be taken as seriously as alcohol or drug addiction so that more people can get the help they need.

[Jordyboy9]

I don’t think that I am straying of the topic to say this,and I have the utmost respect for them ,but during our many hospital visits I have noticed that an awful lot of nurses are overweight,maybe something to do with the work,anybody else noticed this?

[Sqad]

Yes, that IS noticeable in NHS nurses as is their smoking habits.....both bad advertisements for health care.
I would suggest that is indicative of the lowering standard of nurses employed by the NHS.

[Ken4155]

It is a fact that some people can eat as much as they like and what they like without gaining an inch or an ounce. Also there are those who, having gained the weight, cannot shift much of it no matter how much exercise and healthy eating they do. However, and i speak as one to whom this once applied, the majority of obese people have arrived at that door through lack of exercise and poor diet. At my heaviest, i tipped the scales at 18 and a half stone. I didn't eat all day when working, would visit the pub immediately after work and quaff ale until i was hungry - always got the 'munchies' off beer - then call at the 'Chinese' on the way home. Having eaten said Chinese, i would normally have 2 bars of chocolate as dessert! And i smoked like a factory chimney. The inevitable heart attack happened, i changed my way, ate far more healthily, took regular exercise and lost just over 6 stone. Gained about 3 of that back, since, but still on a healthy diet. For many, obesity is caused by the wrong life choice.