"A Fat Rant"

[Kingswood]

People's weight varies for many reasons.

Some people eat the wrong things and therefore weigh more or less than the average.
Some people have metabolisms that work differently and therefore weigh more or less than the average.
Some people are unable to find the time to look after themselves properly and therefore weigh more or less than the average.
Some people conform to different cultural expectations and therefore weigh more or less than the average.
Some people reject the norms of society in preference to their own personal happiness and therefore weigh more or less than the average.

People who eat a healthy diet and get enough exercise may still be overweight because they have inherited an efficient, thrifty metabolism. For such people it is as wrong to vilify them as it is to vilify someone on the basis of race or gender: people cannot change the genes they inherit.

Other people may be overweight because their lifestyle may make it difficult for them to find the time to be more healthy. They may lack the time to eat healthy food or to take exercise. For such people, society as a whole has failed them. A society that finds it acceptable for people to work more than 12 hours a day andor work six or seven days a week should not be surprised if this causes some people to lack the time to look after themselves properly.

Some people may come from a different culture with different views on body weight. It is difficult to undo the effects of upbringing in the same way it is difficult for someone raised in a lipophobic culture to adjust to the norms of another culture with a more accepting view of overweight people.

Some people are overweight because they choose to be. Such people have a different view of the world or themselves to the norms dictated by society. They have made their own decision and are well aware of the risks. Many smokers smoke for the same reason.

We should remember that the current "thin is healthy" view of modern society is overly simplistic. Medical evidence shows that under some circumstances being moderately overweight is healthier than being too thin. Thin women are more prone to osteoporosis in later life. Chubby people have a better prognosis after some medical treatments than thin people. So being a bit overweight is not particularly harmful as long as the overall diet is healthy and some exercise is taken. However, regardless of one's weight, it is always wise to keep an eye on one's health by having the appropriate medical checks done regularly.