[Crimson Dynamo]

Or is it an illness?

[InOne]

Both.

[Niamh.]

Depends on the person I suppose, it's not all black and white

[Lewis.]

Definitely both. For some people it is a case of being lazy and just not bothering to look after their body. For others there are so many probems that can effect fat - thyroid problems etc. Some people just simply never feel full, and it's not greediness, it's just their stomach never feels full.

[Marc]

Lack of exercise, bad diet, or in some cases genetics

[Redway]

It all depends on the person. I know somebody who was born fat. She's now in her 60s, and she's absolutely astronomical. Sometimes, it isn't all down to eating too much/poor exercise; it is sometimes down to just the way the individual person is. Which is why I get cross at people who are so judgmental, and deem being fat on eating too much/lack of exercise.

That wasn't aimed at anyone in this thread, by the way.

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by Marc.

Lack of exercise, bad diet, or in some cases genetics

This...as well as possible health issues / medications etc (steroids - as in for medical purposesm for example can cause terrible weight gain)

[Zippy]

I think for many it's a vicious circle; their weight isolates and depresses them and so they eat because it's the only comfort they have.

But it can be a complex issue and the fact its such a huge problem(especially in the western world) just proves there are no easy solutions.

I know people who eat much less than I eat but weigh much more. Im lucky I don't gain weight easily so I guess theyre unlucky that they do. It's genetics and metabolism rates I guess.

[ILoveTRW]

Yes fat people do eat to much
you can live off 500 calaries a day, and if thats all your metabolism will let you eat then you should stick to it.

[Cromwell1900]

For sure Genetics have not changed over the Generations, unlike the level of Obesity which just seems to keep shooting up and up and up. For me if you had to chose the biggest contributing factors for simplicity sake, you would have to start talking about the food that we have access to, and the choices people at risk make. Not Genetics as i think it's a bit of a red hearing which is only relevant in a tiny fraction of cases and yet it often gets thrown in to muddy the waters.

Easy to prepare food, necessary since Women & Men both Work, else often too lazy to Work OR Cook, contains to many Additives, Sugars & Fats. There can only be the Manufacturers to blame for having such low standards for us to chose from. Thank God for Freedom of choice.

As for Choice. School Kids will and always have been bullied at school, tempting them to comfort eat. With Our new Super! Dhoopa! Food Industry and Super Markets we've never been so well provided for in terms of quantities, and the Choice to over eat never been so available, and Kids do over eat more now than Granny could ever of done. What i'm trying to say is that People haven't changed, our options have and some of us aren't coping with it as well as others. Should it be that the Food Industry is Forced to offer nothing but Healthy Choices? instead of stating their Food is Healthy in moderation therefore missing the point that often Depressed People eat over-moderatly. Surely you would need to care or feel responsibility to get that point i think.

It's up to the individual to make the right Choices and if they don't it's up to society to decide if people should be prevented from consuming things that are bad for them. Same argument as Smoking, Drinking, Drugs. Prevented as in Not on Sale. That would inpinge on Freedom of Choice though imo Freedom of Choice ain't all it's cracked up to be

[Novo]

" Do any fatties on the forum want a low fat cake? "

[Lee.]

No, ill stick to dust for the time being thank you

[Boothy]

In most cases I think it's just a lack of exercise, eating unhealthily and the fact they have no understanding of nutrition or how their body works.

The amount of time I've heard people saying their going to the gym with the goal to build muscle and then go on a diet that consists of eating less calories than they were before to lose fat is actually quite scary.

[InOne]

Most of this new underclass are quite overweight. Bad diet, too much alcohol, no fitness or anything. They are the ones clogging up the NHS.

[Redway]

Originally Posted by InOne

Most of this new underclass are quite overweight. Bad diet, too much alcohol, no fitness or anything. They are the ones clogging up the NHS.

Mostly alcohol.

I was watching that alcohol documentary...an embarrassment to us Scousers!

[Jords]

Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No?

[lostalex]

We live in a society that celebrates indulgence. How many ads do we see on TV telling us how we have to treat ourselves, we deserve to take a break from reality, in order to love someone else you must first love yourself etc... Food, Drugs, Sex, Gambling they all stimulate the brain to release the same pleasure hormones.

Addiction is more common than people realize.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by lostalex

We live in a society that celebrates indulgence. How many ads do we see on TV telling us how we have to treat ourselves, we deserve to take a break from reality, in order to love someone else you must first love yourself etc... Food, Drugs, Sex, Gambling they all stimulate the brain to release the same pleasure hormones.

Addiction is more common than people realize.

Very true.