Should obese people receive disability benefits?

it's funny how biased you are because of the fact that you happen to be fat. I've actually been pretty overweight in my life - I was 12 stone at age 13, for instance. and I was depressed. but it just took will power and discipline to change my fundamental life style from "binge eating in front of the tv" to "listening to music on an exercise machine". it's really not that challenging to lose fat. your perspection that it's too difficult is the only thing that's holding you back. some people do have different metabolisms to others, obviously, but if you are fat, then generally, you *are* overeating. you can't get fat without a calorie excess. you want a proper challenge? try gaining ****ing muscle. *that* is a challenge.

Its funny because I used to go to the gym even when I was fat, its also funny how even now doctors don't realise why all my blood tests come back so good in fact better than people who are "healthy"

Yes power is all it takes to like for me to recover from years of bullying, a family member being murdered, and being a victim of sexual assault as well as mental heath problems that run in family and disability.

For your information at one point I was going to the gym for at least a hour a day, I lost more weight when I changed my diet last year and lost almost 4 stone in a few months only for it to creep back on despite eating less than then (and less junk food)

I originally became fat because of issues like a flatmate with serious mental health problems smashing walls, and landlord threatening illegal eviction so ate more junk, I lost most of that weight when I started uni only to get more accomodation problems (flatmate using 2kw heater 24/7 and not contributing to bills) another flatmate who watched movies loud in bedroom and had sex with her boyfriend a lot meaning I coudln't sleep, then moved to somewhere with a schizophernic flatmate, other flatmate had 24/7 parties and it was exam time so no energy to cook.

Each period of weight gain coincided with a stressful period in my life up to when I left uni, I do eat junk now and feel rough the days I do but overall eat far less but weight is still creeping on. I can honestly say I havent eaten in around 18 hours a drop of food, I did "pig out" then though with 2 portions of noodles, chicken in a wrap with potatos and cheese on side (cheese is rare) a small portion of salad and lunch that day was a chocolate bar.

Day before that I made myself rice and sausages (2 portions) that I had for lunch and dinner, day before I made chicken tikka slices with naan bread and salad and potatos.

That was all I ate the whole days.

yeah sure



ooookay then



you are co-ordinating yourself poorly then if this is happening - it's not as if by magic - your body doesn't give a **** about your feelings, it just cares about your calories (in this context) and apparently you'd be having too many



again, very sad and strange of you to say. as if you're trying to sway me with emotion now



yeah, don't eat junk



generally, as long as you have a calorie deficit, you will lose weight. so eat generally healthy foods and count the calories.

I did, not my fault you haven't experienced things outside of your shell. I will say though that the first time I went to gym when I was 18 I lost 3 stone in about 2 months going 1-2 hours a day, then didn't go for a few years which was when I was back in education as college gym was cheap and spent a hour a day most days in gym and weight went up, I was in catered halls then too so not eating junk.

Only real difference was age, I also don't understand why when I was 23 I gained weight in a 3 week period despite eating far less than usual, I was eating next to nothing, and yes one of the things I ate was like a cheese toastie but stilll.

i.e id eat 1/2 cheese toasties a day and half a bag of packet salad for a few days, then like a kiddies ready meal a day for a few days.

Gained 2 stone.

And up to a few years ago I noticed when I went to parents for a week at say Christmas I lost up to 2 stone in a week (I assume water weight) that went back on within 2 weeks of coming back home

I was actually told I was undereating by a dietician and it was more that my diet was yo yoing i.e I would almost starve for days then eat a large portion of like mince and tatties one day.

Surely by your logic barely eating for a few days would make me lose weight.

As a currently fat person i have to say no. The idea that my gluttony should be rewarded with free money is absurd.

Anyone who is unable to work for any reason should, without a doubt, be entitled to benefits.

if you're "undereating" yet gaining weight, you need to go to the gym.

And who is going to pay for that, exactly? Or shall we go down to that special money tree at the bottom of the garden...

I believe that those who are classified as obese should receive benefits only under strict factors they have to meet. So, those who are obese as part of their own fault (over eating, lack of exercise) should not receive benefits. Its their own fault, this may sound harsh but its true.
Yet I would argue that those who are obese as a inherited factor should receive benefits, yet only if the said person is trying to loose weight in a healthy way.
If a person is obese as result of a medical condition then yes I do believe they should receive disability benefits.

Those who are saying it depends on whether they have a medical condition or not are making a bit of a redundant point. Because if they had a medical condition surely that medical diagnosis would be the reason for their disability benefit, and not the symptom of being obese?

Presumably if we are discussing whether an obese person should receive disability benefit based on their obesity, we are referring to those whose obesity is not a direct result of a medical condition, in which case the sole reason for the benefit would be obesity.

Therefore I say no, most definitely not. Or if they are to receive disability benefit, then those with drug or alcohol addiction should also receive disability benefits.

If they can't work because they are too fat, should they get disability living allowance?

No. Public money should not be available to those whom have given up their ability to work through voluntary gluttony and sloth.

This isn't lung cancer or a shattered femur. Obesity can be 'cured' through good diet and exercise (and easily prevented). Perhaps knowing that the state isn't going to support you while you sit on your ass at home eating junk food will serve as incentive to better yourself.

Not much help when healthy low fat foods tend to be more expensive that unhealthy foods. A lot of obese people are from low income backgrounds I can't imagine they could afford to do their weekly shop in Holland and Barrat!

Obesity is a medical condition - there's no 'if' about it.

Hamburgers, pogos, bacon, chips, cookies etc. are actually quite costly. Produce and grains, on the other hand, can be cheap and provide a lot of healthy meals if you know how to cook. Smaller portions of food save money, too. A walk and a run are free. Taking a bike to work costs you nothing.

This notion that poverty causes obesity is nonsense. Tell it to the impoverished people elsewhere in the world. When I'm unemployed or going through a tough few months, my main worry is that I'm actually going to lose weight. Gaining weight is far more expensive than losing it, my friend.

Obesity is a product of gluttony, laziness, and ignorance.