It isn't an issue of whether they "bring it on themselves" or not. People have a right to be fat and not get treated like shit because of it. Whether it's their fault or not isn't relevant. That's victim-blaming.
As much as metabolism is dependent on diet, some people do have a naturally faster or slower metabolism. You can change that within a certain limit, but a certain amount isn't in your control. You can't really deny that it isn't all down to behaviour, or even mostly down to behaviour. I can probably even link you to studies which show the link between genetics and enzymes relating to obesity if you want. After all, we wouldn't want to show an "anti-science agenda", would we? :P There are a lot of people who have a terribly fatty diet and don't work it off, but still don't gain much weight; doesn't that falsify your hypothesis that metabolism is all behaviour?
"As much as metabolism is dependent on diet, some people do have a naturally faster or slower metabolism. You can change that within a certain limit, but a certain amount isn't in your control"
I disagree with this from experience. I have a naturally slower metabolism and a sedentary life style. I used to eat a little less than most people and was borderline overweight (BMI of 26), I simply decided to eat less and within 6 months I lost 20% of my body weight and my BMI was down to 18.5 where it's been stable for over a year. I just accept that I'm small and sedentary and so can't eat anywhere as near as much as most people do.
Metabolism isn't all behaviour but you can adapt your behaviour to your metabolism. So people can choose not to be fat.
I also disagree that people have the right to be fat, for the same reason why people don't have the right to do cocaine or heroine. Being fat is very unhealthy and being fat encourages others to be fat (the more fat people there are the more socially acceptable it is and fat parents tend to be less careful about keeping giving their children a healthy upbringing), so being fat is contributing to the poor health and reduced life expectancy of others.
With all due respect, you are one data point out of seven billion. Just because some people are able to lose weight doesn't mean everyone even *can* lose weight.
My point is that even if you adapt your behaviour to your metabolism, your metabolism can adapt itself to compensate. There are genes producing enzymes for fat storage which are activated in some people once they lose weight and become not fat. That's a reason some people find losing weight so difficult, and it's a biological reason beyond their control.
Here's the main problem I see with what you're saying. With your first point you're championing the power of the individual to make their own decisions about their weight, saying that "people can choose not to be fat". But in your second point you're saying that one person's choice in being fat somehow makes other people become fat too, so you're saying other people *don't* have a choice about whether they're fat or not (if people truly have a choice about being fat, why would other people's weight cause them to become fat?). So those are two completely contradictory points.
People absolutely have the 'right' to be fat. People have the right to do what they want with their bodies. Pierce them, cut them, tattoo them, nip and tuck them, pour alcohol and other drugs into them, fatten them up, slim them down etc.
That's the individual's choice.
The problem is when it becomes a burden on society, but it's only a burden if society accommodates such extreme behaviour. By accommodate, I mean make special arrangements for and bare the negative consequences of such extreme behaviour.
Is it normal I'm tired of "fat pride?"
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It isn't an issue of whether they "bring it on themselves" or not. People have a right to be fat and not get treated like shit because of it. Whether it's their fault or not isn't relevant. That's victim-blaming.
As much as metabolism is dependent on diet, some people do have a naturally faster or slower metabolism. You can change that within a certain limit, but a certain amount isn't in your control. You can't really deny that it isn't all down to behaviour, or even mostly down to behaviour. I can probably even link you to studies which show the link between genetics and enzymes relating to obesity if you want. After all, we wouldn't want to show an "anti-science agenda", would we? :P There are a lot of people who have a terribly fatty diet and don't work it off, but still don't gain much weight; doesn't that falsify your hypothesis that metabolism is all behaviour?
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Devyn
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"As much as metabolism is dependent on diet, some people do have a naturally faster or slower metabolism. You can change that within a certain limit, but a certain amount isn't in your control"
I disagree with this from experience. I have a naturally slower metabolism and a sedentary life style. I used to eat a little less than most people and was borderline overweight (BMI of 26), I simply decided to eat less and within 6 months I lost 20% of my body weight and my BMI was down to 18.5 where it's been stable for over a year. I just accept that I'm small and sedentary and so can't eat anywhere as near as much as most people do.
Metabolism isn't all behaviour but you can adapt your behaviour to your metabolism. So people can choose not to be fat.
I also disagree that people have the right to be fat, for the same reason why people don't have the right to do cocaine or heroine. Being fat is very unhealthy and being fat encourages others to be fat (the more fat people there are the more socially acceptable it is and fat parents tend to be less careful about keeping giving their children a healthy upbringing), so being fat is contributing to the poor health and reduced life expectancy of others.
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dom180
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With all due respect, you are one data point out of seven billion. Just because some people are able to lose weight doesn't mean everyone even *can* lose weight.
My point is that even if you adapt your behaviour to your metabolism, your metabolism can adapt itself to compensate. There are genes producing enzymes for fat storage which are activated in some people once they lose weight and become not fat. That's a reason some people find losing weight so difficult, and it's a biological reason beyond their control.
Here's the main problem I see with what you're saying. With your first point you're championing the power of the individual to make their own decisions about their weight, saying that "people can choose not to be fat". But in your second point you're saying that one person's choice in being fat somehow makes other people become fat too, so you're saying other people *don't* have a choice about whether they're fat or not (if people truly have a choice about being fat, why would other people's weight cause them to become fat?). So those are two completely contradictory points.
People absolutely have the 'right' to be fat. People have the right to do what they want with their bodies. Pierce them, cut them, tattoo them, nip and tuck them, pour alcohol and other drugs into them, fatten them up, slim them down etc.
That's the individual's choice.
The problem is when it becomes a burden on society, but it's only a burden if society accommodates such extreme behaviour. By accommodate, I mean make special arrangements for and bare the negative consequences of such extreme behaviour.