I don't think it's fair to say obesity is a scapegoat. Around 8% of global deaths are attributed to obesity per year, whereas it's 5.3% for alcoholism. Still important but no more so than obesity. Certainly not 'the real drain'. There's more than one drain but in this case, obesity is actually more substantial.
- Status
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
It depends on the source of the figures. WHO quote around 2.8 million people die worldwide from obesity and 3 million from alcoholism. The lancet provided the same numbers.
I’m also speaking from a personal perspective through my job. We saw far more alcoholics and alcohol related conditions than obese people.
I think most if not all those things come back to poor MH and we know how little is ploughed into that .
But there's more to being fat than just greed ,I'd doubt that 600lb person that can't get out of bed is there because they enjoy food ,just like the alcoholic enjoys waking up every morning feeling like tit ,poor MH manifests itself in different ways there's a bigger picture here.
It works both ways though, we both have different figures, who is to say which are more valid? The reality is they are both huge players but I don't agree that obesity is a scapegoat. It plays a huge role in global health problems that have huge ripple effects to many other conditions. I'm not denying alcoholism does as well, but there are far more obese individuals than there are alcoholics.
When exactly did I say obesity was just greed? I didn't. Nor did I *ever* say these problems didn't have a link to mental health. Obviously they do, but that doesn't change any of the points I have made about the toll they take on the healthcare system, regardless of their cause. Please do not put words into my mouth.
So we shouldn’t treat people with MH problems …Jesus!
Jesus christ Monga. At literally NO point did I say we shouldn't treat them. I said they take a huge toll on the healthcare system, I'm sorry but they do, it's a fact. Saying so DOES NOT SAY they shouldn't be treated. Jesus wept. What are you trying to achieve here?
Stop putting words into my mouth that weren't there. It's frankly bleeping insulting and extremely dangerous.
That’s the way it’s coming across!
The government and msm had a long list of COVID scapegoats. It created a culture of blame towards certain groups.
Started with the elderly, then the vulnerable, then moved onto the asian community, after that the obese were targeted when boris went on his weight loss mission- doing amazing on that isn’t he after all the negative poor information he gave- and then school age children.
All accused of being super spreaders, all accused of increasing COVID numbers, all targets for public’s covid fears.
Now its vaxxed vs unvaxxed. All creating a divisive society and pitting people against each other. I genuinely fear for the world our children are inheriting.
Started with the elderly, then the vulnerable, then moved onto the asian community, after that the obese were targeted when boris went on his weight loss mission- doing amazing on that isn’t he after all the negative poor information he gave- and then school age children.
All accused of being super spreaders, all accused of increasing COVID numbers, all targets for public’s covid fears.
Now its vaxxed vs unvaxxed. All creating a divisive society and pitting people against each other. I genuinely fear for the world our children are inheriting.
Last edited:
Certain groups have always put more strain on the healthcare system than others, regardless of COVID. People are so against acknowledging this because people don't like to accept that some of their life choices are negative. We live in a world where a GP can't even mention a patient is overweight without being accused of fat shaming. It isn't a culture of blame, it's just factual information that people find too close to home. Is this exclusive to obesity? Of course not, but if you look at somewhere like America where 1/3 of the population is obese, it is a hugely significant issue, regardless of what is causing it. And regardless of COVID. 1/3 of the population are not alcoholics and deaths are not the only measure of strain. In fact someone being dead is arguably less strain than chronic healthcare.
We could easily argue that there are many life choices (as many of us have listed before) that strain the system and make you more vulnerable, yes they all do, but few as widespread as obesity, so it's natural that it gets the most attention.
Last edited:
In the U.K. 1 in 4 adults are obese or overweight it puts an enormous strain on the health service because obesity is a precursor for many many diseases across all specialities where’s alcohol obviously puts strain on the health service too it’s not quite as wide spread across as many specialist departments. It’s fair to say they both are key contributors to the strain on the health service! As is drug addiction and smoking. I think if the government done more to promote wellness across all areas of health prevention people would take their proposals a bit more seriously but frankly it’s insulting and unethical aswell as contradictory to offer someone vouchers for McDonald’s if they get a vaccine that’s aim is to prevent disease progression in a disease known to be worsened by obesity!
I’m not taking about healthcare strain. Im talking about COVID and the medias repulsive reporting on certain groups in our country.
You could argue the same about children like mine too. They’d be less strain dead than being kept alive at cost to the NHS.
Being Asian isn’t a life choice, being born disabled and vulnerable is not a life choice neither is being elderly.
They are still people.
Problem is the NHS hasn’t been fit for purpose for years and COVID just highlighted how desperate the situation is.
Last edited:
The NHS is there for a reason, to help with health. They will treat anyone regardless of the ‘reason’ treatment is needed. Should an NHS dentist not give you a filling in your tooth because you’ve had too much sugar that has ended in decay. Or you are just terrified of the dentist but have finally found the courage to go? You cannot discriminate against any group of people that require healthcare. If we went down that route you may as well say you can only get assistance if you’ve paid into the system. That’s a whole other debate.
I think that’s why it’s important that peoples choices with all aspects of healthcare and preventative medicine or lifestyle choices are respected. We shouldn’t be incentivising anyone to take any vaccine or rewarding them for eating a salad. Educate but don’t segregate!
Absolutely ,they’ve got great spin doctors behind the scenes with blame game top of the agenda ,
Yet again, no one was saying they shouldn’t receive treatment. That was never the point.
The issue is that its not only a personal health concern, but a public one. That's why there are smoking areas and such, because YOU may be okay with the health risks, but you don't have the right to also impose that onto people around you... and with an infectious disease it's not about you getting sick, it's about spreading it to other people who don't want to get it. I personally don't care if I got it, but I'd care if my mother got it, or somebody else that might have complications.. so I'm taking the precautions for them, not for me. It's also unfair towards people who genuinely cannot get the jab because of autoimmune diseases etc who depend on others not spreading/shedding the virus onto them.
(I'm pretty sure this is not news at all, but it was true at the beginning of the pandemic and it's true now...)
I think it's just rude to COMPLETELY ignore everything you could do to slow the spread, that's why I'm saying I'll be somewhat okay with unvaccinated people if they at least take the responsible route and get tested frequently and quarantine if they get sick (ofc vaxxed people should do the same), but if you refuse to even do that much, you're just being a prick.
Obesity, smoking, drug addiction etc become a public concern when they put strain on the health service, taking up beds and waiting lists to be reviewed and treated for conditions that could of been prevented if they took preventative health measures into their own hands as their own responsibilities to begin with such as eating better or not smoking, not binge drinking etc. No ones suggesting for a minute that obesity is contagious but obesity is an epidemic too. All of these factors contribute to an overwhelmed nhs.
Just because someone chooses to decline a vaccine at this time doesn’t go hand in hand with ignoring wearing a mask, washing hands, keeping a distance etc. If anything I notice people who have had the vaccine thinking that’s them done their bit they’re free to go and do as they please walking straight by hand santising stations and joking don’t worry you’ll not catch nothing off me I got my jabs.
Works both ways really, so at the end of the day it should always be a choice for each individual in their circumstances. I wouldn’t dream of telling a new mum for example that they must breastfeed to reduce the risk of sids, ear infections, hospitalisation for any reason up until age 1, reduces mothers chance of developing cancer, (would be here all day rhyming benefits but ill not bore anyone)- because it’s the mothers choice to make the most suitable decision for her and her baby.
I equally wouldn’t dream of telling an obese person that they must have a healthy BMI or they can’t eat in my restaurant. It’s insane.
I don’t at all disagree with your last point and myself and my husband aren’t mixing with anyone at all, and if we did go out we would take every precaution, for us and for others. I have a relative with a terminal illness who covid would be very dangerous for so I do get it. I would never want to put anyone at risk at all. As I’ve said before despite having recovered from covid with really very few symptoms I definitely am still worried about covid, I don’t know for sure if I have antibodies or what strain of covid I had and whether I would catch another if I dropped my guard.
I do agree with @Notgonnalie above that there are definitely people who are double jabbed people that think enough is enough and they’ll do what the like now and won’t be taking precautions. It’s going to be a mixed bag on each side, likewise there are double jabbed people who are still very nervous and being careful.
Very interesting. Here is mine. I take immunosuppressants btw.Anyone out there really worried about their risk of dying from covid or being hospitalised from covid or even just interested to learn there’s an Oxford uni calculator! Here’s my
chances of dying from covid
Chances of being hospitalised
0.0004% 1 in 250000
0.0201% 1 in 4975
Academic Licence | QCovid™ risk calculator
qcovid.org
Absolute risk (a) | Absolute risk with no risk factors (b) | Relative risk (a/b) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COVID associated death | 0.0016% | 1 in 62500 | 0.0014% | 1 in 71429 | 1.1429 |
| COVID associated hospital admission | 0.0373% | 1 in 2681 | 0.0301% | 1 in 3322 | 1.2392 |
I find it really reassuring because we’re constantly bombarded with the bad news stories and we never really hear of the people who have survived and thrived after covid it’s always the doom and gloom and while I agree it’s important we know the severity of covid and the real risks it’s always important to be balanced and show well actually most people will survive and recover fully.
- Status