I’m not even sure what purpose these shows are supposed to serve, as we gawp in horror at people too fat to leave the house or tables piled high with the daily food intake of someone who is clearly mentally ill. Mostly these shows are crudely voyeuristic, allowing us to judge and pity in equal measure, whilst feeling smugly self-satisfied about our own lumps and bumps which are normalised by comparison.
I read an article recently about a survey that had been carried out on behalf of a weight loss group. It stated that 65% of overweight people experience public humiliation on a regular basis. These humiliations include, people shouting abuse from passing cars, fellow passengers refusing to share seats with them on public transport and being shunned and ridiculed in the workplace. Not surprisingly, 47% of overweight people claim to be receiving treatment for depression and 88% of those use food as a form of comfort. We don’t need a science degree to see what’s happening here.
So why is it then that as a society we think it’s okay to bully fat people? Thankfully, nobody in their right mind would think it acceptable to publically mock someone for their colour, gender or disability, so why do we not feel the same way when it comes to disparaging remarks about people’s size? I can’t help but wonder if the plethora of fat shows and the tone they convey doesn’t play a large part in it. There seems to be two roles for the obese to play – victim or a glutton who has become dehumanised by greed. Even the shows that purport to help such as the Biggest Loser, where overweight people are given access to personal trainers and dieticians, take great delight in parading the hapless competitors in ridiculously skimpy leisurewear, in a way that seems designed only to humiliate.
Speaking to some young people last week about their unsympathetic attitude towards an obese man who had been the subject of a TV show the night before, I asked them why they thought it was okay to be so cruel. The general consensus seemed to be that fat people are fair game because they are in control of their own weight and so consequently have brought their plight on themselves. Whilst it’s true that someone who is obese does have the power to change their condition, it’s clearly not that simple. For most people who have bypassed the pleasantly plump stage and then some, their issues must surely be as much mental as physical. Nobody would purposely limit their life in such a way, would they?
Where does that leave the rest of us then? Despite feeling uncomfortable at the way in which we seem to have designated fat people as the new whipping boys, the reality is I’m no less judgemental than anyone else. The amount of money for instance that obesity costs the NHS is insane. I have friends who work in hospitals and they report how special beds have had to be purchased because the standard ones, which are supposed to be able to withstand a 30 stone weight, are no longer sturdy enough. Ambulances that can accommodate larger weights are kept on standby and the number of people needing dialysis because of diabetes has purportedly rocketed. The simple fact of the matter is, the NHS is not a bottomless pit of money, and we tend to become resentful when we feel that someone’s illness may be self-inflicted.
I’ve also found myself in the situation where I’ve been expected to share a seat on a train with someone who was so large they occupied the entire space. The train was packed full and, when I found my pre-booked seat, I was faced with the embarrassing dilemma of trying to squeeze onto a seat where there was no room or spend the two and a half hour journey standing next to the toilet. I chose the latter because it’s not in my nature to be confrontational but, I can understand how someone may feel angry at having paid the extortionate fare that rail companies are demanding, for what turned out to be a non-existent seat.
What’s the answer then? Supposedly we are all sleep walking into the ranks of obesity at an alarming rate so how can we continue to legitimise the bullying of fat people? Realistically if we are driving overweight people to misery and more food, the problem will just become one of ever greater proportions. I suspect we dehumanise fat people because they make us feel better about ourselves. In a world where we have so little control obesity is the final destination and, maybe by holding fat people up for ridicule, it allows us to hide from the fact that we are all being destroyed by our burgeoning greed and sense of entitlement.
Whatever the reason behind our national obsession with obesity, it’s clear that something needs to be done. The common sense approach would be to nip weight problems in the bud before they become a thirty stone plus nightmare. It’s a fact that obese parents are more likely to have obese children as perceptions of normal size become skewed and bad habits are passed from one generation to the next. More has to be done to educate people about the costs of poor lifestyle choices. Rather than encouraging young people to see the obese as figures of fun maybe, as a society, we should be focusing instead on empowering them to take responsibility for their own health and well-being.