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That's all true, but there's also research that suggests [1] that there is a gene responsible for for the mechanisms that result in satiety, and there are mutat

That's all true, but there's also research that suggests [1] that there is a gene responsible for for the mechanisms that result in satiety, and there are mutations for thia gene that either mean you are always satiated or never are (and probably a spectrum of people in between). There are people who think legitimately think it's easy because it's easy for them, even going so far as to attribute failure to regulate appetite as a moral one. 1. https://archive.is/20190419065429/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/18/health/genetics-weight-obesity.html https://archive.is/20190419065429/https://www.nytimes.com/20...

somenameforme 3y ago
Absolutely, there are several severe genetic disorders that can completely change the game here. But the issue is that we live in society that went from about 15% obesity rates to > 40% obesity rates in 30 years - and we're on track to sail right on over the majority market soon enough, while these genetic disorders affect a very small percentage of people. Yet now look at the environmental side of things where we've dramatically shifted our view on obesity and its acceptability. There are not only endless mass media articles, like the one you linked, implicitly suggesting to people that their fitness might be out of their control, but there's been a rise in things like 'fit at any size' type models (who have a habit of dying prematurely of cardiac issues), and more. And of course the ever-creeping plate, drink, and everything size, and even an FDA who recommends a 2400 calorie diet for a sedentary mid-aged male [1], which is just crazy out of touch with reality. To say nothing of their decision to do absolutely nothing about the increasingly overwhelming evidence of the dangers of sugar substitutes, the least of which being the increased probability of weight gain from consumption. By contrast one of the only countries to have actually taken major social action against obesity (once they saw it also starting to rise) is Japan. In Japan both employers and local governments are fined for the presence of overweight employees/residents, under a "metabo" law. And they're now the country with the 7th lowest rate of obesity in the world. [1] - https://www.fda.gov/media/112972/download https://www.fda.gov/media/112972/download
- DangitBobby 3y ago
  It's certainly not "out of their control". I'm not claiming it is, and I'm not claiming that everyone's genes have suddenly changed to make us fatter. I'm saying thinking "it's easy" as the root comment on this chain claims comes from a place of relative advantage that they fail to acknowledge. As I alluded to, I lost weight and have kept it off for about 7 years. Almost 100 pounds. But losing that weight was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do and I don't think I could have if I didn't have so little going on in my life that I could dedicate most of my willpower to it. I know very few people who have managed to do it.
  - somenameforme 3y ago
    I can definitely appreciate that. One of the biggest issues with environmental factors is that they can directly impact the difficulty of something. Imagine you have some devoutly religious Muslim guy, and you lock him in the Bellagio in Vegas for a year. He's going to have a much harder time following his values than if he was in Medina, Saudi Arabia. It's not like his values themselves, or their own inherent difficulty has changed - but just being in an environment completely contrary to abiding them, makes them vastly more difficult. So a lot really depends on your environment. And right now, America (and the West in general) has turned into a hellscape for people actually trying to control their weight. By contrast imagine you were in a country with a low obesity rate, no such obesity acceptance, and a culture (portion, clothes, etc) aimed towards more fit weights. It is dramatically easier. So congrats, because yeah - dropping and keeping off 100 lbs in America is definitely an achievement.
- curioussavage 3y ago
  There is also plenty of research linking childhood trauma and trauma during/before pregnancy to physiological changes related to weight gain. Then there are people with adhd, autism, and numerous other conditions that can indirectly influence it. So yeah, “just do it” and “just have some self control” etc is totally not it. I have zero tolerance for all this pearl clutching about giving people a break from the self hate. I seriously doubt it’s harmful for people to acknowledge that there are things they can’t fully control that hold them back. The real point is you can say “yeah whatever, but…” until you turn blue but without being able to peer into another persons mind you can’t make any factual assertions about how hard something is for other people.

somenameforme 3y ago

Absolutely, there are several severe genetic disorders that can completely change the game here. But the issue is that we live in society that went from about 15% obesity rates to > 40% obesity rates in 30 years - and we're on track to sail right on over the majority market soon enough, while these genetic disorders affect a very small percentage of people. Yet now look at the environmental side of things where we've dramatically shifted our view on obesity and its acceptability. There are not only endless mass media articles, like the one you linked, implicitly suggesting to people that their fitness might be out of their control, but there's been a rise in things like 'fit at any size' type models (who have a habit of dying prematurely of cardiac issues), and more. And of course the ever-creeping plate, drink, and everything size, and even an FDA who recommends a 2400 calorie diet for a sedentary mid-aged male [1], which is just crazy out of touch with reality. To say nothing of their decision to do absolutely nothing about the increasingly overwhelming evidence of the dangers of sugar substitutes, the least of which being the increased probability of weight gain from consumption. By contrast one of the only countries to have actually taken major social action against obesity (once they saw it also starting to rise) is Japan. In Japan both employers and local governments are fined for the presence of overweight employees/residents, under a "metabo" law. And they're now the country with the 7th lowest rate of obesity in the world. [1] - https://www.fda.gov/media/112972/download https://www.fda.gov/media/112972/download

DangitBobby 3y ago
It's certainly not "out of their control". I'm not claiming it is, and I'm not claiming that everyone's genes have suddenly changed to make us fatter. I'm saying thinking "it's easy" as the root comment on this chain claims comes from a place of relative advantage that they fail to acknowledge. As I alluded to, I lost weight and have kept it off for about 7 years. Almost 100 pounds. But losing that weight was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do and I don't think I could have if I didn't have so little going on in my life that I could dedicate most of my willpower to it. I know very few people who have managed to do it.
- somenameforme 3y ago
  I can definitely appreciate that. One of the biggest issues with environmental factors is that they can directly impact the difficulty of something. Imagine you have some devoutly religious Muslim guy, and you lock him in the Bellagio in Vegas for a year. He's going to have a much harder time following his values than if he was in Medina, Saudi Arabia. It's not like his values themselves, or their own inherent difficulty has changed - but just being in an environment completely contrary to abiding them, makes them vastly more difficult. So a lot really depends on your environment. And right now, America (and the West in general) has turned into a hellscape for people actually trying to control their weight. By contrast imagine you were in a country with a low obesity rate, no such obesity acceptance, and a culture (portion, clothes, etc) aimed towards more fit weights. It is dramatically easier. So congrats, because yeah - dropping and keeping off 100 lbs in America is definitely an achievement.
curioussavage 3y ago
There is also plenty of research linking childhood trauma and trauma during/before pregnancy to physiological changes related to weight gain. Then there are people with adhd, autism, and numerous other conditions that can indirectly influence it. So yeah, “just do it” and “just have some self control” etc is totally not it. I have zero tolerance for all this pearl clutching about giving people a break from the self hate. I seriously doubt it’s harmful for people to acknowledge that there are things they can’t fully control that hold them back. The real point is you can say “yeah whatever, but…” until you turn blue but without being able to peer into another persons mind you can’t make any factual assertions about how hard something is for other people.