Obesity is a disability, rules the EU

[Empired]

This is the problem. There needs to be a way to distinguish self-inflicted disabilities from those which cannot be helped.

But couldn't a lot of health problems be classed as self inflicted by those looking to be difficult? And technically they would have a point.

Examples being:
Someone loses mobility after a home firework display goes wrong --> shouldn't have been setting off fireworks in their garden should they.
Serious mental health problems following alcohol abuse --> their own fault for allowing themselves to become an alcoholic.
Anorexia (to the point where they can no longer live out a normal life) --> should eat more McDonalds shouldn't they. (Literally the exact opposite of what someone, can't remember who- maybe more than one person?, said in this thread.)

I don't agree with these but I'm sure plenty of people will try and bring up these arguments if a new "category" of disability, the "self-inflicted" disability, is created. I don't think I made my point very well but I'm struggling to explain.

Anyway I just don't know what to think about the idea of obesity being a disability. I agree with Jen that it does seem to belittle other disabilities but Kyle is also right that some people cannot help it and their obesity is caused by other reasons than just overeating.

[The Don]

Distinguishing disabilities from one another so that groups can take some sort of moral high ground just complicates things further. Obesity is a problem, self inflicted or not. It's known to cause a number of officially recognised impairments and as such gives rise to complications where employment legislation is concerned, what this would do is to increase opportunities for the fatties who are being discriminated against in work and employment situations because of their bmi. From what I understand, workers might be denied a job because they're fat and an employer assumes that they aren't up to it, but now employers will have to give good reasons for employing/denying individuals and do their best to accommodate for those of all shapes and sizes (literally) or face legal repercussions.

It's not so that they can take a moral high ground. Obesity can be cured by losing weight, multiple sclerosis can't be cured and should therefore be treated differently to the other.

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But couldn't a lot of health problems be classed as self inflicted by those looking to be difficult? And technically they would have a point.

Examples being:
Someone loses mobility after a home firework display goes wrong --> shouldn't have been setting off fireworks in their garden should they.
Serious mental health problems following alcohol abuse --> their own fault for allowing themselves to become an alcoholic.
Anorexia (to the point where they can no longer live out a normal life) --> should eat more McDonalds shouldn't they. (Literally the exact opposite of what someone, can't remember who- maybe more than one person?, said in this thread.)

I don't agree with these but I'm sure plenty of people will try and bring up these arguments if a new "category" of disability, the "self-inflicted" disability, is created. I don't think I made my point very well but I'm struggling to explain.

Anyway I just don't know what to think about the idea of obesity being a disability. I agree with Jen that it does seem to belittle other disabilities but Kyle is also right that some people cannot help it and their obesity is caused by other reasons than just overeating.

You can't get your legs back if you've blown them off.

[Empired]

It's not so that they can take a moral high ground. Obesity can be cured by losing weight, multiple sclerosis can't be cured and should therefore be treated differently to the other.

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You can't get your legs back if you've blown them off.

But the idea of a self-inflicted disability is not the same as being able to recover from a disability

[Kyle]

It's not so that they can take a moral high ground. Obesity can be cured by losing weight, multiple sclerosis can't be cured and should therefore be treated differently to the other.

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You can't get your legs back if you've blown them off.

Weight can be controlled with proper eating and exercise, as can most mental illnesses and even some physical impairments with the correct treatment. Just because something can be regulated over a period of time does not mean that it is non existent within the current moment and doesn't cause social problems.

[The Don]

But the idea of a self-inflicted disability is not the same as being able to recover from a disability

Now we're arguing over semantics. A self-inflicted disability which can be cured by simply losing weight shouldn't be treated or labelled the same as the likes of ms or epilepsy.

[RyRy]

This law falls short of saying that if it's a genetic thing that's made you obese, then you should be classed as disabled.

If you've got a mental illness that makes you require more food or something, also something that should mean your obseity is a disability.

BUT IF YOUVE EATEN TOO MUCH OUT OF GREED, THAT IS NOT A DISABILITY. I find this rather disgusting and I honestly feel people are going to take advantage of it.

[Empired]

Now we're arguing over semantics. A self-inflicted disability which can be cured by simply losing weight shouldn't be treated or labelled the same as the likes of ms or epilepsy.

I agree with this but not sure losing weight is always as simple as people think it is. There are often mental implications behind overeating that make it very difficult to lose weight and then keep it off. Some people overeat because they're depressed and food (particularly "tasty" food like things with lots of sugar, saturated fat, or salt) temporarily cheers them up. The effect of the food then wears off and they become miserable again so they eat more to bring up their mood again. Same with people who eat to punish themselves or those who eat because they're lonely.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying these people should be considered the same as someone suffering with Parkinson's or someone who's paralysed but I definitely don't think losing weight is anything near "simple" for everyone. Of course it's just gonna be a case of exercise and healthy eating for some people, but that doesn't mean it'll be like that for everyone.

[The Don]

Weight can be controlled with proper eating and exercise, as can most mental illnesses and even some physical impairments with the correct treatment. Just because something can be regulated over a period of time does not mean that it is non existent within the current moment and doesn't cause social problems.

Which self-inflicted mental illnesses can be cured through eating a healthy diet and exercising? And they should also be grouped similarly to obesity if that's the case, i'm not specifically talking just about obesity, I think any self-inflicted disability should be treated similarly. Clearly not all disabilities are the same as each other and the severity of one disability is going to differ from the next, and the prognosis of one will be different to another. They should be treated as such rather than chucked under one blanket term. Of course it's not non-existent which is why I said it should be classified as a disability, just not grouped with other genetic and hereditary disabilities which are more severe than obesity and can't be easily treated in most cases by self-control.

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I agree with this but not sure losing weight is always as simple as people think it is. There are often mental implications behind overeating that make it very difficult to lose weight and then keep it off. Some people overeat because they're depressed and food (particularly "tasty" food like things with lots of sugar, saturated fat, or salt) temporarily cheers them up. The effect of the food then wears off and they become miserable again so they eat more to bring up their mood again. Same with people who eat to punish themselves or those who eat because they're lonely.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying these people should be considered the same as someone suffering with Parkinson's or someone who's paralysed but I definitely don't think losing weight is anything near "simple" for everyone. Of course it's just gonna be a case of exercise and healthy eating for some people, but that doesn't mean it'll be like that for everyone.

Depression is the disorder in that example, obesity is simply a symptom of it.

[Empired]

Which self-inflicted mental illnesses can be cured through eating a healthy diet and exercising? And they should also be grouped similarly to obesity if that's the case, i'm not specifically talking just about obesity, I think any self-inflicted disability should be treated similarly. Clearly not all disabilities are the same as each other and the severity of one disability is going to differ from the next, and the prognosis of one will be different to another. They should be treated as such rather than chucked under one blanket term. Of course it's not non-existent which is why I said it should be classified as a disability, just not grouped with other genetic and hereditary disabilities which are more severe than obesity and can't be easily treated in most cases by self-control.

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Depression is the disorder in that example, obesity is simply a symptom of it.

And still causes problems whilst the sufferer is obese.

The problem I have with lumping all disabilities together or lumping them into two different groups is that every disability varies from person to person. Two different people can have lost a leg but it could affect their lives completely differently. I've always thought personal troubles such as illnesses or disabilities should be judged on a case-by-case basis by the person's GP, and the Court should judge each case as it comes as well.

[Kyle]

Which self-inflicted mental illnesses can be cured through eating a healthy diet and exercising? And they should also be grouped similarly to obesity if that's the case, i'm not specifically talking just about obesity, I think any self-inflicted disability should be treated similarly. Clearly not all disabilities are the same as each other and the severity of one disability is going to differ from the next, and the prognosis of one will be different to another. They should be treated as such rather than chucked under one blanket term. Of course it's not non-existent which is why I said it should be classified as a disability, just not grouped with other genetic and hereditary disabilities which are more severe than obesity and can't be easily treated in most cases by self-control.

Depression is the disorder in that example, obesity is simply a symptom of it.

The group includes genetic impairments but isn't limited to them and a new branch for 'self inflicted' diseases only serves to morally separate those that have inherited what causes their disability from others. This is legislation, not a school playground, there's absolutely no need for it as it serves very little actual purpose.

We need to remember here that the law isn't giving a free pass to fat people, it's allowing them equal opportunity in the job market and beyond and it's going to reopen doors that were previously shut in their faces because of preconceived notions about their ability to perform tasks to a usual standard. A paraplegic in the past may have been disabled by their environment due to the need for a wheelchair in the past but the law now gives them far more access (with ramps and such as well as discrimination legislation) to a life that is considered normal. Why should obese people be denied a normal life and empowerment to become fitter?

I get the fat hat, people eat too much. Britain is looking at 50% obesity in 20 years and that's a problem. It's just not fair though to discriminate against them because of it. Why don't we just help them? There's no abuse here, everyone's working together.