Is obesity a disease?

[RED-DOG]

Is it fcuk. (IMO of course)


https://news.sky.com/story/call-for-obesity-to-be-reclassified-as-a-disease-11597486

[bobAlike]

Technically yes

Disease

noun
a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

[Marky147]

At least I've got an excuse now

[Jon MW]

Technically yes

Disease

noun
a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

That definition doesn't seem to fit obesity though.

An organ or system in your body can go wrong which can result in obesity - that would mean that obesity isn't the 'disease' (it's the symptom); the disease is whatever went wrong to cause it.

And obviously 999/1000 or higher it's nothing going wrong anyway it's just environmental - if you eat too much your body is meant to store the extra fat, the obesity caused by that is your body working as it should do.

[bobAlike]

Technically yes

Disease

noun
a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

That definition doesn't seem to fit obesity though.

An organ or system in your body can go wrong which can result in obesity - that would mean that obesity isn't the 'disease' (it's the symptom); the disease is whatever went wrong to cause it.

And obviously 999/1000 or higher it's nothing going wrong anyway it's just environmental - if you eat too much your body is meant to store the extra fat, the obesity caused by that is your body working as it should do.

I was thinking more about the bolded bit.

[RickBFA]

Heard this discussed today, someone commented “genes load the gun but we pull the trigger”

Seems a perfect description to me.

[Jon MW]

Heard this discussed today, someone commented “genes load the gun but we pull the trigger”

Seems a perfect description to me.

It also comes back to the question of whether it fits the definition of, "..disordered or incorrectly functioning...";

for example there is an epigenetic*  outcome which can mean you are prone to getting fat because you had a grandparent who had a shortage of food as a baby.

So the symptom could be obesity - but it still wouldn't fit any definition of a disease being involved because it isn't disordered or incorrectly functioning. From an evolutionary point of view if you have a shortage of food as a baby your descendants for at least 2 or 3 generations are probably going to as well.

As mentioned in the linked article it might be useful in terms of dealing with obesity if it were classed as a disease but I don't see how it fits the technical definition. It's either a symptom of a disease or a side-affect of technological and environmental factors outpacing evolution.



*epigenetic - the same gene can have various proteins switched on or off depending on a number of factors, primarily environmental, so you can inherit the same gene but have a different outcome because of what did or didn't happen to you compared with someone else with that gene.

[RED-DOG]

It's funny how perceptions change. When I was in my teens and my granny was match-making, she used to say things like, "Ooh, look at her our Tom Tom, what a lovely fat girl".

[bobAlike]

It's funny how perceptions change. When I was in my teens and my granny was match-making, she used to say things like, "Ooh, look at her our Tom Tom, what a lovely fat girl".

Your granny was a bit mean calling you a fat girl.

[the sicilian]

It's funny how perceptions change. When I was in my teens and my granny was match-making, she used to say things like, "Ooh, look at her our Tom Tom, what a lovely fat girl".

Your granny was a bit mean calling you a fat girl.

Loooool

[the sicilian]

It can only be classed as psychological disease.. the only way you get obese is by eating too much... thats not a disease its a choice. Its mentally where the issue may be such as low self esteem..depression etc may cause comfort eating... sticking too much food in your mouth is not a disease.. or you are just a lazy greedy sod who uses any excuse under the sun to justify your obesity.. Most common excuse is its my glands.. although this can be true it is rare.. people who say this are usually half way through their 4th doughnut and 8th can of coke

[Chompy]

Your personal trainer will get you there in the end.

Fwiw I agree though.

[celtic]

It can only be classed as psychological disease.. the only way you get obese is by eating too much... thats not a disease its a choice. Its mentally where the issue may be such as low self esteem..depression etc may cause comfort eating... sticking too much food in your mouth is not a disease.. or you are just a lazy greedy sod who uses any excuse under the sun to justify your obesity.. Most common excuse is its my glands.. although this can be true it is rare.. people who say this are usually half way through their 4th doughnut and 8th can of coke

WRONG!

[Marky147]

It can only be classed as psychological disease.. the only way you get obese is by eating too much... thats not a disease its a choice. Its mentally where the issue may be such as low self esteem..depression etc may cause comfort eating... sticking too much food in your mouth is not a disease.. or you are just a lazy greedy sod who uses any excuse under the sun to justify your obesity.. Most common excuse is its my glands.. although this can be true it is rare.. people who say this are usually half way through their 4th doughnut and 8th can of coke

WRONG!

Listen to him, now he's off our firm and back in the baywatch gang, Vin

[the sicilian]

It can only be classed as psychological disease.. the only way you get obese is by eating too much... thats not a disease its a choice. Its mentally where the issue may be such as low self esteem..depression etc may cause comfort eating... sticking too much food in your mouth is not a disease.. or you are just a lazy greedy sod who uses any excuse under the sun to justify your obesity.. Most common excuse is its my glands.. although this can be true it is rare.. people who say this are usually half way through their 4th doughnut and 8th can of coke

WRONG!

Explain