Obesity a disability?

CHRISB50

F'king scary...

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-30529791

 

crunchman

You'd think the EU are deliberately playing into UKIP's hands.

holnrew

"Judges said that obesity in itself was not a disability - but if a person had a long term impairment because of their obesity, then they would be protected by disability legislation."

Important distinction. Don't be an arsehole.

CHRISB50

I can understand that some people have a proper condition that causes them to gain weight or maybe on medication that does it.

 

But for someone who just chooses to eat badly and therefore becomes obese, for them to be considered disabled is a load of bollocks. Surely you take responsibility for your own actions? Rather than making it someone elses problem! Or am I being naive!?

dafuzz

It's not a disability, it's a mental health disorder imo. If a person overeats to the extent that they are damaging their own health, they are killing themselves pure and simple, much like a smoker. Is smoking a disability?

bluechargeboy

CHRISB50 said:

I can understand that some people have a proper condition that causes them to gain weight or maybe on medication that does it.

 

But for someone who just chooses to eat badly and therefore becomes obese, for them to be considered disabled is a load of bollocks. Surely you take responsibility for your own actions? Rather than making it someone elses problem! Or am I being naive!?

So if someone falls off a mountain bike and ends up in a wheelchair, are they not be classed as disabled because they brought it on themselves by doing a high risk sport?

frankus

crunchman said:

You'd think the EU are deliberately playing into UKIP's hands.

I think a lot of people are reading everything the EU does as fodder for UKIP ... whereas the EU is a centralised government pissing lots of people in lots of countries off... even the johny foreigners who don't want to come to Engerland... if there is such a thing.

CHRISB50

holnrew said:

"Judges said that obesity in itself was not a disability - but if a person had a long term impairment because of their obesity, then they would be protected by disability legislation."

Important distinction. Don't be an arsehole.

I'm not being an arsehole. At least not intentionally.

 

But surely the key is how someone becomes obese?

holnrew

dafuzz said:

It's not a disability, it's a mental health disorder imo. If a person overeats to the extent that they are damaging their own health, they are killing themselves pure and simple, much like a smoker. Is smoking a disability?

Being a smoker isn't, but emphysema is. That's the same here, the obesity itself isn't a disability, but if they get arthritis or something because of it, that is a disability. 

holnrew

CHRISB50 said:

holnrew said:

"Judges said that obesity in itself was not a disability - but if a person had a long term impairment because of their obesity, then they would be protected by disability legislation."

Important distinction. Don't be an arsehole.

I'm not being an arsehole. At least not intentionally.

 

But surely the key is how someone becomes obese?

That's irrelevant in this case. 

Babones

Reminded me of that episode of the Simpsons, where Homer becomes obese, to claim disability.

bluechargeboy

@CHRISB50, couldn't help noticing that your sig says "I can't help about the shape I'm in"...

CHRISB50

bluechargeboy said:

CHRISB50 said:

I can understand that some people have a proper condition that causes them to gain weight or maybe on medication that does it.

 

But for someone who just chooses to eat badly and therefore becomes obese, for them to be considered disabled is a load of bollocks. Surely you take responsibility for your own actions? Rather than making it someone elses problem! Or am I being naive!?

So if someone falls off a mountain bike and ends up in a wheelchair, are they not be classed as disabled because they brought it on themselves by doing a high risk sport?

No, it's not the same. That's an accident.

 

Surely overeating to an extent that brings on obesity and therefore other ailments isn't?

CHRISB50

 

bluechargeboy said:

@CHRISB50, couldn't help noticing that your sig says "I can't help about the shape I'm in"...

lol That's Peter Green, not me

Col_Decker

holnrew said:

"Judges said that obesity in itself was not a disability - but if a person had a long term impairment because of their obesity, then they would be protected by disability legislation."

Important distinction. Don't be an arsehole.

court also said: ... that if obesity could hinder "full and effective participation" at work then it could count as a disability

 

 

I love fatties me

Drew_TNBD

What about being skinny? Why do fat people get all the attention?

bluechargeboy

CHRISB50 said:

bluechargeboy said:

CHRISB50 said:

I can understand that some people have a proper condition that causes them to gain weight or maybe on medication that does it.

 

But for someone who just chooses to eat badly and therefore becomes obese, for them to be considered disabled is a load of bollocks. Surely you take responsibility for your own actions? Rather than making it someone elses problem! Or am I being naive!?

So if someone falls off a mountain bike and ends up in a wheelchair, are they not be classed as disabled because they brought it on themselves by doing a high risk sport?

No, it's not the same. That's an accident.

 

Surely overeating to an extent that brings on obesity and therefore other ailments isn't?

If by "accident" you mean "unintended consequence of my lifestyle choice" then I agree! Also, many people who get obese enough to be considered disabled have mental and self-esteem issues that make it tough to choose a different path. Nobody actively chooses to be 300lb (except sumo wrestlers).

Col_Decker

So its the condition that caused them to be obese, rather than the obesity itself? Symptom vs. disease for example?

 

 

If fatties start getting the best seats at sporting events or better parking just because they like bacon and hate rivitas then I think we've got a problem. What's next, short people suing Tesco's because they can't reach the porn on the top shelf?

vasselmeyer

Col_Decker said:

What's next, short people suing Tesco's because they can't reach the porn on the top shelf?

Just ask for a stepladder you shortarse degenerate.

hugbot

I would think obesity is a disability. A condition that causes you to not be able to do the same things as able bodied people = disability.

Now, whether you got in that situation by your own fault is another matter, but even by that logic there are still other conditions that are technically accepted as disabilities that you could have ended up with as a result of your own actions.

JAYJO

Col_Decker said:

So its the condition that caused them to be obese, rather than the obesity itself? Symptom vs. disease for example?

 

 

If fatties start getting the best seats at sporting events or better parking just because they like bacon and hate rivitas then I think we've got a problem. What's next, short people suing Tesco's because they can't reach the porn on the top shelf?

  The better parking probably comes with the Disabled permit and the Motorbility car.