Is Obesity a Disability?

Now i don't want to stir up a hornets nest here but what do people think?

I got myself into a bit of a ruttus today while in town. Some very overweight person on one of those road buggies was tear arsing down the pavement not giving a rats ass about the people walking. He crept up behind me and shouted, "Hey, im trying to get past, can you move out the way". Well, ill tell ya, i gave him what for for the cheek of expectation of preferential treatment. He was grossly overweight smoking a cigarette.

I nearly said, get off that buggy, put yopur fag out and do some bloody exercise, but thought better of it.

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

What you have to ask yourself here is if YOU think it's a disability. The fact he was overweight and smoking a fag made to difference to his attitude. He could be been slim and still said the same ..............

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

That's true Alice - in fact last night I watched a docu on these mobility buggies - people are fed up with them tearing around on pavements and expecting people to move out of their way !
They are supposed to travel at 4 miles per hour on pavements but we saw them going a lot faster than that.
Some of the people are also useless on them. Knocking into people causing - in some cases, serious injury especially to elderly victims.

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

I don't think being obese should be classed as a disability, after all in most cases it can be controlled or eliminated altogether by diet and exercise.
I imagine it can be disabling at times, I also think there are some who maybe put the weight on after an illness was diagnosed that meant their movements were restricted. However there are many where I live who charge around on these scooters and can be very dangerous indeed!! I've dodged a few myself!

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

No, it's a lifestyle choice and whilst ever you class it as an illness it will give just another excuse for the obese to blame anything but themselves for their predicament, and you really would be doing them no favours.

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

The way a person uses the scooters indicate his temper and mind set, not the disability that put that person on the scooter to begin with. When I use one in the store, I am treated with terrible disrespect, nearly being shoved off one, had people drop things on my head, pushed out of the way so another can beat me to the check out...once had a person take a item from my cart to put in theirs. It is a two way street, the miss treatment goes both ways. I no longer can even get to the store to shop...internet shop is the way I do it now.

I bought one of those scooters for my use when my knees got so bad I didn't walk much but with the scooter I was able to garden very well. Get out in the sunshine..I loved it. After knee replacement surgery I didn't use it and my Hubby took over...he had arthritis, heart and lung diseases and alzheimers..he couldn't think fast enough to even keep from driving right into things...and people. He wasn't a bad person but his mind was slow and things happened...he once snagged onto my rototiller and dragged it around until I could catch him!

I no longer have a scooter..it wore out.. now I rarely leave the house...too much pain most days to walk much. I would be a much happier woman if I had that scooter again...and I never ran into anybody or anything!

Obesity is a disability, for some of us nothing works to lose it. I have tried everything, even surgery. I can not lose weight even fasting...It is a disease, almost like a cancer.

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

True what you say there Shirley - 'some' people. Would say temperament has a lot to do with the attitude I saw displayed, but as with driving, some people just shouldn't ......

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

Well if one's obesity created "....a physical or mental condition that limits their movements, senses, or activities" i.e the definition of disability - then yes they're disabled.

I'm not sure how you came to the conclusion that his obesity = his disability though, or what his smoking a cigarette and being in a disabled buggy (and his bad manners) had anything to do with the question posed in your thread?

His obesity may be his lifestyle choice but I'm still not sure what that has to do with the price of fish

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

Obesity it's self isn't a disability but it can cause you to be disabled. If you cannot walk or put your own shoes on then you are disabled IMO
It also can cause other health problems that are disabilities.

These buggy things are a menace, I completely understand why some people use them but they really should be addressing why they need it and if walking would be a healthier option. I am afraid as a dieter who is making it work I may be becoming like an ex smoker who is a bit evangelical about obesity.

Re: Is Obesity a Disability?

I agree... anything that impedes a person from functioning independently is a disability... It doesn't matter if they did it to themselves or if it was a lifestyle choice, IMO they are disabled.

Dieter here too!.... 8 lbs off so far. It's a slow go.