Obesity and Mental Health

If there’s one aspect of the physical health which affects the mental state the most then being obese would easily top the charts. Weight has been such an integral part of one’s identity that all social relationships take this into account. People get insecure about this, how we get with our skin tone and or height. Let’s break down what is it about being obese that is so unbearable for the self and unacceptable in the society? The obvious: Looks! And why are looks important? Well it’s the way of the animal kingdom. It forms the basis of mating with the opposite sex. The looks even though is the surface level of what we mean by having reproductive capabilities it is actually the fact that good health contributes the good looks. This mere understanding would disgust us that obesity is the name of the condition we are facing but all it really flashes in a doctor report or any health check up is that you are unhealthy.

But in this world of liposuction and Instagram filters we have made obesity the new normal. Plus size models have their new place and beauty is redefined on some level not in terms of body figure. This is great but our inherent intent on being slim burns like a fire even while we are on a couch snacking while watching reality shows about self transformation. So how do we end up feeling in this modern world scenario? We feel entitled and apparently self accepting with intense desire to change.

We have a general sense of pictorial or commonsensical representation of what is obesity. I believe majority of people believe not having a flat tummy is being obese. I mean sure they do know there’s something called as “fat”. But beyond the medical fraternity, it’s just one big blob having the same eye for everyone. So you have being fat, obese, overweight and heavy.

These obviously mean different things and have different psychological tuning when it comes to what we think of the term and what we actually have. But for the purpose of the topic let’s talk about obesity. Medically obesity is a condition where there is excess body fat which risks a person with health problems.

There are 2 major things I want to address in this blog. One is the idea of obesity as being sadly construed as a form of victim-blaming. Second, the self-criticality when it comes to being obese. Let’s just examine the first. I started the blog with the opinion that the one aspect of physical health which affects the mental health the most is obesity.

One might just outright blast out by saying what about cancer? Also about the fact that not only this disease is more fatal but it drags your soul physically and mentally through the mud before it ends you.

Losing hair, weight, being fatigued, having a literal timeline to your death and plenty more is nothing compared to being obese. The healthiest of individual one day end up with this disease the other and that is just outright brutal. I’m not trying to belittle any disease or condition. What seems worse is all very subjective. What I am trying to tap and say is something else. Yes cancer is well cancerous. The word itself is connoted to not so pleasant things in the first place.

But when it comes to recuperating someone on a mental health level there are many provisions for the same. Undergoing therapy, counselling, family support, access to centres solely focusing on their health has proved to be extremely helpful in coping and fighting the disease. But when it comes to obesity you are all alone. I mean not literally but there is nothing concrete the society is offering. The victimising easily exceeds the support system created for obese individuals. What do I mean by victimising exactly? Again there are two facets to this.

One is the relentless blame game of the individuals own choices leading up to the excess fat zone. We completely disregard the genes, other diseases especially thyroid and childhood upbringing by primary caregivers. The other is the economy game played by the government, corporate giants, fitness industry and medical support.

The government in terms of giving farmer subsidies to produce more which majorly goes into production of processed food. The corporate and the fitness industry being on the opinion that lack of exercise as the only cause for gaining weight. Even the medical associations do not strongly advocate the proper means of treatment and management of the disease.