Should obese people pay extra for flying

[freepyjamas]

I think EVERYONE should pay more in Y.

Let's face it, people are getting bigger and in order to sell us fares at historically low prices, the airlines are cramming us in like sardines. It's just not sustainable.

Make all the Y seats bigger, and the overweight amongst us will at least be able to fit into the seat with dignity and some degree of comfort. And the skinny buggers like me will be very comfortable indeed.

If half the population is overweight/obese (and rising) it makes sense to cater to them. Telling them to buy a J seat isn't really going to work in the long run.

Y+ probably realistically caters to the average body shape now, which is probably 25% bigger than it was a generation ago (taller, wider).

 

[simongr]

And by the way most of western society is obese so the signs are not good. Perhaps it is time for airlines to stop trying to squeeze more out of aircraft cabins and try to make flying more comfortable for all.

 

[dfcatch]

Wall-E!

Haha

 

[JohnK]

I am 175cm and was just a touch over 120kg, blood pressure was through the roof etc etc. I actually started with LiteNeasy food and I now weigh 102kg, meaning I lost 18kg in just over 2 months.

Great to hear. Diets do not work for everyone.

I have had ~900 calories today and I am about to eat a Heinz pea and ham soup of ~270 calories and a lettuce and lettuce salad with a tomato of ~80 calories and I may have a handful of cashews as well.

I think short of 1,500 calories and i am putting on weight and I don't feel well.

We all know the only cause of obeseness is the amount food you eat....

Not the only cause. Medication is another cause. Metabolism is another. Insulin intolerance is another. I am sure there are others.

Anyhoo I made a concerted effort to walk 18 holes of Golf at least three times a month (any who have seen me play would realise I do get a lot of metres in during a round - much more then "course length".

In six months, my weight dropped to ~90kg, my waist measurement from 107cm to 102cm and generally felt better for it.

Does not work for everyone.

 

[whatmeworry]

I have had ~900 calories today and I am about to eat a Heinz pea and ham soup of ~270 calories and a lettuce and lettuce salad with a tomato of ~80 calories and I may have a handful of cashews as well.

I think short of 1,500 calories and i am putting on weight and I don't feel well.

Just remember JohnK not all calories are created equally! There are so many contraindications when it comes to calories and the latest Food science research. One example is that certain fats help the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

My advice for anybody trying to lose weight focus more on reducing body fat percentage over weight loss and try to increase you muscle percentage with some anaerobic workouts.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not the only cause. Medication is another cause. Metabolism is another. Insulin intolerance is another. I am sure there are others.

no, it is actually the only cause. if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. it is impossible to gain weight any other way (unless you have a tumour or something).

now if you are arguing that two similar humans, both eating the same amount, and one puts on weight while the other doesn't, then yes, you can start to look at all the other factors such as medication, slow metabolism. it might be that the person on medication or having a slow metabolism needs to eat less than someone else (of course still making sure they have a healthy nutritious diet. it might be however they need to cut out the chocolate bars, ice creams, chips, sodas, hamburgers and pizzas)

 

[JohnK]

no, it is actually the only cause. if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. it is impossible to gain weight any other way (unless you have a tumour or something).

That was in response to the comment about the amount of food you eat as it is implied that overweight people eat too much.

Not quite right. It is possible for a human being to consume half the required amount of calories (eg 1,100) and still put on weight which is what you have just said. But you are quite welcome to make the same mistake as a leading endocrinologist I saw ~4 years ago.

My current diet is high protein with around 60-80gms carbohydrates a day which is the recommended intake to lose weight. No soft drinks, no chips, no pizzas, no junk food, very little alcohol, no chocolate, no rice, no pasta. In theory I should be losing weight. In the first week or so I lost ~8kgs and now I am putting weight back on again. Exercise is not the answer either as that will require more energy input and I am trying to reduce the intake.

 

[mannej]

Without going into too much detail in an attempt to derail the topic, but high protein diets are a fad.

John, what you are experiencing is a perfectly normal response to the type of diet. In the long run, these diets have the big potential to make you feel worse. Carbs are important to the body, and the tricky thing is to find the right balance. Cutting them out completely will throw out that balance, making you feel worse.

And yes, exercise is part of the answer. It doesn't have to be high intensity, but it definitely part of any weight management plan.

Back on topic now...

 

[EmilyHoward]

I think the simple truth really is, as MEL traveller put it, if you eat more calories than you burn, then you will put on weight. Although, people do like to have excuses; metabolism, pills etc.

Most people, in their hearts, actually do know what is good food and what is bad food, but they can't stop themselves eating bad food or just too much good food.

The problem is always in their heads. They eat too much or high calorie food to make themselves feel better... to make their problems go away for a short while.....

But, back on topic, if someone is spilling over into my seat, obese or not, I'm not happy and I do think that yes they should be paying more for an extra seat or business. It is ultimately their fault they are that size.

EH

 

[mannej]

I think the simple truth really is, as MEL traveller put it, if you eat more calories than you burn, then you will put on weight. Although, people do like to have excuses; metabolism, pills etc.

Most people, in their hearts, actually do know what is good food and what is bad food, but they can't stop themselves eating bad food or just too much good food.

The problem is always in their heads. They eat too much or high calorie food to make themselves feel better... to make their problems go away for a short while.....

But, back on topic, if someone is spilling over into my seat, obese or not, I'm not happy and I do think that yes they should be paying more for an extra seat or business. It is ultimately their fault they are that size.

EH

Apparently it is the fault of the airline for not having seats big enough...

 

[Foreigner]

Exercise is not the answer either as that will require more energy input and I am trying to reduce the intake.

I dunno about that...a personal trainer can do a lot of good. Ultimately, it is up to the individual. You can take a horse to the water but...

 

[simongr]

I think the simple truth really is, as MEL traveller put it, if you eat more calories than you burn, then you will put on weight. Although, people do like to have excuses; metabolism, pills etc.
EH

I dunno about that...a personal trainer can do a lot of good. Ultimately, it is up to the individual. You can take a horse to the water but...

I used to belong to the "it's just excuses crowd" - then I had a massive tumour removed from my thyroid that had been impacting the thyroid operation. Started to take a thyroid supplement to get me to a normal level and lost 5KG with no change in diet.

However I still need to lose another 10KG and that will only be through less beer, wine, chips and cheese and more running, cycling, swimming...

 

[chrisb]

Here come the experts who think they can solve a problem that affects millions around the world. If there was an easy answer to everyone's weight issues we wouldn't be having the obesity issues that we have in our society.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

first time i've ever heard that exercise won't help. I'll have to let everyone at the gym know

 

[mannej]

Here come the experts who think they can solve a problem that affects millions around the world. If there was an easy answer to everyone's weight issues we wouldn't be having the obesity issues that we have in our society.

Trust me - some of us do have more knowledge than what you think in this area.

There is no easy answer, and yes there are those who have real issues affecting their weight management. But in saying that, there are a lot of people who make excuses as to eating the right food and being active is the only answer they need.

 

[aliens]

Need to be 7000 in deficit to lose 1kg of body fat. Exercise helps but can only burn up about 350cals in one hour. No easy answers.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Here come the experts who think they can solve a problem that affects millions around the world. If there was an easy answer to everyone's weight issues we wouldn't be having the obesity issues that we have in our society.

the concept IS extremely simple. Eat less and you will lose weight.

the answer to that however is not simple, as you point out. People don't eat less for a variety of reasons - comfort, depression, metabolism, medication, or just plain lack of willpower (etc etc).

Going on a diet is very very hard. you need to train yourself and the first few days (weeks) are very hard. No one is denying that. But you just have to pass on the cake, or the chocolate bar, or the cheese, or the sugar. Most people just can't do that. They think 'one more' or 'I'll start tomorrow'. That just ain't going to work.

sure there might be a minority of people who really have such overwhelming personal issues for whom food represents the only comfort they know. Fair enough. But there are also a lot of people who just don't have the will-power to diet and to lose weight. It might affect millions of people around the world - but that doesn't make it right!

 

[lovestotravel]

Here come the experts who think they can solve a problem that affects millions around the world. If there was an easy answer to everyone's weight issues we wouldn't be having the obesity issues that we have in our society.

Yeh eat less cough
Do more exercise

That will fix most of the problems

Pretty simply really

 

[JohnK]

first time i've ever heard that exercise won't help. I'll have to let everyone at the gym know

Funny is it? It is true. I walk daily and play golf on weekends?

the concept IS extremely simple. Eat less and you will lose weight.

Not that simple.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Not that simple.

I appreciate you have your own issues here. But what you are arguing simply cannot hold true scientifically. You are proposing that someone who eats nothing at all, not a single lettuce leaf, will still gain weight. Of course they won't The same applies to weight loss and weight gain for everyone. If you eat less than you expend, you will lose weight.

It might be that the recommended 2500 calories is not suitable for certain adult males if they have underlying conditions that make them susceptible to weight gain (all the factors you mentioned before). But to me the answer seems as simple that they then need to maybe only eat 2000 calories. It might be hard. (In fact it is hard to have to have self control to limit your eating when those around you can eat what they want when they want) - but that's life.

I am happy to learn more however. You say it is not that simple, but do you have a specific example in mind?