Which has greater a Stigma in Society: Obesity or Anorexia?

[the_bob_delusion]

Which do you have more sympathy for? or neither?

[polksaladallie]

Both.  They both have a psychiatric component and therefore warrant compassion, not stigma.

[the_bob_delusion]

---

@polksaladallie wrote:

Both.  They both have a psychiatric component and therefore warrant compassion, not stigma.

---

Are you saying Obesity is a mental disorder like Anorexia?

[i-need-a-martini]

I think obesity has a greater stigma. People don't 'blame' anorexics for their condition but they do 'blame' obese people for theirs.

I'm not sure who I feel the most sorry for. Probably anorexics as the psychology is harder to resolve.

[polksaladallie]

---

@**what_would_bob_do** wrote:

---

@polksaladallie wrote:

Both.  They both have a psychiatric component and therefore warrant compassion, not stigma.

---

Are you saying Obesity is a mental disorder like Anorexia?

---

I didn't say either was a mental disorder.  I said that they both have a psychiatric component. 

Both need far-reaching exploration before a remedy can be attempted.

[siggie-reported-by-alarmists]

The people who I feel sorry for, are those  who judge anorexics and obese people.

Live and let live......

[the_bob_delusion]

---

@i-need-a-martini wrote:

I think obesity has a greater stigma. People don't 'blame' anorexics for their condition but they do 'blame' obese people for theirs.

I'm not sure who I feel the most sorry for. Probably anorexics as the psychology is harder to resolve.

---

I'm going to argue the opposite then. Mental illness is still misundertood and it affects a large portion of the population. I wouldn't be too surprised if a large number of people who believe that people with anorexia are simply too weak-willed to overcome their illness; and that there will be a large number of people who wonder why they don't just choose to eat more. 

Obesity has better PR and acceptance. THere's many pushes to suggest that "big is beautiful" and plus size models being acceptable now. Whereas there's still a stigma with Anorexia. If you asked yourself which is more taboo: obesity or Anorexia. if you answer the latter, then by induction, there's more stigma attached to something that's more tabooed. 

[i-need-a-martini]

---

@**what_would_bob_do** wrote:

---

@i-need-a-martini wrote:

I think obesity has a greater stigma. People don't 'blame' anorexics for their condition but they do 'blame' obese people for theirs.

I'm not sure who I feel the most sorry for. Probably anorexics as the psychology is harder to resolve.

---

I'm going to argue the opposite then. Mental illness is still misundertood and it affects a large portion of the population. I wouldn't be too surprised if a large number of people who believe that people with anorexia are simply too weak-willed to overcome their illness; and that there will be a large number of people who wonder why they don't just choose to eat more. 

Obesity has better PR and acceptance. THere's many pushes to suggest that "big is beautiful" and plus size models being acceptable now. Whereas there's still a stigma with Anorexia. If you asked yourself which is more taboo: obesity or Anorexia. if you answer the latter, then by induction, there's more stigma attached to something that's more tabooed. 

---

I don't disagree with you but your question was - which has a GREATER stigma.

But most people aren't confronted with anorexia every day. They are (usually) with obesity. Which means that they give more thought to the issue of obesity. And obesity may be reluctantly accepted (because it is visible on the street and there is media discussion) but it is far from BEING accepted.

I suspect that most people when confronted with someone who has anorexia will think "Poor thing" or "I wonder what has caused that". Given the knowledge out there on anorexia only a stupid person would think that anorexia can be fixed by the person with the condirtion.

Whereas when people are confronted with obesity they are more likely to queston the persons reasons for the obesity with comments like "Why can't they cut back on their meals?" or "No wonder he is huge - look at what he is eating" or "no self control" or "Thyroid? Yeah right lol!". The reasons for the weight are pointed directly back at them.

[the_bob_delusion]

---

@i-need-a-martini wrote:

---

@**what_would_bob_do** wrote:

---

@i-need-a-martini wrote:

I think obesity has a greater stigma. People don't 'blame' anorexics for their condition but they do 'blame' obese people for theirs.

I'm not sure who I feel the most sorry for. Probably anorexics as the psychology is harder to resolve.

---

I'm going to argue the opposite then. Mental illness is still misundertood and it affects a large portion of the population. I wouldn't be too surprised if a large number of people who believe that people with anorexia are simply too weak-willed to overcome their illness; and that there will be a large number of people who wonder why they don't just choose to eat more. 

Obesity has better PR and acceptance. THere's many pushes to suggest that "big is beautiful" and plus size models being acceptable now. Whereas there's still a stigma with Anorexia. If you asked yourself which is more taboo: obesity or Anorexia. if you answer the latter, then by induction, there's more stigma attached to something that's more tabooed. 

---

I don't disagree with you but your question was - which has a GREATER stigma.

But most people aren't confronted with anorexia every day. They are (usually) with obesity. Which means that they give more thought to the issue of obesity. And obesity may be reluctantly accepted (because it is visible on the street and there is media discussion) but it is far from BEING accepted.

I suspect that most people when confronted with someone who has anorexia will think "Poor thing" or "I wonder what has caused that". Given the knowledge out there on anorexia only a stupid person would think that anorexia can be fixed by the person with the condirtion.

Whereas when people are confronted with obesity they are more likely to queston the persons reasons for the obesity with comments like "Why can't they cut back on their meals?" or "No wonder he is huge - look at what he is eating" or "no self control" or "Thyroid? Yeah right lol!". The reasons for the weight are pointed directly back at them.

---

You're using the argumentum ad populum i.e coz' more people confront Obesity it's greater of a stigma. Nope. It's like saying Stealing is a more serious crime than rape because more people are robbed.

Obesity isn't creepy. Anorexia looks like walking death. And I didn't say which society. Obesity is a good thing in some societies around the world. People choosing to starve over someone who enjoys food doesn't sit well with many people. And that pretty much sums up "Stigma"

Eating disorders are often hidden. Many people binge, cause self harm and have often worse psychological problems but are often ignored and not only that anorexia has a higher mortality rate than other mental illness. 

[boris1gary]

"big is beautiful" and "plus size models" aren't necessarily obese.