There is an obesity crisis in the UK, with two-thirds of adults either overweight or obese. But can fat-shaming solve this public health problem?
US comedian Bill Maher argues that fat-shaming needs to "make a comeback".
However, James Corden says that bullying overweight people leads to depression, anxiety, and self-destructive behaviour.
The Claim
Bill Maher argues that people need to “ stop eating like a--holes ” after discussing the obesity crisis on his HBO show.
The comedian said that being fat is not a birth defect, quipping: "Nobody comes out of the womb needing to buy two seats on the airplane."
The Real Time with Bill Maher host told his live audience: "In August, 53 Americans died from mass shootings. Terrible, right? Do you know how many died from obesity? 40,000.
"Fat-shaming doesn't need to end; it needs to make a comeback.
"Some amount of shame is good. We shamed people out of smoking and into wearing seat belts. We shamed them out of littering and most of them out of racism."
He added: "Shame is the first step in reform."
The Counterclaim
James Corden used his monologue on The Late, Late Show to respond to Maher's comments.
He joked that fat people are not as lucky as Maher, because they "don't all have a sense of superiority that burns 35,000 calories a day".
The actor and comedian said that fat-shaming "never went anywhere", arguing that "we are reminded of it all the time".
Corden said: "It's proven that fat-shaming only does one thing. It makes people feel ashamed, and shame leads to depression, anxiety and self-destructive behaviour - self-destructive behaviour like overeating."
He called for healthy food and healthcare to be made more accessible, as well as properly educating people on nutrition and exercise.
Corden added: "Bill, please hear me when I say this: While you're encouraging people to think about what goes into their mouths, just think a little harder about what comes out of yours."
The Facts
A study, published in the journal Pediatric Obesity in May , found that children, who were mocked for their weight, were more likely to gain weight. This trend continued well into their adulthood.
The study examined 110 children, with the average age of 12, who were either overweight or had parents who were. The participants were studied for an average of 8.5 years.
During their first visit to the researchers, 62 per cent of overweight children reported that they had been teased at least once about their weight.
Those who reported being teased often for their weight gained, on average, 33 per cent more body mass and 91 per cent more fat per year than those who were not.
Two-thirds of UK adults are either overweight or obese - with one third of these obese, official health surveys show.
Figures from the NHS reveal that the percentage of obese adults has increased from 26 per cent in 2016 to 29 per cent in 2018. Just over 20 per cent of children leaving primary school are also obese.
They found that over 100,000 hospital admissions were directly attributable to obesity. There were more than 700,000 obesity-related admissions in 2017/18 - up by 10,000 on the previous year.
