On the BBC’s website this week it’s a race to the bottom between the author of the article (a surgeon) and its first commentator, to see who can show the most heartless prejudice towards obese people. Below is the comment on rationing bariatric surgery in the UK to only the “most deserving” who are not “too obese to help.”

“As a cynical, fat-phobic, taxpayer, I wholly disagree with the notion that there are more or less deserving individuals for this surgery. No-one is deserving of this surgery or any medical support for a self-induced condition, unless they have a legitimate reason for gaining the weight. It is all very well to say this is a more cost-effective way of dealing with this ‘epidemic’ than drugs etc, but the most cost effective way would be to decline medical assistance to these people. Of course, this will be seen as a rather right-wing notion, but I am a firm believer that the taxpayer should not be burdened by other peoples’ poor lifestyle choices.”

Right wing? It’s neither right nor left wing, merely heartless and ignorant of science.

With articles like this, and many, many more (BBC: “Half of Europeans are overweight, a report shows”) is it any wonder children might be terrified of getting fat? And where adults have abdicated their responsibility to cook and provide family meals, children will make decisions based on this fear and a lack of understanding (not limited to children, apparently) of general health and nutrition.

Does this cause eating disorders? No. But does this cause disordered eating? You better believe it!