I have a cousin who is unhealthily obese. Her grandfather and uncle were, as well. One branch of her family were all really big people and they didn't seem to eat any more than anyone else. Neither does my cousin. She just needs to look at a wrap and gain two pounds. It's sad. The heavier she gets, the harder it is for her to exercise. She's got trouble with her knees and needs one of those machines at night for sleep apnea. I worry for her. But I swear, I could eat the same stuff she does and not be tipping the scales at 300. It's not completely always their fault.
I suppose she has been checked for conditions like hypothyroidism and metabolic/hormonal conditions?
SadLy a lot of people shame the overweight without giving any thought to the fact that many have underlying conditions/contributing factors and don't necessarily overeat. In the UK the threshold for diagnosing someone with hypothyroidism, for example, is set quite high, so if they lived in another part of the world they'd get treatment sooner and not continue piling on the weight until they reach the higher levels of TSH before being given treatment. IDK if that is an issue in the US too.
Underlying conditions? Give me a break, Tilly. Honestly. Being FAT is what is causing their metabolic/hormonal conditions. Here's the cause of being overweight -- Taking in more carbohydrates and total calories than the body is expending. Excess fuel (in the form of carbohydrates) are stored as fat. That's how the body works. That's how we're designed.
You really are being silly. There are a great many conditions that cause weight gain that aren't themselves caused by excessive eating or weight gain itself. Just remember when you are feeling all that hatred for the next fat person you see, they may have any of a number of conditions you are unaware of.
Even insomnia (a very common affliction) over time, can and does cause obesity because it interferes with the regulation of hormones related to metabolism. People with hypothyroidism usually gain weight and find it very difficult to lose even on the optimum dose of medication.
People with silent, often undiagnosed, pituitary conditions and adenomas gain weight because of its effect on several hormones including growth hormone, and on cortisol, for example. Medications for the treatment of many conditions can also result in people piling on the pounds.
Over eating and not exercising is not the only cause of obesity, and when you are berating the overweight, unless you have access to their medical records, you are just being ignorant and cruel, imho.