Family Too Fat To Work

[lizbud]

Interesting story, but it's hard not to blame them for their own bad
judgement. Some medical conditions can be caused by bad eating
habits. What do you think???


http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Fitness...7122717&page=1

[pomtzu]

You can be obese because of health problems----
or you can have health problems because you're obese.

Sounds like these folks fit in to the 2nd category! Perhaps if they wouldn't sit in front of the t.v. all day, and actually get up and do something, that they might be able to shed some weight. And I don't doubt that they can't find work. Not many employers are willing to take on the liability of grossly overweight people. They are unhealthy to start with, so obviously they will miss more time from work than their healthier counterparts, and if a company offers medical insurance (talking about U.S. companies), then they will also be using it more than the average employee. These people are just too much of a health risk for most employers to want to have in their work force. Sad, but true.

Perhaps these folks would benefit from some tech training, and the possibility of working at home. They should be able to do "something", rather than living off assistance.


ETA: And the mother has epilepsy and can't leave the house, and she has been in a coma because it it??? - yet she states that she buys petrol to drive her daughters to job interviews??? DUH - what's wrong with that picture?????

[lizbud]

I think these people need to do something besides eating & sitting
around the house. They could use a good family "Intervention'.

[cassiesmom]

I think the point about making changes that will benefit each of the members of this family is a good one. They can each benefit from the changes and they might do better as a family if they all work together.

[carole]

They need help, maybe Dr Phil or Oprah could intervene.However i do think they could do some sort of work, even from home surely, the taxpayer should not be have to pay for them to eat and eat and sit at home doing nothing all day.

[Medusa]

I have a friend who, at one point in her life, weighed 400 lbs. She lost a little bit of weight but not much, 50 lbs. maybe. She's a nurse. She's on her feet all day, working in ICU, and she's going back to school, too. She was a traveling nurse for several years, kept a hectic schedule and was going to school then, too. Also, I taught exercise and aerobics classes to morbidly obese women for years and they all held jobs and worked hard in my classes. Having a job and exercising when obese can be done and is being done every day. I'm withholding judgment because I don't know the full story of this family but my opinion is that they use their weight as an excuse not to work.

[ChrisH]

The pound to dollar conversion on how much they get a year was somewhat out, it works out at over $32,000 ... and they have asked for more.
The real telly tubbies

When the fair-haired girl was on the X Factor - she wasn't very good at all - her parents & sister went in and expressed their dissatisfaction with the panel .. but see for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1j73...eature=related

But she was a game girl and tried again the next year and went by herself that time. She did sound somewhat better, and certainly looked better, but still didn't get through.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVB8X...eature=related

[Alysser]

But she was a game girl and tried again the next year and went by herself that time. She did sound somewhat better, and certainly looked better, but still didn't get through.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVB8X...eature=related

They can afford singing lessons but yet they cry poverty? This is a simple case of a family mooching off the government for money. It says in the Article Chris posted the disease they have are from their weight, which was their own fault. They shouldn't be living in government housing, it's just a waste. And the worst part is they are doing nothing to improve the situation either because they are "too fat". Too fat my arse.

[lizbud]

The pound to dollar conversion on how much they get a year was somewhat out, it works out at over $32,000 ... and they have asked for more.
The real telly tubbies

When the fair-haired girl was on the X Factor - she wasn't very good at all - her parents & sister went in and expressed their dissatisfaction with the panel .. but see for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1j73...eature=related

But she was a game girl and tried again the next year and went by herself that time. She did sound somewhat better, and certainly looked better, but still didn't get through.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVB8X...eature=related

Chris, I didn't know the family had this history. They live in their own little world.

[Daisy and Delilah]

I watched the clips of the daughter trying out for the music competition. They don't appear to be very aware of life's problems. If this is true, they could defintely use some education about losing weight and getting healthier. If they weren't able to hear that Emma can't sing, I don't think they know much about losing weight effectively. She was terrible!!

This story is strange. If the media claims they can't work because they're too fat, why are they the only ones being showcased? Are they implying that all morbidly obese people are incapable of working?

I agree with what Mary said about the 400 pound woman. There are morbidly obese people working all over the world. This family seems to be an exception to this. Maybe they are enjoying the sitting around, do nothing lifestyle they experience every day. It's become too easy for them to live off the government. This allows them to not eat healthy and gain more weight. As long as this continues, they probably won't have any desire to get better.
I see a strong influence from the parents that's letting the daughters do as they please. If the parents baby them, they won't ever try to get better. I think Simon mentioned that.

I hope they all get some education and help real soon. They seem like a nice family that's led a sheltered life.

[Pinot's Mom]

The core problem with this family can be summed up in one comment from the patriarch (when discussing how much money they sponge off the government) - "We deserve more." FOR WHAT??
This issue of entitlement is dangerous; there are way too many people in this world who think they're entitled to sit on their rear and collect a paycheck. They really do live in their own world - and, by the way, whatever the problem, it's NEVER their fault! (ie: it's "genetic"-yea, right)

[Catty1]

"The entire family has to agree to work with professionals" to lose weight, Wolper said. "Family conventions and family traditions around food and eating mean they are caught in this trap. ... It's like a drug addict who is trying to quit living with three drug addicts. When an attractive substance is nearby, it is difficult to ignore it."

I hope the media picks up on this and follows it, to give an example and guideline to MANY families who "don't get it". It could save lives, and money lost through poor productivity in the workplace.

"I inherited my fat - I followed in my parent's foodsteps." Heard that one in OA many many years ago.

I wish them luck! There is a whole new world out there for them!

[pomtzu]

And the mother has epilepsy and can't leave the house, and she has been in a coma because it it??? - yet she states that she buys petrol to drive her daughters to job interviews??? DUH - what's wrong with that picture?????

And this still doesn't sit well with me!!! Is this woman lying??? How is she allowed to drive if her epilepsy is serious enough to put her in a coma? And she said she couldn't leave the house because of it????? I'm surprised the press didn't pick up on this inconsistency before they published!

[lizbud]

And this still doesn't sit well with me!!! Is this woman lying??? How is she allowed to drive if her epilepsy is serious enough to put her in a coma? And she said she couldn't leave the house because of it????? I'm surprised the press didn't pick up on this inconsistency before they published!

They live in England don't they? Maybe the welfare rules are different
over there.

[pomtzu]

They live in England don't they? Maybe the welfare rules are different
over there.

Well if she really is driving, it seems to me that she would be a danger on the road if she had an epileptic seizure! And she did say she couldn't leave the house because of it.