Obesity should not be a defined disability, for the reasons well-cited in other comments. If the AMA wants to support physicians in discussing obesity with their clients, what they need to REALLY do is help clients make action plans, write orders for exercise, provide flexible physical therapy care plans, and push their insurance carrier partners to support weight loss and preventive health care too. - 4/24/2013   4:22:27 PM

I remember one semester in college, I had to take a class at the community college and at a campus that was older. I have always been afraid of those slide in desks, that have the chair attached to a little desk. In high school, I could barely fit in those and knew if I had to as an adult....I wouldn't be able to fit at all. I get to class that day, and see those type of desks, I walk out and go over to the campus administration building. i ask if they could add a real desk and chair (of course looking different then everyone else AND not being guaranteed that seat everyday). They said I had to go to the Office of Students with Disabilities and fill out paperwork with that dept before they could help me with putting a bigger desk in there. I was MORTIFIED!!! I definately didn't think I had a disability, but apparently the university classifies me as "disabled." Regardless the situation, I neded to take this class...They next class, I call earlier in the day to make sure a desk would be there before I got there. I even showed up an hour early just t make sure I was there ahead of the whole class to claim that new desk!! I had to do that everyday...get off work early, just to stalk my desk an hour early before anyone got there...so embarrassing!! - 1/16/2013   1:13:40 PM

I think it depends on why the person is obese and how obese they are. I'm obese (according to BMI) because I like to eat and sit too much of the day. But a person with a medical issue that causes severe weight gain and cannot walk becasue of it would be disabled.
So I would say no, its not a disability. If a person has major complications because of obesity that could be considered a disability but obesity itself is not a disabilty. - 10/16/2012   1:24:37 PM

There is a big difference in being obese and morbidly obese or super morbidly obese.
I was declared disabled due to an accident and operations that failed to correct the problems. I continued to get worst and depression and inactivity lead to my over eating and becoming morbidly obese. And I had to ride around in those electric carts at stores. But I had to use them because my legs would not support me.
I know I put myself in the morbidly obese category and I got myself out of it.
But it was through my health plan that I received the help I needed to do that.
And in the long run the insurance company is going to save. No heart trouble, diabetes, high BP. No sleep apathy. And I had operations to get to walk again.
So No to just being obese, but address the rising epidemic of over weight obese people who will have medical problems for their whole life, if preventative ,measures aren't taken. - 10/12/2012   1:57:00 PM

NO, Absolutely NOT!!!!!!! I am a retired and disabled nurse who happens to be obese. My obesity is related to one of my disabilities only in that I have difficulty walking and frequently fall due to an unstable knee so exercise is a problem, especially in winter. Obesity is not a disability in and of itself; it can be, however, a symptom of an underlying problem that could possibly be disabling. It certainly is appropriate for a medical practitioner to discuss weight issues with a client because of the long-term effects obesity has on a persons health in general both mentally and physically. - 9/1/2012   3:07:16 PM

Absolutely NOT! My son is disabled due to severe autism and hypotonia. The last thing we should do as a country is start to spread out special services and other assistance to those who have a CHOICE in the functioning of their bodies. - 8/29/2012   10:34:38 AM

NO it's not a disability....... It's a chose! - 7/30/2012   11:50:22 AM

I think classifying obesity as a disability does a disservice to both groups. As others mentioned above one can be in ways prevented while the other may not. And how does that work for individuals who are disabled and also happen to be obese? A double whammy? Or are those both seperate issues that require specific assistance depending on the individual? And as for doctors being placed in a situation where they can no longer discuss your health with you for fear of being sued is ricdiculous! They are your health care provider that is their job; to discuss your health in all its forms and to assist you to make the right decision through their advice or with another specialist. - 7/30/2012   11:20:54 AM

It would depends on why a person is obese. May be they have an under line condition.Un able to walk. And certain heart and kidney condition could make it hard for them to lose weight.Diabetes,can play a facture in loseing weight.So many times I've been to weight watcher with my mother when I was fifteen now I'm 52,People will lose weight as long as your following the plan. It takes constant commitment,for some people tp stay at a decent weight.I was fortunate to of found the SparkPeople Plan. - 7/28/2012   1:23:47 PM

NO WAY!!! I am disabled & even after losing 114lbs my BMI still has me @ obese. It is harsh but giving obese wheelchairs & closer parking spaces will only make it worse, those people & yes I include myself need to MOVE not have things made easier to accommodate - 7/28/2012   11:16:33 AM

Absolutely not. I lived in senior housing for a while and was aghast at the number of seniors who took advantage of their obesity as an excuse to get "free" wheelchairs and other motorized mobility devices so they did not have to walk from the elevator to their apartment. Yes, my weight causes more pain in my knees, but not using them does not improve anything. - 7/27/2012   10:24:08 PM

I think obesity can result in diabilities and that diabilities can lead to obesity; however, I also believe there is a treatment for obesity. The right choices need to be made and acted upon. We all need to support an obese person who chooses to take action, but I do not believe we should provide a crutch to someone afraid to try. - 7/27/2012   8:34:43 AM

NO. It can reach a point of no return where it is disabling but it is not a disability. Point of no return much in the same way credit card debt can be "managed" until it hits a tipping point...the path that led up to that point is paved with selfish, bad choices where there will ultimately come a day of reckoning.

I am glad I made the right choice. - 7/26/2012   11:22:55 AM

Obesity is NOT a disability, everyone has a choice. - 7/25/2012   4:35:21 PM

Obesity is not a disability ~ it's a choice.

Becca - 7/25/2012   3:36:49 PM

Absolutly not on a legal level. I'm sure they would use the "standard" of what obese is, and quite frankly, those numbers do not take enough variables into consideration like bone size. According to the charts, a 5'2" person is overweight past 125 lbs and obese at 144 lbs. While a small boned person would look very healthy at 125, a large boned person would look underweight. As for BMI, all the articles say that a person can have a healthy BMI, but be out of shape, therefore in danger of health problems. So, in my opinion, too many grey areas to make a law out of this. And as hard as loosing weight is, it is still an option in the majority of cases, whereas a person who can't walk or see is not able to change their diet and lifestyle to regain those abilities. - 7/25/2012   10:03:25 AM

no, it should not. obesity Causes disabilities, but is not in and of itself a disability. I agree it's difficult and embarrassing but that doesn't make it a disability
- 7/25/2012   8:49:26 AM

I agree with everyone that says No, it should not be considered a disability. Granted, there is a rare person that might be heavy due to thyroid issues, etc. But in general, no, most people are fat because of what they eat or how much they eat. It isn't always easy to maintain your weight but in the end, most of the time it is something we can help. The problem with the world today, a lot of people don't want to do the actual work, and want a magic pill to make it better. If there is no magic pill, then it must be a disability right? WRONG! The most rewarding things in life aren't always the easiest to obtain. Having good health sometimes is a lot of work. We all have our demons. For some it is food. Others it is alcohol, or drugs, or cigarettes. In the end, the choice is up to you if you want to allow that thing to control you and your health. To me a disability is something you can't help it if you are that way. Over eating or smoking or drinking is all a choice. Nobody holds a gun to your head and forces you to over indulge in those things. If you lack control, then you need to look in the mirror and re-evaluate your choices. Sure, I would LOVE to be able to sit around and eat pizza and all that tasty stuff that is fattening all day long. Who wouldn't? But in the end, it is a choice that I have to make. Making poor choices is not a disability. - 7/25/2012   8:28:38 AM

no - 7/25/2012   8:15:39 AM

I agree with the majority. Obesity is not in and of itself a disability. The powers that be should butt out and stop trying to protect us from ourselves. - 6/16/2012   10:55:21 AM

I m obese,but i m not disabled.If some one is disabled from their weight,then they should get what is theirs.But for healthy people like me,we need to try harder to reach our goals,so that we wont have to become disabled because of our weight as the years fly by.We should not worry about what the GOV. do.We should worry about what WE do to keep it from happening to US.
- 6/13/2012   12:32:07 PM

No it shouldnt be a disability. I am what is considered to be morbidly obese so I feel that I can say just about what I want to because well i am discussing me as well. There are plenty of things that obesity causes as far as health goes; however, obesity itself well unfortunately has a cure. That cure believe me is not easy but it can be cured. Once they label obesity as a disability then some people will use that just to get a check every month. I know that sounds just horrible however it is true. To me it would be like the " Biggest Loser" in reverse, they could possibly get federal and state monies for the disability. I sure hope that i didnt offend anyone however it is my opinion. - 6/10/2012   7:42:43 AM

The rare number of cases in which obesity is caused by a real medical condition is not justification to classify obesity as a disability. As the parent of a now-deceased child who had a severe disability, it is offensive to me that someone can be overweight due to their own behavior and be considered disabled and therefore "not responsible."

The sheer number of times we had to fight for our son's medical needs to be met was exhausting. Trying to get government aid simply to reimburse a fraction of expenses from travel to and from hospitals out of town was impossible for us -- yet, we knew people who feigned emotional problems in order to get SSI checks from that same government agency. They had no problems with the fact that someone else's tax dollars provided them with a lazy, non-working lifestyle.

This may sound severe, but it happens every single day. People "work the system" to their advantage, thus giving a bad name/bad reputation to those who truly need to use that system to get them through a temporary rough spot. To allow one more group to be considered special-interest only because of personal habits is shameful.

I read blogs on SparkPeople each day about people who have lost hundreds of pounds, determined to overcome their old habits -- people who have high blood pressure, diabetes, who are in wheelchairs, with joint pain, asthma, and more. They did not consider themselves disabled enough to quit trying, and have proven that overcoming bad habits and behavior & replacing those with good things really works. They took responsibility for themselves. - 6/8/2012   8:55:14 PM

No way. It may sound harsh, but the facts are that the behaviors leading to obesity (my own included) are most often a consequence of unhealthy and unwise lifestyle choices. Obesity is usually preventable and curable. There's more than adequate information available about it's causes and remedies. Besides, our country would go broke ( more broke?). - 6/3/2012   11:05:07 AM

I wonder what Beth Donovan (~INDYGIRL) would say. I tend to agree with the majority that it's a "preventable disability". Yes there are variance factors but come ON! - 5/16/2012   4:26:33 PM

Absolutely not! A person can change their eating and move to lose the weight. Classifying it as a disability is another excuse for people not to lose the weight- it will be a term used as a crutch. It doesn't help the individual at all...call it what it is obesity. It's a horrible tag to have but necessary until you get healthy again! - 4/17/2012   2:21:14 PM

I think obesity can cause disabilities, but in and of itself, is not a disability. I think changing the status quo would be harmful to our nation and would actually be a diservice to each and every obese individual who resides here. It would give even more license to using the system and spending the taxpayers money. Obesity is a choice, not a disease. Those of us who are obese, myself included, CAN CHOOSE to change our personal obesity and get healthier, and we owe it to ourselves and our nation to do that. I am obese at this point, but I have chosen to do something about it and even though I have only lost 10% of my body weight so far this year, I have been rewarded with huge improvements in my overall health. No one said it would be easy or quick, but we owe it to ourselves to be more fit and healthy, and from personal experience I can tell you, it is worth the effort! YOU are worth the effort! - 3/27/2012   2:15:52 PM

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! and NO! again!

I am 5'6" and when I started this journey for the fifth time back in September I weighed 388 lbs. My feet hurt, my knees ached, my back ached, I had very little energy, quit going to the movies because I couldn't fit the seats, and had to use the handicapped restrooms because I couldn't reach back there to wipe in some of the smaller ones, but I was NOT disabled.

I could still walk my fat fanny into the grocery store, the doctor's office, the plus-sized clothing stores, Walmart, and anywhere else I chose to go. When I was teaching (a job I quit to care for an elderly parent) I had students literally half my age who couldn't keep up with me on a fifty yard walk from the classroom to the library. I should have been walking to the gym, too, and spent more time walking through the produce section that the chip and cookie ailses.

I could still cook, do dishes, and clean my house, pump my own gas, vacuum and wash my car, scoop the litterbox, and plant and weed my garden. I could buy and wrap Christmas presents and make Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with ALL the trimmings for fourteen people.

With a BMI of 57+ I am morbidly obese, no question. At 388 with a BMI of 62, I was what the medical profession is now starting to define as supreobese. I was NOT disabled.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a person qualifies as disabled if he or she, has "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment." The only 'major life activity' being fat ever limited for me was wiping my behind in a confined space.

COPD can be disabling. Heart disease, kidney failure, blindness (due to diabetic retinopathy), stroke, back pain due to a herniated disc, arthritis, and a host of other problems that can be prevented/reduced/controlled by maintaining healthy weight can be disabling, but obesity itself is not.

Beyond not classifying obesity as a disability, I would go further and require that those people who had disabling conditions that could be improved by weight loss be required to enroll and actively participate in some kind of fitness program to continue maintaining benefits. It wouldn't be at all unlike requiring someone who is getting unemployment to look for work and document their job search. Ultimately, the goal would be the same, get them off public assistance as much as possible and restore them to a productive life where they can contribute to society. - 2/22/2012   2:53:58 AM

No, obesity is not a disability. As the majority have already said, it is an aftereffect of a medical condition sometimes. It may take a lot of time, but obesity can be reversed. - 9/27/2011   9:21:42 PM

I believe obesity can be debilitating, but that is not a disability by definition.
Most individuals can overcome true obesity through not only a complete nutrition and exercise program (just two pieces of a more complex need) but with psychotherapy, community supports/ involvement and enrichment…
There are some individuals who become obese due to a true disability (such as individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome) but their underlying disability is the factor in the more observable characteristic of obesity.
- 9/27/2011   9:01:53 PM

I agree with Uniqueblue - 9/17/2011   8:03:42 PM

I agree with the majority of those who have responded to this blog that obesity should not be considered a disability. However, I think that if the cause of the obesity is some other kind of physical or mental health issue, then perhaps that could be considered a disability, though the obesity would be a symptom of that other illness, not a disability in and of itself. - 9/12/2011   3:31:03 PM

I never knew that a doctor couldn't discuss a patient's weight with them. I have never come across that in my lifetime. My doctors have always discussed it with me. I have even had one tell me, when I was a nine-year-old that I was a "sin against God" (his words). Well, being obese can cause disabilities. I think that those who may need financial help while disable by their weight should be given sonme help while participating successfully in a weight loss program. I liked Jenny Craig, but find it extremely hard to finance right now. What worries me about the obesity issue is more so the attitudes of the non-fat population. I am so sick of hearing thin people say that their insurance has risen because of "my" people. "My" people are not very big. I am the fattest one in my family. I always have been. They actually meant fat people, but all large people don't belong to me nor are they "my" people. My deductible with BCBS is 1800 and not one thin person has offered to pay a dime. So, I would like for thin people or smaller people to quit thinking that you all are the only ones who have to pay. I work and I contribute to this great nation like everyone else does who pay taxes and insurance rates. I hardly ever go to the doctor, but when I do, I mostly see thin people. I thought thin people were the healthy folks. On top of that, thin people have the nerves to sit in the chairs with no arms or wide seats, then get angry when the fat folks sit next to them. I do that sometimes just to make them mad.

I am ranting, but so are some of you. Hey, I'm living proof that all fat folks ain't jolly. Sorry if I offended anyone, but I have lived a lifetime being offended by others and not many have taken the time to excuse their behavior.

I do not think it is good for our country to be this heavy, but I do not want to be mistreated along the way as I improve upon myself, and I have experienced more of this than I can honestly stand. - 9/3/2011   2:57:07 PM

No, obesity should not be considered a protected disability. Classification as a disability opens a Pandora's box of legal and financial issues that no country can possibly afford if extended to a reversible situation such as obesity.

Further, I'm afraid that it would encourage those who refuse to address their weight issues to live only a half life, which would be tragic. It also, as the AMA has pointed out, would make it more difficult, not less, for their health care providers to help them. That would be beyond tragic.

We've all seen examples here at SP of individuals who overcame their obesity and returned to a healthy, productive life. I'm that most of us, too, have had co-workers who were morbidly obese and made no effort to improve their situation. I'd like to see many more of the former and far fewer of the latter - for their sake, and ours! - 9/1/2011   5:41:38 PM

No. Obesity is not a disability. We need to encourage life style change. - 9/1/2011   1:06:46 PM

I do not think we can financially afford classifying obesity as a disability.
Yes, some people are disabled by their obesity and usually have co-morbid conditions that allow for benefits if they need them. My concerns are two-fold, one every disability classification is prone to abuse and misrepresentation when there is a potential financial gain. Two, people who are disabled by obesity need support to change, not encouragement to continue the same destructive path. I am and have been morbidly obese for years and I do not believe being classified as disabled would be beneficial to me. - 7/13/2011   2:34:11 PM

I think classifying obesity as a disability would be a negative move - the word 'disabled' suggests that the person has no control over their condition and therefore no responsibility for doing anything about it. If you're obese you CAN usually do something about it. - 5/8/2011   7:55:57 AM

No, being obese is not a disability! As someone else already has pointed out, true disabilities cannot be cured. I don't think it is right to be mean or cruel to people with weight problems, but I also don't think we should enable them. If we were to recognize this problem as a disability, we would be sending the message that it is OK to overeat and live a sedentary lifestyle. - 5/4/2011   10:25:25 AM

You should not get special treatment for being overweight. - 5/3/2011   8:24:53 PM

It makes you feel disabled, but there is no undoing a true disability. - 5/3/2011   7:14:42 PM

NO! Definitely not. Obesity in most instances is the fault of the individual. If obesity is declared a disability it would be sanctioning poor eating and lifestyle habits.
Obese people need help with developing proper health habits not encouraged to remain sedentary and continue to over indulge.
- 5/3/2011   5:17:38 PM

As much as I sympathize with obese people who have problems walking due to pain in their joints, etc, I don't think obesity should be considered a disability. If obesity becomes classified as a disability, won't people be able to be written out of work for it and get disability pay for it? I think this actually promotes a sedetary lifestyle. - 4/1/2011   2:03:35 PM

Like a lot of other people who've posted, I think obesity is usually a symptom of something else, and shouldn't be a disability. Sometimes I think it's a symptom of psychological issues, ie emotional eating to relieve stress. I found a workable solution to be Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, but that took a big commitment from both my provider and me. Our health system isn't really designed to do this sort of thing large scale. - 3/9/2011   7:20:18 PM

I am saddened by the anger and lack of compassion shown in the comments below. I don't think obesity should be labled a disability - but rather an addiction. There is so much prejudice out there against heavy people and there could be reasons that are not visible to the eye. If your extremely obese - you will be suffering in ways we cannot imagine. I am only now learning from Spark what it takes - I am not morbidly obese but I have family members who are and the prejudice people show is like school yard bullying and I am so saddened by it - because most of us don't want to be hurtful - but believing that obesity is caused by laziness is simply a myth in the majority of cases.
I am seeing more support programs that are free - and long overdue - but I am totally grateful that they now exist ....Spark being wonderful!!!! - 3/9/2011   2:57:11 PM

morbid obesity is considered a disability in most states.It is usually accompanied by other health issues that is caused by the obesity. - 3/9/2011   2:46:34 PM

So let me get this straight.... People who are beyond FAT want to have the rights of a disabled person, yet when I was 7-8 months pregnant with complications that required bedrest I was not issued a temporary disabled parking placard or given any special privileges even though there were TWO lives at stake? That is PURE BS and I'm glad that people are starting to take a stand and tell these lazy, underactive/overeating people that they're full of it. I mean, I can understand those people who are overweight or obese due to a TRUE disability (spinal issues, knee issues, amputations, etc.). But to feel that being so overweight by itself is a disability is a complete misuse of what the ADA was meant for. - 3/8/2011   5:17:12 PM

Absolutely not! This pisses me off, when I see obese people riding on scooters in stores because they don't want to get up and walk a few steps. And having a disabled parking space because they're overweight just gets me. NO WAY! They're taking spots from people who have problems with things that can't be overcome with willpower and dieting. Ugh! This makes me angry! - 3/6/2011   10:45:25 AM

I am torn about wether or not obesity is a disability or not.I've known whole families who just fall into that because of horrible eating habits passed down from Mom to kids. But I do not want people to think they have no choice either. I really think that the Canadian healthcare system must address this huge issue in a more holistic manner. Use advertising, etc. and offer much more assisstance to people with this problem. I am just lucky because I was born and brought up poor so had few options. Can't buy food with no money. - 3/5/2011   4:43:00 PM

No way! Obesity can be overCOME, which is exactly what I did with mine. It's a situation that people put themselves in, and they can get themselves OUT of it too! Most disabilites are not able to be corrected, like obesity is. - 3/5/2011   11:10:45 AM

I don't think it should be considered a disability. But it can cause other health issues that would lead to the person becoming disabled. - 3/2/2011   10:14:23 AM