Obesity Helplines on Garment Tags- A Good Idea?

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Obesity Helplines on Garment Tags- A Good Idea?

December 19, 2006

A group of British health professionals have recently proposed a change to the clothing tags of all plus size clothing sold for men, women and children. The change? They want to start printing an obesity helpline number that the plus size consumer can call for advice on how to lose weight.

22 Comments

jennjennnbubba 5 years 41 weeks

that is a horrid idea!! totally warped!!! i would be ticked if I saw that while shopping!!

tundrababe 5 years 41 weeks

Only if they put an anorexic hotline on size 0! No, seriously, this is the worst idea ever.

Masqueraded_Angel 6 years 22 weeks

Jeez, they should put warning labels on all the gothic cr*p at Hot Topic then. Like a suicide hotline.

winterbride07 6 years 22 weeks

I'm not overweight but I think this is wrong on so many levels. First of all, when are people going to realize that all of the focus on diet, weight loss, and obesity is part of the reason that this country as a whole is so overweight! Just think about the fact that we spend BILLIONS of dollars a year on diet products, diet foods, etc...yet we're getting bigger every year! Ugh, it annoys me. Second, nobody has a right to comment to anyone else's appearance. It's none of their business! And I don't believe for a second that these warnings come from concern over people's health. Please. If they were concerned about public health, they'd take all of the chemicals out of our foods - like corn syrup, which is addicting and turns to fat in the body. Sorry for the tangent. Bottom line - this is ridiculous.

riotgeek 6 years 22 weeks

Retarded in the extreme. It's not like fat people are unaware of their size.

Twinkle 6 years 22 weeks

I guess walking into a plus size shop isn't humiliating enough :oy:

cravinsugar 6 years 22 weeks

I can tell you right now...When I go clothes shopping as it is I usually end up not eating the rest of that day. Then I am depressed for a couple more days and then I am back to normal. Obesity is not like being suicidal...so keep the hlep line for people with problems and lose this riduclaous idea of a obesity help line. I am obese. I probably give myself a look of digust atleast once daily in the mirror...and that is many less than other people give me on a daily basis. Being obese is unhealthy, but it isn't criminal. And it isn't something for which I need a helpline. I like all other obese people know they need to lose weight. Why do you think the pharmaceutical industries/herbal supplement industries/fad diet inventors/self-help book authors make soo much money? because a lot of us who are obese are desperate for a way to change. Everytime I see someone on the subway who looks at me and decides to sit somehwere else makes me cry inside, and it is all i think about all day. Sorry for going off. I would so sign up for the fit contest if I lived in NY because I can't afford a gym membership as it is. blah. poo to others thinking I am not a fine person no matter what my weight.

scratch5 6 years 22 weeks

Interesting point uberchic, but it cigarettes and alcohol are things you put in your body and this commenting on your body. I know the idea is to get people to put less food in their body, but I think the label would hurt more than help.

uberchic 6 years 22 weeks

I'll be the only one that says that I am all for this... There are warnings on packs of cigarettes...there are warnings on bottles of alcohol... there are warnings on just about everything! I'm just speaking from experience on two counts. I've been down the "severely overweight" road now turned "normal"...I've been down the road as a smoker for 15 years now ex-smoker. As humans, it is all too easy for us to bury our heads...we know that smoking can kill us...we know drinking and driving can kill us...and know we know that eating ourselves into obesity can kill us... Just a thought - take it for what it is worth ;)

tra 6 years 22 weeks

I'd flip if that was on my tag! I'm considered overweight since I am about 10 lbs. over my "healthy" BMI. But guess what...if I was the lowest number considered healthy by BMI...I'd look sickly, I used to be a "healthy" weight and with my build I looked like I didn't eat!

luv_my_junk 6 years 22 weeks

What's next then...warning labels on foods (say oreos for example-which I ♥ !) that say, Consuming more than the recommended daily allowance, may lead to obesity...? Helplines on clothes are absurd! I am a size 14-I am not hardly obese, thick, but not obese! I'd be p*ssed! That would be retail suicide if any store carried them.

LaLaLola 6 years 22 weeks

That's mean! If I were in that position I'd be extremely hurt. It's already a painful experience buying clothes even if you are only slightly overweight, why make it worse?

scratch5 6 years 22 weeks

I say keep the government out of my PANTS!!! I am with you whiplash girl - buying pants is a seriously emotional roller coaster ride. No one I know has a good time doing that. Even my friends that seem to have great legs.

WhatTheFrockBlog 6 years 22 weeks

Good call, DRC. Seriously. What a horrible idea this is! I'm not even plus-sized (yet) and buying clothes is torture for me because of how much weight I've gained. If I tried on something with a weight loss hotline number on it, I'd burst into tears right there in the dressing room.

BlondeSugar 6 years 22 weeks

I agree Dchic. This is so rude and ridiculous. I would be extremely insulted.

DesignRchic 6 years 22 weeks

Hey blonde!!! This is just complete crap that someone would even think of such an invention.

BlondeSugar 6 years 22 weeks

LOL Dchic!

DesignRchic 6 years 22 weeks

Wow, that would be completely messed up. The might as well go the other route too and put "Warning: MUST EAT" on clothes that are a 2 and below!

JustSomeChick 6 years 22 weeks

I think it's awful. I imagine most people with weight issues are aware of the health risks already and don't need to be reminded like that. I also heard from someone that they wanted to put them on sizes 12 and up. In my opinion, size 12 is hardly obese!

Pinkrabbit 6 years 22 weeks

Some people can't help it. It is their body type and yet they are being called Obese? SEriously?! Who would do that? Anyways... That is my thought on the matter. ~Melissa~