female only Are others in your family overweight/obese?

[Carrie_C 9]

I was just wondering how many of us have a family history of obesity. I have read about there being a so called "fat gene" and I just wonder if it's true. Almost everyone on my Mom's side is obese. Not just overweight, but severly obese. My Dad is overweight as well, but most of the people on his side don't have weight issues.

[Jachut 487]

We have one side of the family that is solidly built, that's Dad's side. German heritage, and we're all tall, and pear shaped. Tend to be heavy, but getting to a BMI of 36 was really alarmingly heavy to me, way fatter than mum, dad or either of my sisters. My youngest sister is built like me, but just has never got beyond a BMI of (I'm guessing) 31 or 32.

Mum's side is short and round, lol. My mum has never been obese, but her sister is, but she's a diabetic and has been since infancy, she got massive at one point but lost it all and never regained it. But her daughter, is very very big, probably a BMI of 45 or so. But those are the only two in our family.

So I dont think I can blame genetics for my weight, it was much more poor lifestyle choices and lack of time that led to poor choices. Plus the common post pregnancy suddenly home looking after babies all day type weight gain.

[newhope4me 0]

Yes, my family is. I only know my mother's side of the family. My mom has struggled with her weight for as long as I can remember. In fact due to always seeing my mom on a diet, I raised my daughter to view people differently. We discuss healthy and in-shape compared to when I grew up all i heard was how fat my mom was.

My grandparents (maternal) are both extremely overweight. My grandfather had a heartache when I was a preteen, grandma has diabetes. My mom has blood clots in her legs and other health issues due to her weight and her constantly dieting.

With me turning 40 in a few weeks, I wanted to avoid some of the medical issues. I already feel better, having only lost 40 pounds.

[tomatogirl 0]

My mother's side, no. She nor pretty much anyone on her side of the family has never struggled with their weight at all, so she totally does NOT understand why I can't just be like her. But on my dad's side, yes. My dad is large and his mother was, too (and she died from complications of diabetes). And, I'm built just like all of them. I think genetics may have had a hand in my weight, but I'm to blame, too. At my thinnest I was 125-ish lbs, but I had to practically starve myself to get there.

Edited August 18, 2008 by tomatogirl
ETA

[Carrie_C 9]

I have 4 half siblings and 1 full sister. None of them are fat. My youngest sister has gotten a little heavy, but she always loses it. But I suspent her drug and alcohol addictions probably have something to do with that. My Mom is overweight, not severely, but she has always struggled with her weight. She has been on a diet since I can remember. But her sisters and aunts are all heavy. It seems like it is the women who are heavy and not the guys. It also seems like the women don't get fat until they reach adulthood.

[MacMadame 81]

Everyone in my family is either obese or has struggled with their weight or doesn't appear to struggle but has very disordered eating or some combination of those things.

[strikeuptheband 16]

My mom, now 83, has always been up and down. Currently she is too overweight for her frame and has several medical problems that keep her from exercising. But not from eating. I worry about seeing her continue to gain. her feet are so full of Fluid, that also hinders her from walking. She's on a downward path and it hurts to watch it.

All my siblings except the youngest brother are overwieght. None of them would support my band surgery; they would just laugh while stuffing their faces. I have only told one sister and she is supportive. On the few occasions (mainly Christmas) that we get together, everyone just gets fatter and complains about it. I am waiting to see what they say when I show up this Christmas a lot thinner than last time they saw me. I doubt if I will tell anyone I had surgery; I will just say I am working hard on it, exercising and dieting....which is true.

[Telecia 1]

Oh yea both my moms and dads side of the family both have tall thin men and short round women!! I was one of the first women in the history of the family to actually be over 5ft tall. My mom being 5ft 5 i actually got to 5ft9 by the time i was 16. Men being over 6 foot was common on both sides but it was almost unheard of for any of the males to be overweight.

It seemed to have changed with my generation but I don't have contact with any of my family anymore so I dunno how much it changed.

But my ex's family who I do still have close contact with. Weight is an issue with most of them. (1 has had WLS) Especially with conjunction with age. So I know what my kids are looking forward to lol. And it aint gonna be pretty!

And my step moms family which was no blood relation to me at all several had weight issues, male & female both. 3 of which tried WLS in the past.

SO I think alot of it is hereidity but a even bigger part of it is social. Since all family gatherings always seem to focus on huge buffets of food!

[She Smiles 2]

Well both my parents are banded. Dad was morbidly obese and Mum was obese before banding. Both are now just slightly overweight and have good pretty good success with their bands. They are both approaching 60 years old.

My sister has up and downed between maybe 130 and 160 pounds her whole life, but has never been "fat". My brother was a chubby teenager and grew out of that to be a 6 foot 3 blonde male supermodel type (like seriously girls in the street fall over to catch a second glance at him). He works really hard at the gym and eats incredibly healthily all the time (think stuff like a hard boiled egg or tuna, brown rice and some veggies for dinner every night without fail) to maintain his rock hard yet fit and slim body.

None of the extended family are fat. In fact my mother's sister used to be taunted that she was anorexic growing up cos she was so thin.

So yeah, my family is a bit of a mish mash of fat, "normal" weight and thin.

[Gone4Now 4]

Most of my family is fat. I have a few very skinny family members (too skinny, not "normal") and the rest are fat. Very few are a healthy size.

[thelonedaisy 0]

i am the youngest of 9 children and only 3 of us and one is me are under 300 pounds and only one is under 250.

both my parents are obese.

[tapshoes 2]

No one in my immediate family, or on either branches of the family tree are overweight. In fact, most are really skinny - and not due to any effort, just that's their build/metabolism. My brother and sister both have been called scrawny all their lives, and (in their youth) tried for years to gain weight . I remember everyone saying 'oh, that will change when they reach their teens, or twenties or midlife'...now nearing their 60's it still hasn't hit them!) My brother is over 6 feet and still weighs less than 130 pounds...and he hates it!!

So although I was the biggest baby on record at the hospital in which I was born (the record held for about 10 years), I don't hold anyone but me responsible for my weight...unless someone can tell me it's ok to blame my mother, it isn't my fault, etc....JUST JOKING!!

[luluc 6]

both of my parents are very fit & trim and have been my entire life..however they are the only one of out their siblings to be so. on both sides my aunts/uncles have had weight issues. my dad's side is tall and "thick", my mom's - short & "round".

i tease that i got the short & round "gene" - but i only put on weight after i got married.....same with my eldest brother (he just got the band). my other brothers are very fit & trim.

i think the propensity CAN be there - but one could also fend off the weight as well...MO only, of course.

[Carrie_C 9]

I agree. I can't blaim my family for me being fat either. I think the gene is probably there, but my previous fast food addiction has way more to do with it. I think a lot of it is social eating for my family too. I have an aunt that cooks enough for a Golden Corral buffet EVERY night. Plus a big Breakfast in the morning.

[Guest Leslie2Lose]

It's my fault. Completely. I don't know who my parents are (adopted). I'd rather take blame than pretend it is them. I wish I did know my genetic and family medical background. Hopefully one day the laws will come out of the middle ages and grant me at least that.