Victoria S

The independent had an article I read today titled "unemployed to be given weight loss jab to help them back into work says government" and then the article mentions that there's to be a trial of a drug, normally used to treat diabetes, to be trialed on 3000 obese uk citizens with obesity related health conditions over five years, the aim of the study is to see if the drug supports people's energy levels, reduces dependency on the NHS, etc.

Where does unemployment come into this? There is nothing in the study itself that says it's aimed at the unemployed but that it's aimed at the obese with obesity related health conditions. The title makes you think the gov is gonna start including weight loss jabs in UC applications or something. Other than some unrelated mentions, no where in the article does it explain how the drug trial mentioned relates to unemployment beyond a vague mention, a clearly added opinion rather than anything factually based in the trials information, that it could help obese people back into work. But unless the trial is focussed on unemployed obese folk, their employment status is irrelevant to the study.

It's little microagressions like these, articles that mention the unemployed in a context that makes us seem lazy or unhealthy, but that isn't actually relevant to the context of the article, that are part of why the world feels so aggressive and harsh to those of us out of work. Especially when, for the vast majority of us, it's lack of jobs, especially jobs that accommodate for disabilities, that are the issue not lack of willingness to work.

I recently had someone say about me, when I was looking for a disabled toilet, that "being obese isn't a disability" and articles like the one mentioned above are part of this myth that is protrayed about the unemployed, especially the disabled unemployed, that were just fat n lazy. Alot of the times we have limited access to healthy diets due to low income, which can lead to weight gain. And alot of medication for disabilities come with weight gain, water retention and other weight related side effects. And those with disabilities and on low incomes aren't able to access safe exercise opportunities, either cos travel costs, gym memberships, or lack of disability support (including other factors) are an issue.

If the gov really wants to reduce obesity, best thing they can do is provide a living income to the unemployed, so we can afford healthy foods, subsidise exercise opportunities and legislate the food manufacturers to stop making the unhealthiest foods the cheapest. Heck we've got an MP down south lobbying for freddos to be 5p again, I'd much prefer he lobby for fruit to be 5p again not sweets.