Lula says that obesity causes “as much harm as hunger”; critical opposition

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) was the target of criticism from opponents on Wednesday (15) after citing the obesity of the Minister of Justice, Flávio Dino (PSB), and classifying the condition as “a disease that causes both harm and the hunger”.

Lula stated that obesity should be assisted by the State and that Dino would be riding a bicycle because he was overweight. “[A obesidade] it is also a disease that we need to take care of”, said the president at the launch ceremony of the National Program for Public Security with Citizenship (Pronasci).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that can harm health.

“Our doctor who is Minister of Health knows perfectly well that obesity causes as much harm as hunger. And that’s why Flávio Dino is riding a bicycle, because he knows that this will require the State to take care of this disease with great care”, said Lula.

Experts point out that the simple association between obesity and disease is not a simple equation and does not effectively contribute to combating a public health problem.

Weight gain is related to multifactorial causes that go beyond dietary choices, including social context, food prices and genetic issues.

The statement generated criticism on social media from opponents.

Federal deputy Kim Kataguiri (União Brasil-SP) questioned: “Are they going to call him fatphobic too?”

Hello, boring people who think obesity is beautiful: Lula said the obvious here. Are they going to call him fatphobic too? Or will they stop glamorizing a disease? https://t.co/hrLgGiYYZ0

—Kim Kataguiri (@KimKataguiri) March 15, 2023

Also federal deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG) criticized the president’s speech about bathrooms for transsexuals and that “it doesn’t matter what he says, but who says it”.

Lula says that the trans bathroom is Satan’s invention and that obesity is a disease and jokes about it. It doesn’t matter what she says, but who says it. Just to register. thanks flw

— Nikolas Ferreira (@nikolas_dm) March 15, 2023

The Movimento Brasil Livre (MBL) also criticized Lula’s stance and questioned whether “will there be a cancellation or can he [falar dessa maneira]”.

And now? Will there be cancellation or can he? pic.twitter.com/EzbqCRULLc

— MBL – Free Brazil Movement (@MBLivre) March 15, 2023

When talking about Pronasci at the event, Flávio Dino had also humorously commented on his condition, supported by laughter from the audience.

“A construction worker who has a stolen bicycle is not the same as a person who uses a bicycle once a year to do physical activity. I’m talking about myself, as you can see”, said Dino.

Association between obesity and disease is not simple

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that can harm health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to the WHO, overweight and obesity are the main risk factors for a number of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and stroke, which are the leading causes of death worldwide.

Being overweight can also lead to diabetes and its associated conditions, including blindness, limb amputations and the need for dialysis. Excess weight can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoarthritis.

Obesity is also associated with some cancers, including endometrial, breast, ovarian, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney and colon. The risk of these diseases increases even when a person is only slightly overweight and becomes more severe as BMI rises.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that obesity is a complex disease that occurs when an individual’s weight is higher than what is considered healthy for their height.

The CDC warns that several factors can contribute to excessive weight gain, including dietary patterns, physical activity levels and sleep routines. Social determinants of health, genetics and the use of certain medications also play a relevant role in this context.

The American Medical Association (AMA) officially recognized obesity as a chronic disease in 2013.

prejudice and discrimination

Throughout history, obesity has been the target of prejudice, discrimination and discourses based on misinformation.
Experts point out that the simple association between obesity and disease is not a simple equation and does not effectively contribute to combating a public health problem.

Mistakenly, obesity is sometimes treated as lack of willpower or laziness. However, science explains that weight gain is related to multifactorial causes that go beyond food choice.

The social context in which people are inserted, the availability and price of in natura foods, the increased exposure to ultra-processed foods and genetic factors also contribute to overweight.

According to the WHO, the fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended.

Added to this factor, worldwide there is a higher intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars, increases in physical inactivity, changes in modes of transport and increased urbanization have also contributed to the problem, highlights the WHO. .

Furthermore, changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and social changes associated with development and the lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, processing food, distribution, marketing and education.