time for another poll - weight and family history

 My father (and all the women on is side of the family... Both sides...) we're overweight to some degree.  All of the women were also large-busted.  My mom's side of the family is slender (and small-busted).

I had two brothers (one now deceased) and neither had weight issues because they take after mom's side of the family.

I am CERTAIN that genetics played a large part in my weight... the traumas just exacerbated the problem (turning MO into SMO).  

Lora

1- No both of my parents are and always have been at normal weight.  My mom diets all the time but overweight to her is 165 lbs. 

2.  1 sister-she is overweight and struggles with dieting but has never been as overweight as I am.

3.  I believe mine is partially genetic-all of my female cousins  (on my mother's side) have had weight struggles.  Surely that's not coincidence.  I think my weight struggles come from using food as a coping mechanism.

4.  Yes I have one daughter and she is overweight.

5.  Yes I believe hers is due to genetics from me and her father and she has unfortunately learned my poor eating habits and I think she eats to push down her emotions just like I do/have in the past.

 1.  Were/are either or both of your parents overweight?
My father was obese, my mother's weight has fluctuated between normal/overweight

2.  Do you have any siblings, and if so, are they overweight?
Yes....my brother was obese when he died at age 34 (heart) and his weight yo-yo'd most of his life between normal and obese.

3.  Do you think genetics played a part in your being overweight? Or do you think you learned poor eating habits from your parents?  Or both?  Or neither of those?
I think genetics played a role. I was a fat toddler/child and have struggled with my weight my whole life..
As far as eating, we ate lots of meat, real butter, cream, pastas, baked goods, etc.,  in addition to lots of fresh veggies and fruits..we very rarely had processed/fast foods...I believe it was the quantity of food that we ate that was the problem. It was considered 'cute' to see a child stuff themselves. The first words out of most of my family members' mouths, as you entered their home was "Did you eat?...sit down"  

4.  Do you have children, and if so, are they overweight?
Children are not overweight, but a daughter had an eating disorder (bulimia) which,  I believe,  was partially from her being afraid of becoming fat like me.


5.  If they are overweight, do you think it's related to genetics?  Or do you think they've learned poor eating habits from you?   Or something else?  

1.  Not really.  My Mother went through periods of being 20lbs or so overweight. 

2.  I have 6 siblings.  It was a 3 to 3 split but one sister has gotten obese as she got older so now it's 4 to 2.  Well actually now that I am not obese I guess it's back to 3 to 3.  NSV!! 

3. I think it's partly being from the South where we fry anything that can be cooked, a step mother and grand mother who showed their love through feeding you and sexual abuse (in my case-not my siblings) as a child.

4.  No kids but one of my cats is a little on the hefty side.

5.  I think he gets bored and eats the other cats food. 

1. Mother is not overweight. Don't know father.
2. Older sister is 100 pounds overweight. 5 other siblings are normal weight.
3. Genetics perhaps, but unkown since my father is unknown. I am the only
one in the family with Type II diabetes.
4. I have 5 children, all girls, all of normal weight. They all have very healthy
eating habits, which amazingly they learned largely growing up. We had a
mini farm and lots of fresh veggies and fruit trees and we raised chickens
and cows and pigs and turkeys and rabbits and.......(you get the idea). Their
children (still babies and toddlers) are healthy and normal and eat as well
as toddlers will, but all eat lots of veggies and fruits.

I love your thoughful polls, Kelly!


1. Were/are either or both of your parents overweight?
Both my parents were slim children, teens & adults. My dad, in his 70s, has a big of a gut now, but I wouldn't consider him obese.

2. Do you have any siblings, and if so, are they overweight?
I have 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Both brothers are thin, as are 2 of my sisters. My baby sister is slightly overweight, but not over 200. When I tipped the scales at 456, it was very hard to be around my family, being the largest person by far.

3. Do you think genetics played a part in your being overweight? Or do you think you learned poor eating habits from your parents? Or both? Or neither of those?
Growing up I ate the same thing as my siblings, and had the same activity level, but I struggled with my weight and the other 5 didn't. There have been a sprinkling of family members in my extended family that became supersized, too. My uncle is over 600 pounds. I have a niece that has been struggling desperately and is edging to 300. I think there might be some kind of genetics involved, but not a widespread 'fat' gene, maybe a recessive gene.

My mother almost miscarried me in the 60s. At the military base she was given an experimental medicine. She had miscarried 3 babies before me, but I survived. She doesn't know what she was given, but she has always thought that my physical problems and my weight might be due to whatever she was given. I don't know if I agree.

4. Do you have children, and if so, are they overweight?
I have 2 daughters, both in their 20s. One has hovered at 200 pounds for 5 years (5'2). The other is 130 (5'7).

5. If they are overweight, do you think it's related to genetics? Or do you think they've learned poor eating habits from you? Or something else?
My overweight daughter definitely eats a crappy diet of refined food. I've been the example over the last 17 months, but bad habits are hard to change. She's about to have a baby and didn't gain a pound during her pregnancy. I hope after my grandson is born she'll change her diet. She's really particular about my granddaughter's diet, limiting sugar and no soda at all, so maybe she'll do the same for herself.

I'm curious about how our weight relates to our family.  Or how it doesn't.  Here's what I'm thinking about:

1.  Were/are either or both of your parents overweight?

My mother is overweight.

2.  Do you have any siblings, and if so, are they overweight?

I have siblings and none of them are overweight ,and they are all well above average height.

3.  Do you think genetics played a part in your being overweight? Or do you think you learned poor eating habits from your parents?  Or both?  Or neither of those?

I think genetics is a part of it ,and we really don't have poor eating habits and far as type.

4.  Do you have children, and if so, are they overweight?

Nope no children.

5.  If they are overweight, do you think it's related to genetics?  Or do you think they've learned poor eating habits from you?   Or something else?

No children.

1.  Were/are either or both of your parents overweight?
Both were overweight.

2.  Do you have any siblings, and if so, are they overweight?
Yes, there were seven of us, all are overweight, except for me now that I've had RNY

3.  Do you think genetics played a part in your being overweight? Or do you think you learned poor eating habits from your parents?  Or both?  Or neither of those?
I definately think we learned poor eating habits from our parents.

4.  Do you have children, and if so, are they overweight?
Yes I have one grown daughter and she is a very healthy, athletic weight.

5.  If they are overweight, do you think it's related to genetics?  Or do you think they've learned poor eating habits from you?   Or something else?
My daughter learned good eating habits because it was something I made an effort to change when she was very small.  Now she just eats healthy and works out because she enjoys it.

My father has been a yo-yo dieter, but has never climbed past 190lbs. My mother is thin, has had six kids and put on a few pounds in her 40's but she's been thin for the most part her entire life.

I'm one of six kids. One of my sisters is very overweight, not sure how much, but well over 200 and she's about 5ft 3. My other siblings are all rail thin and really tall, 5ft 8, 5ft 10. The eat junk food like there's no tomorrow...my skinniest sister eats chocolate and cookies all day long and NEVER gains a pound. They all live in Ireland and are all well into their 30's 40's. I'm in the middle, 5ft 6 and have been a little overweight my whole life. I gained most of my weight after I had kids and I'm positive it's because of hormonal changes. Not to mention lifestyle.
My mother was a very healthy eater and served very healthy foods. We ate a lot, but nothing that would make a person fat and almost no junk.

My kids are normal weight. When I ate whatever, we all put on a few extra pounds, but since I've been attending my surgeons pre-op program, cooking healthy foods etc., my son has lost 10 lbs and no longer eats junk 'cause its not in the house.

My hubby is overweight, but stays within 5 lbs of his weight since we got married 15 years ago.

I think my kids have a tendency to gain weight because of my hubby and me. They are not skin a bone, like some kids, they look healthy. They certainly had poor eating habits before I started on this journey. Now they reach for fruit for a sweet treat, because I don't allow ANY junk in the house.