My obese mother is a case worker in mental health - I think perhaps from some patients' perspectives there's a maternal aspect to being fat and 'comforting'? I've tried to talk to her about losing weight and apparently she's getting a gastric sleeve soon, but after 40 years of being overweight to obese, can she flip the switch in her own mind? Her and my cousin are immense. In our Christmas family photos they just look tired and miserable.