I ask the same question all the time when I see obese people at buffets

OP - No matter what he shouldn't be making those kind of comments. Even if she was doing it to herself, it is none of his business. You did good by correcting him. Kudos!

Your heart was in the right place

As an overweight person with legitimate health problems that got me this way and that I fight everyday I still thank you for trying to teach your son to be understanding of others, even if this one case didn't provide the best example.

most people are fat because of the food thing. not genetics

Thank you for being a respectful and well-informed parent and setting a good example for your child. Sorry your heartfelt and well-meant lesson was probably a failure.

Thank you for being a respectful and well-informed parent and setting a good example for your child. Sorry your heartfelt and well-meant lesson was probably a failure. Now for my own land-whale story! A: I only call her that because i KNOW her morbid obesity is her own fault. B: If you're allowed to call someone 20 different kinds of stupid for trying to pogo-stick on a treadmill, then you're allowed to creatively call someone fat when their width/girth overflows from the sides of the 2 IHOP chairs she is sitting in, and yet they still eat 2 boxes of donut holes in addition to their three plates of greasy breakfast AND dip each donut hole in maple syrup multiple times, all while chatting the whole time with waitresses as if her billion-calorie meal of choice is just a normal Saturday morning breakfast for her. C: You're also allowed to creatively call someone who's eating themselves to death 'fat' when you have stopped blaming the 'fat genes' you inherited from both sides of your own family, when you have just lost your 35th pound through months of diet, exercise, and life style changes, when your doctor told you that you have reversed your diabetes and lowered your cholesterol by 50 points, and especially when that 35th pound is only half of what you still need/plan to lose. People need to learn what 'heathly' eating really is, stop making excuses, and start burning more calories than they eat.

Hereditary and thyroid disease can affect a person's weight.

At least you tried defending those of us who really do have those issues. I'm on medication, as well as a balanced diet (no fried or fast food, no soda or unnecessary sweets, healthy sugars only) and an exercise plan. My doctor says I'm as healthy as can be, but I'm still squishy.