Before I decide whether I like you or not...answer me this question - Are You Fat Or Thin?

I just received an email in my inbox and the subject title was "It's a fact of life - fat people are treated differently. Lose weight today". I didn't read the email as it was obviously spam, but the subject got me thinking...Do we really get treated according to our physical status?

I am a size 12/14 woman, 5ft 5 inches tall. This time last year I was a lot bigger, although I probably refused to admit it! I wore clothes that were loose, that I felt hid my size, however it only made me look bigger. I've been in my current job since 2001, so at the time I didn't feel my size made a great impact on anything...entering data for a college isn't exactly high-flying career material. Last summer, I decided to try out Slimming World. I couldn't see it working as it enables you to eat more or less what you normally would (within reason!), so it felt like a challenge...or more to prove others that these diets don't actually work! Shockingly it did though, and I'd lost 4lbs in my first week. So I continued until I felt I was at a reasonable weight! Although I'm no longer following the programme, i feel my eating habits have changed a lot for the better. I feel 10 million times better than I did, and a lot happier and, at the same time, my confidence has grown somewhat.

So, back to the subject...Looking back, I do feel that now, compared to when i was bigger, I am treated differently, even in the workplace. People seem to approach me more than they did before, and I'm even considered for upcoming vacancies.

My argument, however, is not that people may treat you differently because of your weight, more the fact that people may treat you differently because your personality and confidence has changed. I'd obviously become more approachable since I'd become more happier and confident in myself, and I found that when I was happy, other people were too.

So, are fatter people treated differently than thinner people, or is it how they feel they are being treated because, subconsciously, they are so unhappy anyway?

Please note...this is based on my own experiences and feelings - I was never extremely obese so I am not trying to base this on general feelings of overweight people and people with eating disorders.