Woman Slammed for What She Said to Neighbor About Weight Loss

Lydia Patrick, a Life and Trends Reporter for Newsweek in London, specializes in emerging trends, human interest stories, and women’s issues. She previously investigated a rise in knife crimes against women in the UK and covered stories on the darker aspects of medical tourism. Lydia began working at Newsweek in 2024 after stints at the Independent and South West News Service. She holds a journalism master’s degree from Sheffield University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Bristol, with proficiency in English and Spanish. For contact, email l.patrick@newsweek.com.

A Reddit user, under the handle u/Emotional-Clerk8028, received support online for confronting their partner over unsolicited remarks about a neighbor’s weight loss. The user shared that the neighbor, aged 45, had visibly lost weight without engaging in exercise, leading the partner to assume she might be using weight-loss medication. Following a comment from the partner to the neighbor cautioning against losing too much weight too quickly, the original poster addressed the situation in the Am I The A****** subreddit, highlighting their spouse’s intrusive behavior.

The user expressed concern to their partner in private, emphasizing the neighbor’s autonomy and dismissing the need for interference. The post garnered over 11,000 upvotes from users supporting the poster’s stance. Despite causing an argument with their partner, the poster defended their stance on respecting the neighbor’s privacy over their spouse’s curiosity. An expert, Dr. Lara Zibarras, praised the poster’s approach, underscoring the importance of privacy and respect in discussions about weight loss.

Reddit users shared personal anecdotes about receiving unwelcome comments on weight loss, highlighting the sensitivity of such remarks. Newsweek attempted to contact u/Emotional-Clerk8028 for further insight but was unable to verify the case details. Newsweek’s “What Should I Do?” feature offers expert guidance on personal dilemmas. Readers can submit their concerns to life@newsweek.com for advice on relationships, family, finances, and work.