On this week’s Adult segment, one man asked whether he should be concerned for his sister’s health after her recent weight gain.

“My older sister lives abroad, but she was home recently with her partner and their children,” he told Moncrieff.

“It was so great to see her; and she stayed with us, so all the cousins had some quality time together too.

“I noticed immediately that she had gained a lot of weight when we picked her up at the airport.

“She and her husband also fought a lot when they stayed with us.

“To be honest, I’m quite concerned that relationship won’t last.

“I love her and I want the best for her, but I can see she is struggling and comfort eating.

“I’m worried for her and her health - I want to let her know but not push her away."

A young man and woman engage in a serious conversation at a cafe. Image: Nikola Spasenoski. 4 October 2019

Broadcaster Barbara Scully said that while it is sweet this man is concerned about his sister, he shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions about her life.

“Her weight may not be an indicator that anything in particular is wrong,” she said.

“Many of us put on weight after kids, and especially those years when kids are very young and you’re extremely busy.

“Women in particular, I think, put themselves at the bottom of the priority list and don’t have time for exercise and possibly don’t eat as healthily as they would if they had more time to think.”

Barbara also said that while this man might find his sister and her husband’s way of communicating to be concerning, it doesn’t necessarily point to issues in the relationship.

She advised that the letter writer sit his sister down and ask honestly if she is okay, but to leave her weight out of things.

'Reel your neck in'

TV personality Declan Buckley said that “you need to reel your neck in”.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a bit pearl clutchy about weight and a bit kind of, ‘Oh, I’m not sure everything’s okay because you piled on a few pounds’,” he said.

“I mean of course in an ideal world we’re all eating really well and we’re all really trim, but that doesn’t happen like that, especially as we get older.”

Declan said the letter writer's relationship with his sister couldn’t be that close if he was this out of the loop on her life.

Main image: Overweight woman walking. Image: Geoff Smith. 1 July 2017