Former Fat Families presenter Steve Miller has sparked a row with body positivity campaigner George Keywood after a new study revealed a correlation between obesity and time taken off of work.
According to the Institute for Advanced Studies in Vienna, obese people are "twice as likely to take time off work".
The researchers warned that obesity is causing "considerable work absenteeism", affecting the labour market.
Reacting to the study on GB News, TV presenter Steve Miller said the results were "common sense", and claimed it is "quite obvious that if you're fat, you're going to become more ill".
Steve Miller sparked a row with a body positivity campaigner over 'sick note Britain'
GB News
Miller added that be believes "woke culture" is partly to blame for the rise in "sick note Britain".
He explained: "I think woke culture is partly responsible for that, because we all love to moan and be the victim these days. We've gone soft on fat, that's the problem."
In disagreement with Miller, body positivity activist George Keywood argued that "fat people always get the bad end of the stick", and a lot of people call in sick for other reasons such as "hangovers".
Keywood hit back at Miller: "They always get the blame, whenever the statistics come in, it's always the fat people that have done something wrong. It's like an easy target to go for."
A new study has revealed that obese people are 'twice as likely to take time off work'
Getty
Keywood also argued that "a lot of plus-sized people are very healthy still", which infuriated Miller.
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Miller blasted Keywood's remarks, claiming: "You're completely in denial. The reality is, you can be fat and fit, but you cannot generally be fat and healthy.
"George doesn't have the monopoly on fat people here. I was a right porker and I still struggle with my weight. I had to tell myself, stop being lazy and making excuses. Stop whingeing and stop being victim victorious."
Miller then called on the UK to crack down on obesity, suggesting: "Stop worrying about all this fat shaming, fat is dangerous. Fat doesn't only affect physical health, it affects mental health.
"The best way to overcome it is to take responsibility and start doing something about it. Stop staining the sofa with your backside and get out and eat fresh air!"
George Keywood argued that there are plus size Britons who are 'still healthy'
GB News
Further defending the plus-size community, Keywood argued that there needs to be action on mental health before action on obesity.
Keywood told GB News: "There's a lot of plus-sized people out there that have severe mental health issues, and I think you've got to change people's minds before you change what's going in their mouths.
"You've got to improve your health at some point. But I think there's still a lot of people out there that are drinking, smoking, doing drugs, and they never get any of this stick."