According to the latest data from the NHS, 35% of all deaths from respiratory conditions can be attributed to smoking. That’s probably because tobacco smoke contains over 5,000 chemicals, including actual poisons like hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide and ammonia.

Don’t get me wrong - obesity also kills. In fact, the British Heart Foundation claims that around 31,000 heart and circulatory deaths can be attributed to excess weight and obesity every year. But obesity, as a disease, is about more than eating cake – and that’s what diet culture gets so wrong.

When are we going to start being honest about the fact that obesity and excessive weight gain is as much a mental health issue as it is a socio-economic one? If the thousands living with obesity were sick simply because they really enjoyed sweet treats or worked in an office with a birthday every week, the obesity crisis would be a simple one to solve. Clearly, it’s more complex.

No, having a slice of cake in the office isn’t ‘as bad as passive smoking’ – that’s diet culture speaking