Shallow comment time, but I believe this is truthful and factful: A lot of success in life revolves around looking attractive. If you're fit, you're the authority in any room of people. Often you're the subject matter expert as well. As harsh as it may sound, overweight people are rarely taken seriously. For those that are overweight and respected, it's usually because they have some other edge such as money or connections. Probably because an overweight middle class person is about as normal as they come. To have an edge in life, you have to have something that someone else doesn't have. Looks, money, or power. The easiest thing to gain for most people is to reach a healthy BMI. However that in itself isn't that easy to do. And that's why people subconsciously respect those who get there, and lack respect to those who have failed.

Also, beauty is a young person's game. We live for 80-90 years, but attractiveness usually peaks in our 20s. Maintaining fitness over time is what matters. We rarely give a thought about elderly people. Speaking just for myself, but the most memorable ones were fit until the day they died, and I remember their smiles and happiness. The least memorable ones were the overweight people in and out of the hospital to manage their weight-related diseases. Most of them died depressed and forgettable.