A Dorset woman has told of her ‘huge privilege’ appearing on a four-part Channel 4 documentary about obesity.

Tiffany 24, from Dorchester, was part of the cast that appeared on the documentary series, Around the World in Eighty Weighs.

The series focuses on six people across Britain who are living with obesity that get to travel the globe and learn about the diverse reasons for why people around the world are affected by obesity.

The group travelled to Japan, Tonga, America and India, coming face to face with the sometimes stark realities of the obesity crisis in different countries, discovering the potentially alarming implications on their own health if they can’t tackle their challenges.

Speaking about what made her apply for the show, Tiffany said: “I saw the show advertised and thought 'this is made for me' and I get to travel the world, which is a huge privilege.

“It was interesting seeing the different standards of the way obesity is seen.”

Throughout her journey, Tiffany came face-to-face with the way other cultures view obesity.

Dorset Echo:

In Japan, Tiffany pointed out a crowd of people that were pointing and staring at the group - saying on the show that it was making her feel 'self-conscious.' 

She said: “Japan was a shock at how different they treat obesity compared to the UK. They’re so strict about their weight that they don’t think about it at all.

“Tonga was the polar opposite to that and it wasn’t so much a weight issue but more of a food issue which was evident after visiting the diabetes clinic.

“America was just nuts. It’s made into such an industry that no one cares for it’s more like 'here's a quick fix.'"

One of the biggest shocks Tiffany faced was in her trip to India.

She said: “India showed me that that being big and worrying about weight is a privilege - we went to a market and there was a young girl there and she was so tiny. We also gave a small group of boys a bottle of water."

The journey has made Tiffany look at weight in differently. She said: “It made me realise that I need to make changes to myself, not so much through weight loss, but looking after myself.”

Tiffany, an NHS office worker at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, said that she would go on the journey again ‘in a heartbeat’ and really enjoyed her time on the show.  

“I really enjoyed the trip, there were more ups than downs. The cabaret show in America was a definite highlight as it was so much fun. Mr and Mrs Eats in Japan were amazing and another highlight.

“Also, the way that we as a cast came together and built connections up like a family was great.”

Tiffany added that the local reaction in Dorset to her appearance in the series was welcomed by her friends and family.

She said: “I’ve got a lot of messages from people I work with about the appearances saying that they saw me more.

"My CrossFit gym owner said that I came across really well.

“People have just been excited about seeing someone from Dorset on TV.”

At the end of each episode, the group is weighed to see how much weight they've lost during the journey whilst taking on the various diets. 

Dorset Echo:

Tiffany, who practices cheerleading and weightlifting, came on the show not to lose weight, but to be more informed.

Speaking about her future, Tiffany said: “I’ll be working hard on my CrossFit to get into competitions. Looking to take control of my diet to what feels good and what doesn’t feel good.

“I definitely feel like size should not matter and should not hold anyone back - I still cheer and do cross fit and it doesn’t stop me.”

You can catch Tiffany on the final episode of Around the World in 80 Weighs tonight, Tuesday, February 6 at 9pm, or catch up with the series online at All4.