Gluttony is among the 7 Capital sins. So I suppose then, that to be gluttonous is a mortal sin, for which one goes to Hell. Does that mean overweight people are in mortal sin? What if they are very or morbidly obese? Would that be a mortal sin for which someone would spend eternity in Hell? Also, I think the Capital sin of Sloth may go along with Gluttony very often, because overeating and being too slothful to perform much physical activity lead to obesity. If the obesity leads to serious health concerns that inhibit or even prevent one from fulfilling the duties of his/her station in life, would that be a mortal sin? For example people who are so large that they are bedridden and can't work or take care of household duties because their gluttonous behavior has put them in such a  position? This is a real question, I am not trying to insult overweight people. I am overweight myself, and someone I care about is morbidly obese. This caused me to wonder about this, since I read that in Dante's Inferno there is a special ring of Hell devoted to the gluttonous.  Am I going to go to Hell because I overeat and hate exercise? Regardless of how hard I try to stay in a state of grace otherwise? How fat does someone have to be before it qualifies as a mortal sin? I don't think I have ever read about a saint who was very overweight. Am I totally off base and being overly scrupulous here?

I imagine the smart-alecks here can have a field-day at my expense for asking this question, which I admit is probably weird. I know that there are people out there who are guilty of Gluttony and Sloth who are thin. I suppose they may be in mortal sin as well, it's just easier for them to hide it from everyone but God. It seems to me that Gluttony is the only sin which people can often see on the exterior, and I have wondered what it would be like if the other Capital Sins were so easy to spot on a person just by looking.

.

These are good questions.  You should register or if you are already registered you ought to post this in the Nutrition forum.

Gluttony is among the 7 Capital sins. So I suppose then, that to be gluttonous is a mortal sin, for which one goes to Hell. Does that mean overweight people are in mortal sin? What if they are very or morbidly obese? Would that be a mortal sin for which someone would spend eternity in Hell?

Yes ... ditto... etc.  

It's not our place to judge others, but objectively, yes, overeating is sinful.  Habitual overeating is more sinful.  Refusal to amend your ways and stop sinning is ANOTHER sin, and ultimately could lead to the UNFORGIVABLE sin:  rejection of the Holy Ghost.

So asking these questions and looking for answers is a sign of NOT rejecting the Holy Ghost.  So at least that's a START.  It should give you (and everyone who listens) hope, not discouragement.  St. Peter says we should be ready to explain the hope that is in us.

Also, I think the Capital sin of Sloth may go along with Gluttony very often, because overeating and being too slothful to perform much physical activity lead to obesity.

Gluttony and sloth (pronounced "slow-th" because "slaw-th" is a tropical tree-dwelling animal) are indeed related.  Those who are inclined to these sins have a special cross to bear and we are duty-bound to bear our cross as God sees fit to give it to us.

If the obesity leads to serious health concerns that inhibit or even prevent one from fulfilling the duties of his/her station in life, would that be a mortal sin?

It could be.

For example people who are so large that they are bedridden and can't work or take care of household duties because their gluttonous behavior has put them in such a  position?

Yes.  And it's not just overeating.  There are 5 (five) categories of gluttony. See below.

This is a real question, I am not trying to insult overweight people. I am overweight myself, and someone I care about is morbidly obese.

At least you're aware of it and willing to talk about it.  That's a PLUS!

This caused me to wonder about this, since I read that in Dante's Inferno there is a special ring of Hell devoted to the gluttonous.  

You wouldn't be the only one to be saved from hell by reading Dante.  

But you should also read the other books of his besides the Inferno.  In Paradiso, for example.  That would give you hope.

Am I going to go to Hell because I overeat and hate exercise? Regardless of how hard I try to stay in a state of grace otherwise? How fat does someone have to be before it qualifies as a mortal sin? I don't think I have ever read about a saint who was very overweight.

St. Thomas Aquinas was a rotund man, and Padre Pio was large, so too Pope St. Pius X.  You probably don't want to hear about John XXIII or JPII -- (joke)

Am I totally off base and being overly scrupulous here?

Not at all.  You're right on target!  

You should seek spiritual direction from a good priest.  IMHO it would help to find one that is overweight himself so he can give you personal insight.  Been there, done that, and all.  

If you get a priest that's really thin, you're going to be in for it!  Good luck!  

I imagine the smart-alecks here can have a field-day at my expense for asking this question, which I admit is probably weird.

Just be glad you're not overweight AND questioning BoD at the same time.  Then you'd really be in trouble.  

I know that there are people out there who are guilty of Gluttony and Sloth who are thin. [see below!]  

I suppose they may be in mortal sin as well, it's just easier for them to hide it from everyone but God. It seems to me that Gluttony is the only sin which people can often see on the exterior, and I have wondered what it would be like if the other Capital Sins were so easy to spot on a person just by looking.

I think you can see the hardened looks of pride, avarice, concupiscence, greed, selfishness, on people who are older.  Not so much when they're young.  But over many years, one's sin tends to make their facial lines take on certain aspects that they can't easily hide, but that's what plastic surgery is for, really!  You heard it here first!  

Initially, one might be prone to argue that there is no way to eat anything without breaking rules so sweeping as these.  But that's where culture comes in, and manners.  

Proper dining manners teach us to balance our actions, so we don't eat too fast, nor too slowly by fussing and moving the food all around the plate, or playing with the food.  Overly zealous eating is always unattractive to observers.  

Learning to eat reasonable portions at appointed meal times and without ostentatious or outlandish luxury (special occasions are another story!) is part of "finishing school" lessons.  Catholic girls traditionally had such training in adolescence, but in my area, the various Catholic girls' high schools that had these programs gradually shut them down after 1960 (there's that year again, when the Third Secret should have been revealed!), and I was personally involved in remodeling the Home Economics and Fashion/Wardrobe classrooms where these lessons had been taught to thousands of girls over many years, at Pomona Catholic (Pomona, CA), and Louisville High school in Woodland Hills.  I have seen very impressive equipment and furnishings entirely trashed so as to make way for an "updated" curriculum, that teaches girls how to boss other people around so that someone else can do the work while they act as a straw boss, giving orders and complaining about disappointments:  you know:  feminism.  

.

We had home ec in public school grade school. too where we taught sewing cooking.
How to set table and manners.  1980s

And at home too.   Things changed after my Mom went to college to
Become nurse.  And father working ended up being original latchkey kid.
Things were becoming more liberal and leaving me more vulnerable.  

Yes I'm overweight.   I stress eat.  

And I'm always working and eating around men.
I love my husband but there are times I long for female
Companionship especially after my beloved Mother in law died.

Many really don't get enough natural physical work in this unnatural society we live in.. honestly to have to use things like treadmills and suchlike, which achieve little to no purpose besides exercise itself.. rather than chopping wood and doing the normal work a man would do... that achieves something..

Both overeating and health problems have been mentioned here, but also quality of food is a big factor of why some are obese.

Many people in poverty are overweight and yet also forced to skip meals on a regular basis. They aren't eating too much, but they're eating junk. One docuмentary I watched showed a family that consumed Totinos pizza as their meal (with no sides of any sort) multiple times per week because that is all they could afford. Another stocked their after-school snack area with cheap cookies, crackers, and chips because again those things are convenient (parents aren't usually around when they return from school) and cheap whereas fresh fruits and vegetables are not. Some members of the families looked healthy, others were very obese.

:dancing-banana:They say the sins of Gluttony is also sin of lust.

I've heard this, too, that gluttony leads to lust.  I can understand it if it entails drunkenness.  When one's inhibitions are compromised, purity goes away.  It makes sense that prostitutes do business in neighborhoods with bars.  
I don't see how it applies to overeating, especially if it results in obesity.  An obese person usually has  a poor self-image and is hardly tempting to others.  As for the grossly obese, well, I'd imagine any sins against purity would have to remain in the mind.  Medically speaking, wouldn't obesity diminish one's passions?