23.05.2025 17:31
The post by Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar, who made a joke about the Ministry of Health's new Body Mass Index application, was reported by the world press as if it were true. Prof. Dr. Sayar humorously commented on the fact that dozens of media outlets headlined with "Turkey has declared war on the overweight," saying, "Since my weight has become a topic of discussion worldwide, I might as well go lose some weight."
While the Ministry of Health's new Body Mass Index application has sparked discussions on social media, some users have turned this situation into a joke. One of those who joked about the application, Prof. Dr. Gökben Hızlı Sayar, was taken seriously by the world press.
"TODAY IS A DAY OF UNITY, MY OVERWEIGHT BROTHERS"
Sayar shared on her social media account, "I was caught in the overweight check at Üsküdar Square. They let me go after a bit of scolding, thankfully. Like those who flash their lights at each other when they see a radar, I warned 3 overweight people heading that way. Today is a day of unity, my overweight brothers," she stated.
HER POST SHOOK THE WORLD PRESS
Sayar's post was taken very seriously in Europe, especially in Germany, and became a headline topic. The "Berliner Morgenpost" newspaper wrote that the Ministry of Health has not yet stated whether participation in the campaign is voluntary, saying, "For example, a woman named Gökben Hızlı Sayar was subjected to weight control. According to her report, she felt somewhat judged, but was allowed to leave afterward." The Focus magazine took the incident further, claiming that Sayar was actually stopped and judged during a public control. The British press, including the Daily Mail, and Greek media like Teleferi published news with headlines such as "Turkey declared war on the overweight: They are forcibly measuring weight on the streets." Some media outlets, including German RTL, sent requests to Sayar for an interview on the subject.
"DID WE CAUSE A DIPLOMATIC CRISIS, IS THAT GOOD?"
Responding to the news with a humorous tone, Sayar said, "Oh, I'm going to die, my overweight status is in the German press," "Did we cause a diplomatic crisis, is that good? If I were to take advantage of effective overweight and seek asylum, they would believe that too. Germany, mind your own business, our state loves us and weighs us, don't interfere," and "Since my weight has become the talk of the world, I might as well go lose some weight," she shared.