There's an unfortunate amount of truth in it.

I noticed a marked difference in how I was treated and respected when I gained weight. When I was skinny, I was pushed around and ignored.

When I gained weight, suddenly people were wary of me and much more likely to accept my input or requirements.

I didn't even exercise. I merely gained weight.

It's a social reality most nerds ignore at their own peril. The way you're treated is very loosely correlated with being smart, having unusual tastes, or asking questions but tightly with how you present yourself.

I've spent the majority of my career having plenty of my own ideas, thoughts, and opinions ignored only to see them seriously considered when echoed by taller, fitter, and more attractive male peers.

Software engineers and computer scientists like to think they're above this stuff, but they aren't.