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Surprised at numbers of overweight adults - surely more needs to be done?

577 replies

OrangeSunset · 15/08/2020 22:00

Fully prepared for this to be fairly controversial but here goes.

We’re on holiday in the South West. I am honestly shocked at the numbers of overweight adults on the beach today. I’d say at least 50% were overweight, across all age ranges. Really it was more like 70%. DH and I are ok but being harsh I’d say we could/should each lose 5kg and be more lean. It’s just miserable and I was shocked - even more so when you see overweight kids too as we all know that sets them up for a lifetime of weight issues.

I’m not sure what my point is, other than to say that Boris cutting some adverts just isn’t good enough. The prevalence of shit food is condemning people to an unhealthy life with medical issues and challenges that us as humans just shouldn’t be subjecting ourselves to.

How do we break this cycle? Anyone who points it is out is seen as judgemental but it’s gone beyond the point of individual choice surely - it doesn’t work and is ruining people’s lives and perpetuating the cycle.

OP posts:
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GoshHashana · 15/08/2020 22:02

What do you suggest?

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TheCanyon · 15/08/2020 22:02

Why are you so surprised?

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Merename · 15/08/2020 22:04

I think your point is fair, particularly about overweight children. I find it frustrating that where I live there are literally no healthy takeaway options, I’d love if there were options for when I feel lazy that weren’t so bad for us. I’d love to see government support and investment in this area.

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beela · 15/08/2020 22:04

It is shocking when you start to notice.

But you will probably get slated on here for being "fattist"

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QueenCT · 15/08/2020 22:06

Ok. So if someone could sort my thyroid meds out so I'm not undermedicated, that would be great, I might be less tired then too. Oh and also stop me from getting urticaria every time I so much as walk which means I can't exercise. I have a chance of one final medication but the waiting list is 34 weeks plus the 16 week backlog for Covid
I've cut my calories and am trying but sorry, I'm still fat at the minute 🤷🏽‍♀️
That's also partly due to an old eating disorder because my parent likes to call me obese and say how ugly I am and how no man will look at me and how my hair is awful.. and on and on and on
Boris can do what he wants but I physically can't exercise and I'm also shielding so yes it's hard not to snack when you're home all day

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Aquamarine1029 · 15/08/2020 22:07

The prevalence of shit food is condemning people to an unhealthy life with medical issues and challenges that us as humans just shouldn’t be subjecting ourselves to.

Just because there is a prevalence of shit food doesn't mean you have to eat it or eat it to excess. No matter what measures the government takes, it will not, and can not, negate personal responsibility.

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heartsonacake · 15/08/2020 22:09

There’s nothing that can be done. These people need to gain self control and willpower; nobody can give them that.

If they don’t want it enough, and they don’t work hard enough, they aren’t going to lose weight. They’re just going to keep starting and stopping ridiculous diets to try and make themselves feel as though they’re doing something about the problem.

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Hotandknackered · 15/08/2020 22:13

Is this the first time you've been out in public op?!

How is it ruining people's lives?

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Chitlin · 15/08/2020 22:13

It is shocking, yes. And depressing.

The levels of delusion and denial about obesity in UK society are off the scale (pun intended).

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Oryxx · 15/08/2020 22:14

As a nation, we are fat and getting fatter. And being fat is very bad for us.

This isn’t something lots of us want to hear but it’s the truth. There will be huge health consequences in coming years, leading to premature deaths for thousands as well as huge strain on the NHS.

What do we do about it? I honestly couldn’t begin to work out how to start. People are overweight for many, many reasons and there is no simple solution or quick fix.

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OrangeSunset · 15/08/2020 22:15

Of course there are medical reasons that complicate matters. But that alone can’t account for the sheer prevalence.

I’m surprised as my home village just isn’t like this. We live in a village near a city and there just aren’t the percentages I have seen today, including amongst children. Yes it’s reasonably affluent but not super so - lots of public sector workers etc.

But isn’t it time it stopped being about class or wealth and just became a debate about health? It is literally more unhealthy to be overweight (see above re medical barriers).

The chucking in of class and wealth means we’re not having an honest debate about why we’re the fattest nation in Europe.

It’s bad enough that we already know that diabetes and a whole bunch of other things are more likely if you’re overweight. Add Covid in to the mix and the science is all there.

So why as a culture can’t we support people to help themselves? Anyone who points out it’s not healthy is being judgemental. When it is true. We all know smoking is deadly and it’s really only a few who defend their right these days. Why is weight any different?

OP posts:
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WhenSheWasBad · 15/08/2020 22:15

Just because there is a prevalence of shit food doesn't mean you have to eat it or eat it to excess

Yeah but shit food tastes nice, is cheap and often requires virtually no effort. I’m a healthy weight myself, I’ve been trying to shift 1/2 stone since forever but it won’t budge.

I sympathise with people who are overweight.

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Aquamarine1029 · 15/08/2020 22:21

How is it ruining people's lives?

How is obesity ruining people's lives? You really need to ask?

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Fatted · 15/08/2020 22:23

The thing is OP, you can tell someone that being fat is unhealthy until you are blue in the face. I still don't think that would stop people tucking into a domino's.

Food is used just like alcohol and drugs for people with various problems to self medicate. Because it's legal, cheap and easily accessible. Until you get to the root cause of why people over eat and are over weight, then you cannot help them. Just like you can't help an alcoholic who doesn't want to quit.

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InDeoEstMeaFiducia · 15/08/2020 22:23

Tackle inequality and you'll likely find the rates of a lot of ills in society decrease. But that's not going to happen.

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Hotandknackered · 15/08/2020 22:25

@Aquamarine1029

How is it ruining people's lives?

How is obesity ruining people's lives? You really need to ask?

Yep
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PasstheBucket89 · 15/08/2020 22:25

Its interesting you mentioning smoking, an unhealthy addiction that ruins lives? 30 years ago a lot of those fat people would have been chain smokers, many ex smokers absolutely piled on the weight after quitting, because obesity is a serious psychological/addiction issue that is enabled by more access. in the same way smoking and alcoholism were more prevelant when more accessible, the psychological issues were never dealt with so it simply got transferred.

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SelkieQualia · 15/08/2020 22:26

Yeah, but you can't blame individuals. There's a reason obesity has increased over the past few decades - the environment has changed. We need to decrease people's dependency on cars, increase the availability of green spaces, and continue with things like sugar tax - we need to stop companies profiteering of people's health.

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TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 15/08/2020 22:26

Ideas for politicians:

Takeaways and restaurants to limit portion sizes.

Offer exercise points - if you have a Fitbit or smart phone with pedometer, sign up to an app that gives some sort of reward when you do enough exercise. I was going to say that supermarkets could offer that too but it would maybe be counter-productive!

Increased taxes on all snack food.

More cycle/walking paths.

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heartsonacake · 15/08/2020 22:28

@SelkieQualia

Yeah, but you can't blame individuals. There's a reason obesity has increased over the past few decades - the environment has changed. We need to decrease people's dependency on cars, increase the availability of green spaces, and continue with things like sugar tax - we need to stop companies profiteering of people's health.

Of course you can blame individuals. People have personal responsibility, self control, free will.

Everything—food and exercise—in moderation. These overweight people aren’t moderating and that’s the problem.

Companies aren’t to blame here, the individuals who take it too far are.
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IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 15/08/2020 22:29

I’m not sure you can break the cycle and it’s not down to the government to sort. They can change adverts etc but it falls down to personal responsibility.

Many don’t seem know what a healthy weight / clothes size is and the fact school nurses have to weigh children is a sad indication of this.

It’s the cost to the NHS from issues that then arose that needs looking at. Maybe that should be the government focus.

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DeeTractor · 15/08/2020 22:29

Not sure why you'd be surprised considering we have this thread every week.

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Hotandknackered · 15/08/2020 22:33

@heartsonacake do you know this? If do how? Are you watching what all overweight people eat all of the time I think probs not? I'm fat and tbh it's not life ruining as people seem to like to believe. But I guess if you don't believe this you've got nothing to take the moral high ground over. Then what would you get to feel?!

People are fat for a whole host of reasons some in their control and some not. Just take a moment to think about somone who has a problem with alcohol and it is effecting their health. Would you say buck up love and exercise some control?

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WorraLiberty · 15/08/2020 22:33

@Aquamarine1029

The prevalence of shit food is condemning people to an unhealthy life with medical issues and challenges that us as humans just shouldn’t be subjecting ourselves to.

Just because there is a prevalence of shit food doesn't mean you have to eat it or eat it to excess. No matter what measures the government takes, it will not, and can not, negate personal responsibility.

This ^^ 100%

Boris isn't responsible for how much food people pack into their kids/themselves, whilst not seeing they get enough exercise to burn it off.

There is literally nothing anyone else can do for an overweight person, if they won't accept personal responsibility and they haven't got to the point where they're willing to make that change for themselves.

People can talk about the government, the food industry, school dinners etc all day long but it won't make a jot of difference unless personal responsibility is taken by adults for themselves and their children.
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whirlwindwallaby · 15/08/2020 22:37

Yeah but shit food tastes nice, is cheap and often requires virtually no effort. Once your taste buds adapt to real food then shit food just tastes shit, not nice.

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