Here.
In my experience smoking is far more widespread (and accepted) in countries like Italy and the Netherlands compared with the UK. Drinking, including binge drinking, is a big a problem in the Netherlands as it is in the UK.
So what causes the differences in outcome?
My thoughts are:
- people in the UK work longer hours
- have to commute far longer than in most other countries (people in the UK are much more mobile, in the Netherlands and Italy most people don't consider a job which involves a significant commute)
- much higher proportion of women is working in the UK, this makes life a lot more hectic for the whole family as all household work has to be fitted into just a few hours
- many people in the UK have a lot less time and less opportunity to go to markets to shop around for fresh produce (of course you can get fresh produce in supermarkets, and in some the quality is second to none, but not always)
Due to the above, in the UK people have less time for themselves, their kids, their family, and are possibly more socially isolated, are possibly more likely to resort to quick and easy meals including ready made meals.
So, to just blame the NHS seems a cheap shot to me. It has to do with the UK's infrastructure (or lack thereof), London focus (better paid jobs are most likely to be in London but very expensive to live in London if you have a family, hence need for commuting) and either the need to work long hours for financial reasons or wish to do so for career reasons or combination of the two (hence long hours for working parents and need for kids to spend a lot of time at school/before/after school care) combined with the high cost of housing and commuting. The Netherlands was always known for its protestant work ethic, but I have the impression that the work ethic is a lot stronger in the UK then in the Netherlands.
AIBU?