Labour should invest in weight loss medications immediately

Absolutely NOT. People must take responsibility for their own lifestyle choices. Don't think you can ask other people to finance your meds because you can't be arsed to use some effort.

Their are good arguments for tighter control on food standards and taxation on the unsuitable. But don't blame others for what you intentionally put in your mouth.

Because more of us make shit decisions?

because our culture promotes crap food?

Because some brits are lazy?

im not interested in the ‘convenience foods are cheaper’ bullshit. Because it’s just not true.

At some point there will be a systematic review or something like it that might provide a partial answer but that's probably some years away.

I've been to have a look at the Mounjaro threads and it's interesting that the OP for the recent threads collects together Mumsnetters' experience of what is needed for sustaining the weight loss and transitioning to no longer being able to obtain the drugs. Also eye-opening to see that some online suppliers are offering 2 years worth of transition rather than cutting people off cold.

Can you explain then, if obesity is solely a question of good personal decision-making, why , around 30% of women and 28% of men in the UK live with obesity, compared with 22% of women and 23% of men in France, and 20% of women and 21% of men in Italy?

The difference with the drugs is that they suppress appetite. So once you stop taking them you have to deal with feeling hungry again. I just wonder if losing weight with the drugs is more or less successful long-term
than without … I’ve considered trying them myself but this is what stops me!

My mum is diabetic and was on liraglutide before everyone went crazy for it for losing weight. She can't get hold of it and no chemist in our county has and they've been trying to get it in for the best part of a year. She's had none in that time and had to go to other tablet based meds.

They already can't keep up with demand. The NHS can't get it but private patients spending hundreds per injection pen somehow can (!!)

@Arewealljustloosingtheplot

okey doke.

But @Cabbageandcoconut , physical exercise is there for anyone who can do it. It's about three-quarters of a mile on foot to the supermarket, so I walk.

@Fieldsofgold1 , there's a great big free exercise area outside called the outdoors. Fruit and veg aren't expensive if you pick and choose wisely.
As regards weight management, it is a lot easier to not put the weight on than it is to shift it.
As for cooking lessons for kids, there are countless recipes on line, or in cookbooks that can be borrowed from the library. Tesco magazine usually has basic but tasty recipes and advice on meal planning and budgeting. (maybe there are other ones available).

Yanbu

mounjaro is making a huge difference to my life and health and the impact on the nhs and health would be huge

These weight loss drugs are causing severe gall bladder disease, gastroperesis and blindness in a lot of people. There's a class action going on in the US.

No it's not, I'm being factual to say that not everyone follows a healthy diet and makes life changes while on this AND SUSTAIN IT WHEN THEY STOP. You could still eat shit but just less of it. Im not fat shaming, I am fat. I have looked into it but decided it won't help me overcome my sugar addiction, my emotional eating etc. My friend has lost a substantial amount of weight and has been healthy but spoke of concerns that she isn't sure she can sustain it when she stops. You can't parade it as a one stop shop fix and tell everyone who disagreed with you that they are making false comments. Yes I have read the threads, threads of anonymous people are not proper studies or gospel, like all social media people can show the rosey sides

So as I said in my original post ( which I assume you’ve not read) the consequences of being obese and the impact that has on the NhS. Is another whole thread.

becoming obese is indeed a lifestyle choice. It’s not down to politics!

For the love of god.

Labour need to I invest in our farmers and cut off the big companies who provide us with all the processed shit we live on because it’s cheap and convenient and we are told it’s the only way to eat.

we do not need weight loss drugs that will fuck up our bodies long term. Humans have never been like this is history. Look at your damned diet and stop looking at quick (dangerous) fixes.

You are absolutely right.

Some people suffer injuries after playing amateur sport at the weekend. Some people self medicate with alcohol and get liver disease. Some people drive appallingly, crash, and suffer life changing injuries. Some people smoke/not bother with contraception/get injured doing diy. I could go on. Bad choices.

Should we refuse them treatment?

What happens to everybody else that loses weight with or without drugs?
Some will sustain and done won't.
Or should they all just not bother because "thin" people need somebody to judge and feel superior to?

Yes but that doesn’t answer the question about what happens when you stop taking the tablets and the hunger returns? Are people able to maintain that level of calorie control without the drugs? I’m interested, not trying to spread misinformation 😁

They aren't taking the drug and eating junk food though. Dr Phil Spector should really check his facts on how the drug works.

There is no magic fat zapping effect to make fat vanish. The drug doesn't magically make you thin.

People using it are cutting calories and eating healthy food like people do on every other diet.The only difference is that they aren't suffering cravings and hunger pangs while they are doing it so are more likely to sustain.

Most obese people simply don't have the switch that "thin" people have, which switches off the drive to eat after a meal.
That's something that's virtually impossible to overcome and the difficulty is not understood by people with normal food regulating mechanisms.
It's really not as simple as " move more eat less." If it was more than half the population wouldn't be obese.

Free or low cost gyms would be great, also cooking lessons for kids and cheaper fruit and veg.

Some people manage very well not to become obese. Everyone in life has a choice some people just make bad ones.

I’d rather they invest in ways to incorporate physical exercise and fresh food into daily life. Excellent cycle paths, good quality affordable gyms and pools, a reassessment of the traditional food pyramid, more restrictions on fast food places near schools and so on.

I've put YABU but not because i don't think people shouldn't get these drugs on the NHS if they want them.. but because I don't think they are necessarily the quick fix you think they are.
The obesity crisis is really linked to poverty.
Of course there are people who would benefit from these drugs being offered via the NHS (I am probably one of them!)
But I do think a vast amount of weight issues we have as a society are caused by social issues and can't be medicated away.
I think a good start would be in schools.. free breakfast at breakfast club.. free school dinners throughout primary and of a decent quality.. proper home cooked meals with no UPFs. More provision for PE in schools.. more after school sports clubs. More funding for parks and leasure centres that people can access for free or low cost.
Maybe free exercise classes for anyone overweight wo wants to attend.. free access to leasure centre gyms.
Takling food poverty obviously!!
Places you can get free fruit and veg without having to be referred. Community kitchens etc

A real issue for people living in poverty is that the quickest foods are very high calorie. And it's more about cost in time than money.. coz yeah a carrot is cheaper than a Mars bar.. but one is going to fill you up faster than the other which needs preparation to become part of a filling meal.

I'm currently overweight... working night shifts for the NHS and having had 3 kids.. it's the tiredness
I'm not living in poverty but I can't afford expensive food. I know a lot about nutrition but it's the time and energy.

What I'd personally love would be if there were a free gym at my workplace or something.. or I got free membership to a gym via work..
That's a pipe dream but I'd prefer that to just being put on medication by my doctor.

That's already happening actually, there's a new, even better drug apparently, the name escapes me now but yeah that's good point

Yes, I've already heard them say a few times there's very little in the pot.

and the coffers are empty, the debt huge and repayments diabolical.

What if you can eat those foods in moderation? We eat very clean 99% of the time with an occasional treat why should we pay more for those who can't control themselves?

I would say not pay but invest in so people can buy them more easily if that's a route they want to go down.