Perceptions of 'healthy' or 'overweight' are really skewed by the area you live in?

I can't see any European data in that article and it's very old. Based on current data and my own observations, I would say the UK is not that different to countries like Germany in terms of obesity rates.

My friend came to visit me from Rotherham to London. He said, blimey, everyone is so thin here. He felt there was a real difference in the weight of the average person compared to where he lived.

I’m not sure it is a north south thing. I was struck when I went to Norfolk at how much bigger people were. Also, the food portion sizes were larger, but I didn’t mind as it was delicious.

I would rather investment go in earlier.

Focusing on socioeconomic, and health inequalities, let's evaluate all of those areas that fall within the 30% most deprived.

• Bolster local plans by banning convenience food shops and hot food take ours within 400 meters of schools.
• Ban advertising that promotes unhealthy lifestyle choices.
• Offer universal healthy free school meals to a wider range and cohort of children (preferably with salad or fruit bars at schools, so children can make healthy choices...)
• Invest in attractive green spaces that are actually focused on families (and have junior parkruns in all of them!)
• Make physical education a bigger part of the curriculum...
• Have some family-friendly exercises classes free at point of access.

I am just dreaming here, but I do believe some of those things are within the realms of possibility.

Most European countries - in particular Western Europe. It’s been in the news a lot over many years about how the UK obesity compares very unfavorably with the rest of Europe. Eg:

www.theguardian.com/society/2017/nov/10/uk-most-obese-country-in-western-europe-oecd-report-finds?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I completely agree but for the people who are so despised on MN - those of lower socioeconomic status - having treatments available to reduce health inequalities and improve long-term outcomes is a wonderful thing. I'd happily pay more tax to ensure these drugs are freely available on the NHS.

It's wonderful that those weight loss medicines are available but surely, when it comes to systemic issues like this, prevention is better than the cure?

For my children, I'd prefer them to have a good relationship with food in the first place rather than need to be medicated later on in life.

Were the other food outlets shut then, they do pies, hotdogs, pizza, beef burgers, hot dogs inc vegetarian ones and have two markies on level two

https://help.wembleystadium.com/support/solutions/articles/7000028416-food-and-drink-availability-locations-and-dietary-requirements

Are most teens overweight where you live?

16-24 have the smallest levels of obesity compared to it peaking for those 55-74.

Oh no, facts getting in the way of your judgement!

Which countries specifically are you referring to?

Oh for goodness sake….. I have been to virtually every country in Europe. I did not say other European countries do not have fat people. In many or probably most European countries, people are on average slimmer than in the UK.

Or they will be offered WLIs for free on the NHS and lose weight. We're now in a new era where we have multiple options to treat obesity - a chronic, relapsing disease. I see this as a fantastic achievement and one that will have a huge impact on public health.

26% of adults are obese in England. 22% of children in year six are overweight or obese in England.

There is direct correlation with deprivation - that's just a fact.

Perception is skewed. There's also an issue with how to discuss weight issues, and parenting advice, sensitively; trying to talk to a parent about both is tricky.

Quite often, people try and smooth over it when they're talking about a child's weight 'ooh, it's just puppy fat/he's just big boned/he's growing' when actually, a good proportion of those children will continue to be overweight into adulthood and have a reduced healthy life expectancy.

Okay, I’ll call you old fashioned and a bit of a ghoul to be bothered by (and feel the need to cast aspersions) on what other people wear.

There are vast numbers of overweight Europeans. I can only assume you are just not very well travelled.

It stands to reason that if you're wealthy enough to buy yourself an easier, less stressful lifestyle you'll have more headspace to focus on diet and excercise and more money to throw at it.
If your life doesn't consist of costly nice things, you can see why the relatively cheap pleasure of food is attractive.
I was at an event the other day where an additional physical activity for children cost £10. Ice creams cost £2. I heard at least one child ask to do the activity and be told no, but you can have an ice cream. And the length of queue for ice cream versus activity suggests they weren't the only one.

This was all the case what before WLI. However go back over a hundred years and only the very wealthy could be fat

A lot of it is down to the way we spend our leisure time. If you don't have much money the leisure activities available to you are mainly screen based. This enables you to eat at the same time. I notice it myself as screen time has crept up. When I was a teen I was always out - the internet wasn't a thing and there was one TV in the house with 4 channels, mostly with my parents choice of programmes.

I was always out, never home and as I couldn't afford to eat out I ate very little when out of the house. When I'm at home these days there is constant thoughts about what food I have in the kitchen and I find myself snacking. I notice my own children, while not overweight are bigger than the skinny teen I used to be and they spend a lot more time at home than I did and graze while gaming etc. They do sports and gym, but a few hours a week of that doesn't entirely cancel out the extra calories available to them.

catering in venues is always rubbish- they have a captive audience, maybe some people did not have time to eat before or thought that there would be more choice

well yes, agreed of course! I misssd out the word ‘European’ above. I used to live in the US.

Chicken's healthy though...? Pizza and pasta is simple/ fast carbs....

It’s easy to be overweight, harder to be slim. If you live in an area where obesity is the norm it is easy to fall into that approach. If you are surrounded by people making unhealthy choices and the area is deprived, it becomes normalised. Likewise, if you live in a “slimmer” place, it is easy to be slimmer.

I do think it is a class thing. The really obese are invariably working class. If I see a really obese person and they turn out to be upper or middle class I am always shocked.

Being fat is normalised in this country. People get testy if people discuss it, asking what the agenda is on this thread, what are you trying to achieve, you are body shaming teens, stop being obsessed with other people’s bodies - it’s a subject like any other and up for discussion because it is a major health issue in this country. We can’t ignore it however uncomfortable it makes others.

I've only ever seen poor food options at stadiums so thought that was normal...as frustrating as it is.
Yep. Lots of overweight people up here (North). No judgement though.

In your opinion OP, what are overweight young people meant to wear in a hot venue during a heatwave?

*alwaysdream *I'm a mum obviously and I'm a size 10 and I would probably put myself as medium / large around here

Go back 20 years, before vanity sizing changed everything, you would have been 12/14 size. One thing to be aware of when buying of ‘vinted’.

My DGD was probably one of those overweight young people that you saw at the Harry Styles concert, and she wouldn’t give two hoots what you thought . She had traveled from the North West and had two overnights in a hotel with her friends in order to attend the concert .
it cost her a fortune and she had the best time. She has been a One Direction fan since she was 5 when they started out and what she weighs does not alter that .