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

[OrangeSunset]

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.

Numerous studies have come back saying the obesity issue is highly complex, with everything from genetics, our own instincts, to socio-economic status and mental health playing a part. Yet, the same blinkered robots will keep coming out with the same old "eat less, move more you lazy sod". It would be funny if it wasn't so damaging.

My parents generation somehow managed to remain relatively thin despite the mental trauma of living through a world war. I'm pretty sure that genetically they were the same as us. Food wise they had low calorie diets first through rationing and latterly due to their socioeconomic status their low income kept their meals simple. Pretty sure their bodies did not break the law of thermodynamics either

The second comment in rely to the first is truly breathtaking in it's stupidity
People didn't put on weight during the war, because food was not in plentiful supply. That is the very definition of controlling the environment ffs. I absolutely guarantee that if food had been in plentiful, easily affordable supply during the war, there would a been A LOT more fat people at the end of the war, no question.

Worra I seem to have offended you. I normally enjoy your posts so I shall apologise.

You don't need to 'apologise' and don't start all that 'offended' nonsense.

Accusing someone of being 'offended' when they're clearly just disagreeing with you, is a passive aggressive way of not owning the fact that you just might be wrong.

You're not greedy, you're hungry

@justanotherneighinparadise It's very arrogant to tell someone else what their motives and feelings are, and frankly deluded to think you can accurately do so when you've never even met them.

Oh and the first online dictionary definition of 'greedy' that came up for me was 'having an excess desire or appetite for food'. You personally may find the word 'greedy' a loaded or distasteful term, but that definition pretty much applies to anyone who over-eats, whatever their reasons may be and however understandable they might be.

I’m generally ignoring accusations of fat shaming.

Good. Some of the reactions on this thread show we have a long way to go in being able to discuss obesity.

I'm fat because I am greedy and lazy. The portions I plate up for myself are far too big. I eat when I am not hungry, but because I want the taste.

It is absolutely nobody's fault but mine, and no-one in the world is responsible for tackling my obesity other than myself.

I know very well what I need to do, and it is up to me to do it.

I am very overweight and it's hard to lose especially as you get older. I think they need to look at taxing junk foods- things like biscuits/ multipack chocolate bars are just so cheap. I can buy 4 snickers bars for a pound but six nice apples is £3 in my local supermarket.
To be honest I am really shocked by the number of obese children. My own dd has been eating out of boredom during lock down and not doing her usual football and other sports.

Society here doesn’t want to hear it. It’s about £9 a pint in Norway - people here would riot if alcohol was taxed so much. It’s perfectly acceptable in Japan to point out you’re a fat bloater, and your work will send you on a diet course and a doctor’s appointment to sort it out. Japan is the absolute pinnacle of readily accessible food (conveinence stores everywhere ) - but their fast food is a rice ball, not a freakshake or a “coffee” with 500 calories.

Habits here have changed so much, and people need to take responsibility for that. We eat out so, so much more than we ever used to, and we move so much less. It’s a simple as that. And until people are either prepared to make changes themselves (stop eating out so much, stop buying crap food, start being more active), and demanding policy change to enforce this (easier active travel options, taxes on junk food and alcohol), then it won’t change. How many people here would like to see restaurants and take aways taxed to discourage demand? If it worked for smoking, it should work for junk food. How about a nice graphic of a stage 4 bowel cancer on your packet of crisps?

How many people here would like to see restaurants and take aways taxed to discourage demand? If it worked for smoking, it should work for junk food. How about a nice graphic of a stage 4 bowel cancer on your packet of crisps?

I know what you mean, but taxing restaurants won't stop people eating bad, cheap food at home, and eating out would become the preserve of the wealthy. People who eat out rarely would understandably be pissed off at the fact that they'd been penalised for other people's bad habits and restaurants would go out of business (even more than they already have over the past months). Cigarettes are different. People have to eat, they don't have to smoke.

justanotherneighinparadise

No. I'm greedy. I know the difference between wanting to eat because I'm hungry and wanting to eat because it tastes nice, despite being so full I could throw up.

People who eat out rarely would understandably be pissed off at the fact that they'd been penalised for other people's bad habits and restaurants would go out of business (even more than they already have over the past months).

It’s a consumption tax. Saying people who eat out infrequently would get cross is like saying those who drive less than people doing 15 000 miles a year will get upset because petrol is taxed so much.

Do we want to pay for obesity on the NHS or through a reduction in the size of the entertainment sector?

Sorry, bold fail!

One half of my family are incredibly slim and fit and the other half are all very overweight and my dad is obese. There's no real difference in socio-economic in this instance. It's very clear what the issue is.

The overweight half have very much of a treat culture. There's no balance or will power. They will eat lots of cheese, drinks loads of alcohol and have huge portions. Even though my dad is active it's not enough, he is obese. If I ever mention it he gets very defensive and refuses to admit it's an issue (though his blood pressure is through the roof and GP has repeatedly said he's in a dangerous category and pre-diabetic)

The slim half have a moderation culture. If I go to stay we eat a lovely meal but it's two small wines, and indulgence is balanced the next day with salads, soups and fruit. There's a strong emphasis on physical movement.

I know for a fact that my mum's side will live 10/20 years more and my dad knows this but even that isn't enough to motivate him. It makes me really upset.

I would like to be able to go out for a meal that was healthy. I like salad and I absolutely loved it when I was on holiday on an all inclusive because the range of salads available was amazing. But here if I go out and order a salad it's usually shit. Maybe some rocket leaves a few cherry tomatoes and a bit of cucumber. I know some places do decent salads but if your friends are all off to the local pub you want to go with them and have a nice meal.

Time is a major problem. On a normal day I'm out the house by 7-7.30am then back home just after 5pm. Then it's dinner, usually at least one of the kids needs to go somewhere, and it's not unusual that I need to do more work. It would be great if I then felt motivated to go out for a walk but when it's dark / wet I just want to collapse on the sofa. Long working hours really do not help but the government is never going to tackle them.

It’s a consumption tax. Saying people who eat out infrequently would get cross is like saying those who drive less than people doing 15 000 miles a year will get upset because petrol is taxed so much.

Yes. Or like saying that making flights much more expensive to protect the environment will piss off infrequent flyers by making them incapable of going on rare holidays while rich companies who have done huge damage by constantly flying their executives all around the globe will probably stillbe able to afford to do just that. I can kind of understand why that pisses people off.

There's no real difference in socio-economic in this instance. It's very clear what the issue is.

The difference in attitude you describe is certainly the very obvious cause of the difference in weight. But the question is where the different attitudes came from. Inherent personality traits, different upbringing (even within the same family)? In some families all the men seem to be fat and the women slim or vice versa. Makes you wonder whether that's down to the different treatment of boys and girls within families (I'm not suggesting this is the case in your family).

@lazylinguist

There's no real difference in socio-economic in this instance. It's very clear what the issue is.

The difference in attitude you describe is certainly the very obvious cause of the difference in weight. But the question is where the different attitudes came from. Inherent personality traits, different upbringing (even within the same family)? In some families all the men seem to be fat and the women slim or vice versa. Makes you wonder whether that's down to the different treatment of boys and girls within families (I'm not suggesting this is the case in your family).

Yes I didn't explain very well. On paper they would be similar socio economic though my dad grew up poorer he is now remarried to a very middle class woman and lives in a posh area.

There are a lot more mental health problems on my dad's side of the family and unhappy relationships and unhealthy attitudes to food

Accusing someone of being 'offended' when they're clearly just disagreeing with you, is a passive aggressive way of not owning the fact that you just might be wrong.

Couldn't agree more @WorraLiberty. The same poster also alluded to me having 'self loathing', which couldn't be further from the truth as I'm fucking spectacular.

Time is a major problem. On a normal day I'm out the house by 7-7.30am then back home just after 5pm

That's really normal though, unfortunately. I get that our increasingly busy lifestyles make it harder to exercise, but for most people it's about priorities.

My running club is full of parents with full time stressful jobs; single parents with no childcare; people with lots of other commitments.

We all manage to fit in 30+ miles a week, though admittedly it's hard. Using commutes for runs/bike rides; exercising on lunch breaks (I've become good at fitting a 5k and a shower into a 30 min break ) or getting up early is usually a decent solution.

But most people don't want to get up at 5am for a hard run, or go out again at 9pm when the computer is finally switched off, the washing is done and the kids are asleep.

I trained for a marathon last winter (though it was cancelled, ffs!) and all my runs had to be done before the DC woke up. Yes it was hard, but the payoff is massive.

I've also lost count of the number of people who've told me they don't have time to exercise, when they can recite the entire latest plotlines in Corrie/Emmerdale/Love Island (delete as appropriate). Sorry if that sounds arsey but it's true. Most people do have time. They just choose to do other stuff.

@FancyARoot

I think the whole ‘big is beautiful’ movement was a big turning point. It became celebrated to be overweight.

So we're blaming Mika now?

Food is key. But how much of a factor is alcohol?

We're a nation of binge drinking alcoholics. Sit at home and have glasses or a bottle of wine during the week. Pub culture to go out on the town at the weekend and get plastered.

Other cultures like the mediterraneans will socialise at bars and drink alcohol but there's more of an emphasis on the social aspect and they'll take their time with a drink.

The British as a culture have to do things to excess. Drinking to get drunk.

Agree with you Annabel85.

I am old enough to know life well past the war and rationing but before the current obesity crisis (born in the1960s).

In my childhood we didn't have loads of snacks, we didn't have takeaways, we had a quarter of sweets on a Saturday as a treat, we didn't have any fast food at all other than the fish and chip shop and most adults only drank at the weekend and that would be a couple of cans of beer or cider. I am totally middle class but my parents only drank wine on holiday or at Christmas. From age 5 to age 10 my walk to school was 25 minutes up and down hills and my sahm came with me.

Food/drink/snacks/life is so different now.

People are in charge of their own weight, not the government.

50% of all the calories consumed in the UK are junk ultra processed foods.

The pure availability of it is shocking

I eat absolutely no junk food at all. It is VERY difficult to go anywhere if you don’t eat junk. Everywhere you go it’s packed to the rafters with junk / or terrible meal composition. Thankfully I can fast for long periods so I usually just don’t eat much when out and about.

We need to work on our food environment. The addictive qualities of junk processed foods are not appreciated, it’s not all willpower, these foods are designed with a deadly combination of fat and carbohydrate (sugar) which not only causes obesity also has addictive qualities. Pringles are the perfect example and even their strap line acknowledges this...once you pop you can’t stop.

And it’s true, high fat and high carbs are almost impossible to limit by willpower alone.

Nature never created ONE SINGLE food that combines fat and carbohydrate. We did that, and it’s deadly.