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.

[heartsonacake]

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?

Hotandknackered Of course I would. As I’ve said, people have personal responsibility and self control. They’re just choosing not to use it and until they can help themselves nobody can help them.

[AnneLovesGilbert]

Do you take antihistamines @QueenCT? When my hives were at their worst I was on two a day and it helped loads.

[giggly]

I am “one of these people” who is morbidly obese. I am an educated adult working in a professional role. I have a good income and can afford to buy healthy food.
However what I lack is the motivation to change my greedy behaviour and if I had the answer for that well I would weigh less.
What is interesting is that within my immediate and extended family most of the adults are obese
I put weight in after dc and now sit about 9 stone overweight.
Let me tell you I think about how awful I look and how unhealthy I am every day I am aware of the impact on not only my life but that of my children who maintain a very healthy diet and are well within the healthy BMI for their W4H.
I work with ED so acutely aware of the different ends of the spectrum.
Every day I wake up with the right intentions but rarely make it.
I work f/t and a lone parent of 2dc one with ASN.

When someone finds the holy grail answer please let me now because fucked if I do

[Lessofallthisunpleasantness]

Shut the shops for a few weeks.... and the takeaways..... let us all eat through our cupboards until we are down to only rice and silver cake decorating balls.....

[wincarwoo]

Just back from Cornwall too. Agree its the kids that are so shocking. So many visibly overweight before they are even in their teens.

[Campervan69]

People make too many excuses and won't take personal responsibility for their own health. Its awful to see overweight kids especially because you know they're set for a lifetime of struggling with their weight.

When I was growing up we walked everywhere and played out constantly and had chocolate once a week as a treat on Saturday night. Takeaways maybe twice a year.

Its a huge societal problem. Most of people's ill health niggles could be solved by eating healthy food, exercising regularly, drinking only in moderation and not smoking.

[tectonicplates]

Obesity rates vary throughout the country. How many of the people on that beach were locals and how many were tourists from other places?

[WorraLiberty]

I'm fat and tbh it's not life ruining as people seem to like to believe.

It would be if you developed diabetes due to being overweight. People with the condition are two and half times more likely to have a heart attack, and four times more likely to experience kidney failure than those without it.

Link to Diabetes UK

[blue25]

We need to do something about the amount of sugar in our food & drink. It’s toxic and is slowly poisoning so many people.

[Campervan69]

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01jxzv8 this was a good series by the BBC. It was sad to watch. Lots of clips from the 70s where everyone was a normal weight.

[TheListeners]

Just because being fat or overweight is so visible people feel the need to shame those who are. You don't see similar posts about alcohol. In fact in my experience alcohol consumption is treated as a bit of fun - posts like 'is it too early for a glass of wine?' That's despite the fact alcohol consumption is linked to cancer. Do you feel the same disgust OP when you see people drinking alcohol?

The contempt that these posts have towards those people who dare to be overweight or obese. It's hardly going to help.

The more I read about the science behind nutrition the more I realise we don't really know what constitutes a healthy diet. All sorts of things are said about diets as if supported by scientific evidence. When the truth is scientists don't all agree. There is no clear consensus on fat, carbohydrates, or fibre.

Organisations like the NHS take years and years to update their information to take account of new knowledge. My type 2 diabetic MIL is still being told to eat carbohydrates 3 times a day by her doctor! With advice like this how can she help but be overweight?

[tabulahrasa]

“I’m surprised as my home village just isn’t like this.”

But it’s been over 60% of adults in the U.K. are overweight for quite a few years now - it’s been widely reported on ad well, especially this year.

[Hotandknackered]

@heartsonacake

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?

Hotandknackered Of course I would. As I’ve said, people have personal responsibility and self control. They’re just choosing not to use it and until they can help themselves nobody can help them.

Eeeww I actually pity you, so heartless cold and lacking in empathy it's genuinely sad. I'm not gonna waste my Saturday night on this. I'm just greatful I'm not a person who thinks of others this way. Enjoy the thread.

[Kaiserin]

people have personal responsibility and self control. They’re just choosing not to use it and until they can help themselves nobody can help them.

This is a simplistic outlook which chooses to ignore that

• in some countries, obesity isn't such a problem
• a few decades ago, obesity wasn't such a problem either

So what happened? What changed?
Did entire populations magically start losing personal responsibility and self-control? Sounds preposterous (even if these qualities have been lost, which isn't a given, the cause cannot have been magical, it was material)

So obviously, there are external factors at play. If they can be clearly identified, then they can probably be reversed too.
Yes, something can be done. We just need to work out what.

Maybe the real question here is "Why hasn't this happened yet?"
(and perhaps "Who may have a vested interest in the root causes of this obesity pandemic not being identified and addressed?")

[Hotandknackered]

@WorraLiberty

I'm fat and tbh it's not life ruining as people seem to like to believe.

It would be if you developed diabetes due to being overweight. People with the condition are two and half times more likely to have a heart attack, and four times more likely to experience kidney failure than those without it.

Link to Diabetes UK

You've literally just posted telling me I'm going to die because I'm fat. What kind of person are you? Just reflect on that for a moment

Do you think you are a nice and good person?

[Maria53]

They need to ban all this chocolate and sweets on offer at the till and in strategic places as you walk in the supermarket etc

We were all told obesity is a risk factor and then I walk into sainsburys and see a mountain of discounted chocolate in front of me ffs

[Blackcurrant66]

Unhealthy food is cheap and convenient. If I want to take some snacks out with me for my kids and their friends it’s cheap as anything to take a supermarket own brand multipack of crisps or a packet of chocolate biscuits. Much more expensive to take fruit and it’s also more difficult to transport.

In my childhood (80s) we didn’t have these foods regularly. They were real treats. We just didn’t have snacks much but they’re expected now. I’d often be really hungry by the time I got my meals but now people want to avoid their children getting hungry.

[QueenCT]

@AnneLovesGilbert the equivalent of 38 a day at one point and nothing. The only option now is Xolair or an immunosuppressant which I can't have so... Xolair

[TheDIsiilusionedAnarchist]

How is it your business? Fat people use excess health services but die younger thus not a burden on the public purse.

The only people who care so much about this are the type who spend their life curtain twitching. Who feel so insecure about themselves they have to be better than somebody. Fat people have an absolute right to live, eat, enjoy themselves how they please. Their health, their problem. The only thing that needs to be done is for effective support to be freely available that can be utilised if they need/wantit.

Obesity is like all complex public health issues, like for example formula feeding. We should ensure people have accurate information about the risks, support they need and are protected from excess commercial influence but ultimately it has to be their decision.

[WorraLiberty]

Hotandknackered do you know what the word 'literally' actually means?

Because I literally haven't just posted telling you you're going to die because you're fat...

[tectonicplates]

@tabulahrasa

“I’m surprised as my home village just isn’t like this.”

But it’s been over 60% of adults in the U.K. are overweight for quite a few years now - it’s been widely reported on ad well, especially this year.

Right, but it isn't uniformly so throughout the country. It varies quite a lot between different towns and regions news.sky.com/story/seven-charts-on-the-uks-obesity-problem-11583981

I live in London where we have some of the lowest obesity rates in the country, partly due to public transport use. I remember being quite shocked when I visited Bournemouth once. The difference was very noticeable.

[Janaih]

Did humans all of a sudden become lazy and weak willed in the 80s? No, people are basically the same as they've always been.
What changed is the mass production and promotion of junk food at every opportunity. Companies spend millions on advertising, sponsorship and product placement because it works. That's always going to beat some limp "eat less move more" message from the government.

[tiredanddangerous]

Oh good it's this thread again. MN does love a good fat bashing.

[RoseTintedAtuin]

I agree with the principal but not with the idea that shaming is the way to fix it.
How many of you have had a health check where you have had a blood test for sugar levels, checked cholesterol, a breakdown of fat percentage and type (e.g subcutaneous fat) and have been given information and follow on support in the event you are overweight? I have had those tests (with work) but no plan or follow up. If this were more widely available and We were better at prevention rather than cure with decent support I think we would stand a fighting chance and stress on nhs for other diseases would be less. But they are expensive and linked with mental health which is why class or wealth is often a real factor.

[megletthesecond]

Seeing as Johnson himself doesn't seem to be losing any weight he isn't exactly leading by example is he.