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.

Overweight or obese?

You cant always tell if someone is overweight, especially if borderline.

Very interesting about Norway and Denmark. What are they doing that we are not? Why aren't we following examples from the countries that are doing it right?

I don't think anymore has fat shamed on this thread. People have stated their experiences, some have suggested what worked for them and some have said what the government should do.

They really got it right with smoking, it became socially unacceptable, they limited the opportunities to smoke right down and so many people stopped smoking. Wow, it worked!

They need to do the same with food choices and the food industry. Not make being fat unacceptable but make eating huge portions of unhealthy foods, huge amounts of sugar, pizzas, burgers, chips twice a day, having chocolate bars etc and family sized pizzas and massive takeaways socially unacceptable. Make selling sweets and chocolates, chips etc at sift plays, libraries, swimming pools, petrol stations etc socially unacceptable. I don't remember all of that in my childhood and it was ok, it wasn't expected. We need to go back to that.

It isn’t just about food - although I do believe ‘you can’t outrun a bad diet’

You totally can, you just have to exercise a LOT.
But then of course there are different idras as to what a bad diet is. I'm now a size 8 (maintained for 5 years now and counting) after being overweight for much of my adult life.
I stay this size through exercise, mainly running, but I also commute by bike. I eat loads , including cake and chocolate, but I don't drink and never have takeaways. For me, you totally can outrun a "bad" diet. But it takes a lot of running - not just, say, c25k.

@Phineyj

I don't want to go to a pub and ask for loads of changes to the food - the poor waitresses are stressed enough with all the anti-Covid rules! Plus then the people you're eating with feel criticised. You can save calories the rest of the day/week though, that works. If you're actually wanting to lose weight, you have to have solutions for social eating that don't just involve willpower.

So you don’t want to go to the restaurant and order meat or fish or order a burger and leave the bun? You think that by doing that you will be upsetting the staff and your fellow diners? Honestly read your post back and realise how idiotic you sound.

Also IMO the class thing is a slight misnomer.

I believe this also comes back to trauma. Generational trauma is much more prevalent in poor families than middle class families in my experience of living in a poor area and a comfortable, middle class area.

About ten years ago, my super-morbidly obese friend was given a year-long membership to the local leisure club through her GP. She lost over ten stone and has kept the majority of it off ever since. Because she's more active, her kids are more active.

I thought that was brilliant and would welcome taxes being used to pay for something like that.

@fellrunner85

swimming lessons are £15 a week for them both. The football clubs and gymnastics clubs and all the other exercise clubs for children are money too, money I don't have

I hear you. I can't afford these clubs for my kids either. But we run and walk every day. Exercise is free (unless you want to get into a debate about buying expensive running shoes etc).

That's exactly what I was going to say. Exercise is free and it always has been.

Clubs are nice as a hobby/interest and to learn new sporting skills but not being able to access them, should never ever affect a child's weight.

I eat reasonably healthy food. I don't eat fast food or takeaway as there's no such thing as delivery services in my rural neck of the woods and, by the time I've driven to town to get one, I could have cooked something myself. I am overweight because I find exercising boring. There I've said it.

EstuaryBird I didn't mean to suggest easy at all, believe me, I have a massive issue with sugar binges, it weighs very heavily on me and is a massive burden despite being in a good place right now. It is something I can always fall back into, similar to any addiction. But I'm trying to see how I can eat as much as I can to avoid hunger, restriction by packing lots of good stuff into my meals. Of course you can have your glass of wine, just not every night..

And the idea that I can't say dressing on the side or burger in a bowl because I'll shame my dinner companions?! That's a really strange way of thinking tbh, everyone is responsible for their own decisions.

EstuaryBird I have been doing 1400 cals per day for a while, and it's fine, I can have small treats and even wine. I find it's the carbs that you have to watch out for, if you make sure there's not too many of them, there are quite a lot of calories to play around with.

@Phineyj

I don't want to go to a pub and ask for loads of changes to the food - the poor waitresses are stressed enough with all the anti-Covid rules! Plus then the people you're eating with feel criticised. You can save calories the rest of the day/week though, that works. If you're actually wanting to lose weight, you have to have solutions for social eating that don't just involve willpower.

There is usually the option of salad instead of chips, or to order something like steak or a quarter chicken instead of a burger, or a Sunday roast without potatoes or Yorkshire pudding. No fuss at all. I don't eat something just to match what others are eating .

well done to your friend @CourtneyLurve

I believe GP are able to prescribe this or at least were able, but she was brave to go,

Asking for a piece of meat and veg or salad is too difficult and awkward apparently @ Too embarrassing for the other diners in the restaurant .

Honestly this place is the gift that keeps of giving.

You can be rude to me all you like - it is a fact that it is extremely challenging to order a small, healthy portion in most UK pubs. For one thing it ends up costing a lot more to swap things or buy them and not eat them. I know this as I only occasionally eat in pubs, so when I recently wanted to meet a friend in a beer garden (as she was nervous about Covid), I did some research on menus online in advance.

Fortunately I don't overeat for emotional reasons, so calling me thick won't send me to the biscuit tin 😆

The diet over activity is relevant but.. Getting active gives a mental and physical boost and that shouldnt be underestimated as a means of getting into a better mindset for eating better, looking after yourself more. Plus it takes up time that might otherwise be spent on the couch eating or thinking about food.. Even a 15 minute walk is worthwhile, even 5 minutes.

Have you really never had a friend or family member react negatively to different/changed food choices? There are threads about it on here every day. I wasn't talking about total strangers. Who cares about people you don't even know?

Thinking about my workplace, the same percentage probably applies.

Where I live, lots of us exercise and are generally active (not expensive gym memberships - running, walking, YouTube).

At work, those of us who exercise are healthy weight. The rest not.

I’m generally ignoring accusations of fat shaming. At no point is this, for me, about pointing at individuals. It is about how we, as a society, get better at making our lives healthy for ourselves and for the next generation. We have to be honest that at the moment we aren’t achieving that.

Calling out people for fat shaming just prevents a proper debate.

But say if chicken curry comes with rice and chips, just say no chips thanks and don't eat all of the massive portion?

@fellrunner85

swimming lessons are £15 a week for them both. The football clubs and gymnastics clubs and all the other exercise clubs for children are money too, money I don't have

I hear you. I can't afford these clubs for my kids either. But we run and walk every day. Exercise is free (unless you want to get into a debate about buying expensive running shoes etc).

I do completely agree, like I said we also walk/visit parks etc for some exercise everyday, (but lockdown hasn't been good to us and lots of things have slipped like walks out, screen time etc.) My comments about affording clubs was more to point out the governments idea of weighing kids isn't going to do anything alone and maybe there are other ways to encourage children to be healthier. I don't have all the answers and I certainly don't do everything right. I don't know.

But that's their issue Phineyj not your responsibility surely? That's really unfair if they react badly.

@Phineyj

You can be rude to me all you like - it is a fact that it is extremely challenging to order a small, healthy portion in most UK pubs. For one thing it ends up costing a lot more to swap things or buy them and not eat them. I know this as I only occasionally eat in pubs, so when I recently wanted to meet a friend in a beer garden (as she was nervous about Covid), I did some research on menus online in advance.

Fortunately I don't overeat for emotional reasons, so calling me thick won't send me to the biscuit tin 😆

But it’s not. You’re wrong. The fact is you’re using excuses to try and justify your choices. That’s fine. But don’t make blanket statements that are nonsense.

@Phineyj

Have you really never had a friend or family member react negatively to different/changed food choices? There are threads about it on here every day. I wasn't talking about total strangers. Who cares about people you don't even know?

Honestly no I haven’t. Nobody gives a shiny shit what I’m eating, they’re too focused on their own meal. I cannot thing of one interesting comment that could be made about eating meat and vegetables in your average restaurant that serves omnivorous food.

"The levels of delusion and denial about obesity in UK society"

Phineyj you've just said "it is a fact that it is extremely challenging to order a small, healthy portion in most UK pubs."

And then in the same post you went on to say "I know this as I only occasionally eat in pubs"

Well perhaps if you ate in more of them, you'd understand that your very limited experience is definitely not the norm!

Ah come on OP you can't honestly have been 'shocked'. There's been an obesity crisis in this country for years, it's not new. Perhaps it's been in the news more recently because of CoVID but this is a long standing issue.

I was classed as 'obese' 6 months ago as my BMI was 32 so yes, I was far too fat. Have lost 2 and a half stone by eating less shit and getting more exercise. People say 'it's not that simple' but it really is as a process. Did I find it simple to actually do? Not massively, no, but my desire to lead a healthier life and be around for my kids takes priority. I'd still rather eat what I used to eat and be slim and healthy, but I can't so it's a choice that you make.