What is a sensible amount of crisps, chocolate and biscuits to be eating?

[PuzzledObserver]

How much is a reasonable amount of chocolate and biscuits to eat - per day or per week?

And how much is too much?

This is for a man in his 60’s with high blood pressure who is obese

A bag of Ready Salted Seabrooks crisps from a multipack (so the slightly smaller bags):

128 Cals
7.2 g fat (10% of adult ref intake)
0,7g saturates (4% " " )
0.1 g Sugars (<1% " ")
0,33g salt (6% " " )

Ingredients: potatoes, Veg oil (rapeseed and sunfllower) Sea Salt.

So hardly a killer if the rest of his diet is good, balanced and low in salt, fat and saturates.

And even Tim Spector does not label these as UPF - just 'processed'

I am not saying they are a prime food item, but as part of an otherwise nutritionally good and healthy level of calories diet I think there is a degree of hysteria in declaring them only safe for very occasional consumption.

OP - maybe suggest he cut down to just two of these items a day, and then cut down to one if he wants to eat more healthily. As chocolates and mass produced biscuits in addition to crisps will push him over sensible limits.

I'm sure there is, but just as alcohol is a bloody hard addiction to overcome, so are crisps and biscuits. Your suggestion to just "not think about them" shows a total lack of understanding and empathy.

He sounds like he would qualify for a GLP-1 prescription. Has he considered that, OP?

I suspect for someone that age who has got into that state, no amount of mumsnet purse-lipped orthorexia is going to help, whereas I would guess medication might?

There was good tv series called “why weight” and it started in week 1 by adding a behaviour rather than cutting out. It suggested drinking more water. Participants naturally then ate less as a consequence.

You re attributing somebody else’s words to me and ignoring the fact that I said I’m not the right person to answer this question. Perhaps you are offended and you need to fight for the rights of food addicts here.

I don’t feel you’ve been at all understanding or empathic to me. I guess I’m not deserving of empathy, due to eating differently from the addicts.

You're not deserving of empathy for having been rude and snide to someone who, reading not very far between the lines, is answering from experience. And if you're not the right person to answer the question, why answer?

And you seem to have a short term memory issue. The words you say were incorrectly attributed to you were why not forget about them entirely?!

How much is he currently eating?
If he has high blood pressure and cholesterol and trying to lose weight I'd say he shouldn't eat any chocolate, biscuits or crisps. At all.
Sometimes it's much easier to stop eating them all together than cut down but if he can't live without them completely I'd say no more than one packet of crisps a week, one chocolate bar to eat over the week so maybe a couple of squares a day and one biscuit a day.
But he would be much better trying to replace chocolate , and biscuits with something more healthy, like fruit and replace the crisps with a healthier versions

You do realise we can read all your responses and know full well that you said

"actually I can’t answer this thread, I don’t eat crisps or biscuits other than occasionally, like Christmas time. why not forget about them entirely?!

Right? So what makes you think you deserve any empathy after making such ridiculous comments? 😂

My apologies for delays in responding, we are on holiday and I have been out all day, this is the first chance I’ve had.

Thank you to everyone who responded, some useful stuff here. I particularly like these questions from @70isaLimitNotaTarget -

Does he buy the chocolate/crisps/biscuits?
Does he want you to do the research into how much he could safely eat or if crisps are "better" than chocolate .
Does he want you to nag him so that he can get the hump and eat these things and say you were on his case and you upset him, so he'll turn to these treats .
Or does he want you to say "You aren't that heavy Gary . We can ask the GP to increase your pills , A bag of crisps and a Galaxy won't hurt you"

These get to the nub of it…. I buy the crisps (but don’t eat them), the rest he buys himself. I said who he was wasn’t relevant, and it isn’t in relation to the bare question, “How much is sensible”. I found the 30g per day added sugar very helpful, thank you for those who posted that.

But who he is absolutely is relevant in terms of how I engage with him about this. Yes, he is my husband. And I don’t think he knows what he wants me to do here…. Just…. Something. Because he is not at all comfortable how he currently is, and doesn’t want more meds…. but seems to be doing nothing about it.

The other factor is that when we met he was a healthy weight, while I was morbidly obese. I am a binge eater and identify as a sugar and processed food addict. I have been morbidly obese the vast majority of my adult life. But I’m not any more. I am still overweight - but after having type 2 diabetes for 28 years and been on multiple medications, now I have an HbA1C in the prediabetic range on zero medication.

So, I know - and he knows - that it can be done. This time, the weight is staying off, because I have completely changed my way of eating. His intake is currently of the order of 2-3 family size packets of crisps, 200g bar of chocolate, a packet of biscuits and a bag of minstrels per week, plus an occasional cake or bag of those big cookies from the supermarket per week. Plus icecream for pudding every day and those yogurts with the compote at lunchtime.

I in my heyday would have got through that in a day or two, so he is nowhere near as bad as me. I am now virtually sugar-free - the only sugar I consume is the few grams in 2 squares of 85% dark chocolate. And I have completely given up crisps and similar salty snack foods, because I simply cannot eat “just a little”-

The rest of our diet is predominantly whole foods, cooked by me. So it is broadly healthy, or would be without the chocolate and crisps. He is a grazer.

So - I am a food addict, in recovery. And I have 200% sympathy with the little voice probably playing in his head which says it’s not fair, or too strict, if he can’t have those things… or he’ll start tomorrow, or it’s not that bad. I absolutely know the hopelessness of desperately wanting to change but being unable to.

I have a lot of food for thought.

I have the opposite issue. My DH is tall and skinny. he runs and keeps fit. But he eats many crisps, cakes, chocolate, biscuits, toast and jam after dinner. He eats so much. I eat much less but have mobility issues and am fat. I feel really angry sometimes at what he stuffs into his face without thought or care. He is eating crisps right now. A whole big packet. I will make dinner at 7 and he will gorge that down too. It really cannot be good for him but he won't listen. He thinks he can outrun his bad diet.

I really don’t think that’s a good idea, for two reasons. First, it doesn’t reset someone’s eating habits. Second, it’s not just about calories - junk, highly processed food is harmful in ways more than just the high calories.

I assume he recognises that it's a problem?

I guess I'm wondering why there isn't a conversation about a GLP-1? I think it's great that you've done it on your own, but it seems like not everyone can, and there's no shame in an assist from medication if it starts a reset - and one that is ultimately likely to result in fewer meds in the long run.

The crisps have to go/drastically reduced to an occasional treat if he has high blood pressure.

If he's obese, ideally he'll avoid chocolate/biscuits but if he really has to have something with tea/coffee, just one rich tea biscuit.

Also, what are his meal portion sizes like - could they be reduced? Are meals healthy, ie protein and veg/salad or is he eating chips/takeaways regularly? How much exercise does he take - should he really be doing more?

Your asking as you obviously care. I'd be asking him to deal with it now before it's too late, basically because you love him and want to continue the quality of life you have now, ie even better.

The only way to lose weight is to eat a balanced diet and cut out snacks pretty much completely. Junk food is addictive and if you eat it you just want more and are not satisfied. The only way out is to go cold turkey really and then you put the addiction down. Cutting out biscuits, crisps and chocolate can make a massive difference to your weight and health if your meals are made from scratch and healthy. People say they have food noise etc but that is what I view as addiction to UPFs which happens to most people when they eat them. If you stop eating them after a few days then cravings go away.

Yes, but it sounds like he wants a solution that doesn't involve him cutting down on the 'not that much' junk that he eats.

I agree that he would probably be a candidate for GLP-1 on the NHS and this should reduce his desire to eat such foods. But he should look for alternatives eg fruit, small amounts of nuts if he feels the need to eat or is actually hungry.

That's absolutely not true. Many people manage to maintain a healthy weight while continuing to eat snacks in moderation.

Personally I've never been able to eat three full meals a day - I prefer five smaller meals which basically ends up as three small meals and two snacks.

Zero

Some people can do that, in moderation etc. but lots can't and it's better for people who can't moderate to just cut it out and stop feeding the addiction, the same with smoking and drinking etc.

Wrong

I agree with this suggestion and disagree with most of the people on this thread. I think that a healthy diet can absolutely include something 'unhealthy' every day - a couple of biscuits, a small chocolate bar or a small (multipack) bag of crisps. You don't get obese from that if the rest of your diet is fine, you get obese from generally unhealthy eating habits - huge portion sizes, frequent snacking, or putting away loads of biscuits, chocolate, crisps etc.

If you're trying to get down from being a bit overweight to being slim then yes, you probably do need to be really strict about no snacks, but I don't think that's the same situation as an obese person trying to regain a normal relationship with food.

I’m in my 50s and don’t have any health problems.

fir me I’d say a daily biscuit or mini (fun size) chocolate bar each day, a small bag of baked crisps with my lunch sandwich (French fries/frazzles etc or a handful of normal crisps).

maybe some proper chocolate once or twice a week (a couple of pralines or something) & then perhaps a cake/pudding usually once a week at the weekend.

The problem with saying "just cut it out" is that you can't avoid food in the same way you can avoid eg. cigarettes or alcohol.

You need to eat to survive. Yes, you can stop buying crisps and biscuits but unless you never leave your house or socialise with other people, you're always going to end up in situations where they're there.

The same happens with nicotine and alcohol, it can be really hard to avoid. There is help out there for people. It's not easy but it's possible.

I have 2 bags a day. BMI 20. Cholesterol and BP fine.

None.