In thinking the govts new obesity strategy is

[laptopdancer]

well, a bit pants?

And just be to clear, my first post was a silly response to the thread title; that it should be a government anti-obesity strategy.

Interesting subsequent comment though.

The report does mention physical activity initiatives - money will go into soe walking campaigns etc by the sound of it.

But surely the Gov't is just asking/telling/expecting/hoping (whatever!) that people actually just TAKE REPONSIBILITY for their actions? To me that seems perfectly fair and reasonable.

I would much rather that than the nanny state we were drifting into. I'm an adult and can make my own decisions based on the information already available to me. Similarly parents should be the ones to decide what their children eat - education is important here but I think there's already a lot of that and that won't change.

If they were to impose taxes on unhealthy foods, or ban them altogether there would still be uproar - look what happened when HP Sauce changed its recipe to reduce salt and everyone moaned, they were only meeting Gov't guidelines!

But I don't want to take responsibility for my own actions. I want David Cameron to literally wipe my arse - I will enure I have had a huge Lamb Saag and 3 kilos of Naan bread the night before.

It's basically assuming the consumer is a grown up, but I don't think that will work on its own, there needs to be penalties for inaction

I think they should also be nudging us by taxing or labelling very fatty foods - one of the reasons obesity is on the up us that we are eating more fat laden ready-foods.

I particularly like the bit where they say they will provide education through change for life and the school weighing programmes. Your workplace will possibly have a healthy living programme attached too....

I agree with this. We are surrounded by affordable food and we need to start taking responsibility for our own choices. Portion size is a very important element, I also find having calories available on packs and menus very helpful. I ate in a Wimpy not long ago, and I was able to make a relatively healthy choice and leave a quarter on my plate, because I didn't want to eat that many calories.

There's no way it's fair to add tax to very fatty food just because some people have no will power or self control.

I was listening to radio four a couple of weeks ago with some Danish bloke talking about a new fat tax they are introducing in Denmark. He made the usual points but was slated but another bloke (sorry for the detailed account) about how its a regressive tax and that there is little evidence that taxing fatty food (they were taxing things with high sat fats) makes any difference to public health.

Not that he offered a better solution though...

And just be to clear, my first post was a silly response to the thread title
ah, sorry, missed that. Can't always tell when someone's tongue is in their cheek when they've a mouthful of chips and philly.

Its a complete and utter failure. Shortly after being "told" the secret to not becoming obese, I ate 6 fudge pieces and dh went our for curry night.

I've just thrown away a 10th of my fudge donut and now I look like Kate Moss. This plan will be a triumph for deluded dopes everyone.

Honestly- thank crunchie for that!!

Obesity IS "YOUR FAULT" . No one else eats food for you. If you are overweight you do take in more calories than you use. It is not "me glands" or "me job" or "the govt" fault. and I'm afraid adults with are normally intelligent need to take responsibility for themselves.

People take very little personal responsibility for anything these days and starting with weight is a good thing.

We can educate, but you'd have to be living on the moon to know that being fat isn't good for you, and eating greggs pasties all days isn't a "good thing".

Of course it is a public health job to educate and help people with weight watches/slimming world subsidised classes etc that are in place at present, but you have to change.

No, for pete's sake, they spent decades yelling "EAT LESS FAT!!!" and everybody got the message. So the manufacturers put out "reduced fat" this, that and the other - which are runny & taste crap due to the reduced fat, so they have to add bulkers, sugars and sweeteners.

Fat and salt are actually necessary for health; sugar serves little purpose; sweeteners are damaging; bean-based bulking/binding agents are toxic in large amounts.

If the govt wanted to make us healthier instead of pacifying corporations they'd 'encourage' us to get rid of our collective sweet tooth by banning sweeteners and stopping with the five-a-day, ban hydrogenated oils and put the playing fields back. But they won't

Wouldn't it be nice if all the sweeteners, 'fake' sugars and laboratory fats were replaced with real (minimally processed) ingredients?

Actually Theas, fat is not only good for you, its also necessary.

Basic foods are easy to read, the I'm still shocked at how much crap is in processed food, even the stuff that's supposed to be 'healthy', even stuff from M+S and Waitrose!!

I blame lycra and vanity sizing. It allows you to be disillusioned about your weight. I am still 25lbs more than where I should be and 8lbs over my prepregnancy weight. I can still wear my dresses, trousers and tops which are a size 14. There is no way I am a size 14.

I am now weighing myself daily so I can remind myself of where I am. It helps when I am faced with making food and drink choices.

Having certain clothes shops stop their vanity sizing might be a good idea too, lots of people wearing 'size 14' which is seen as 'average' who are actually very overweight.

cross post want2b!

A couple of extracts from my 1988 account book:
Packet of cigarettes £1.46
Dinner for 2 in a cheap restaurant £24.00
Tank of petrol £21.00
Sandwich from a sandwich shop 70p
6 pints of cider at the pub £6.30
Takeaway pizza for two £8.50
My salary then was £5500 a year, my house had just cost me £30k

compare those prices with what things are today
you will see that food has effectively HALVED in price
at the same time as waistlines have doubled.

put VAT on all foods with over 5% fat, 5% sugar 2% salt and more than five ingredients
(the effect of that will keep ingredients cheap and processed food expensive)

I think obesity is the new smoking really

Fat people don't like to be told their fat and it's their fault any more than smokers like to be told they smell and it's their fault.

Either way, the Government are damned if they do try to sort these things out and damned if they don't.

You'll always have people grumbling about it but something does need to be done.

If adults decide they want to do nothing about their own weight that's their personal choice... but imo raising fat children because you're not making sure they eat properly and get the right amount of exercise, is akin to smoking around your children.

I think this is the main difference between the current government and the last.

The last would have seen it as their duty to do something about it and we'd have probably seen taxes on this & that. Laws on this & that.

Whereas the Tories are going for a more blunt, honest & cheaper "solution" and frankly telling people as it is.

Don't eat so much shit and fool yourself about what you do eat.

How many times have we spoken to a fat person who claims they have big bones. Or that they hardly eat anything. Well firstly there's no such thing as "big boned" and secondly the evidence says you eat more calories than you expend.

I don't see why we should ban this & that just because some people can't eat a healthy diet. In any free society people should have enough freedom to do what they like unless it harms another. So if you want to become a roly poly after eating too many pies, you should be free to do so.

The 5 a day thing needs rethinking. I have colleagues who eat nothing but fruit for lunch and think it's a healthy option when all they are actually consuming vast amounts of sugar. OK, it's better than having a donut but not much.

It's interesting you metion debt ILoveTIFFANY as I am someone who has been both obese and in debt and I see lots of parallels between the two. I think in the past 20 years or so people have been encouraged to have what they want when they want it and sort it out at some fictional point in the future. Myself and my peers all frequently are heard to say that we're "treating ourselves" whether with a new dress or a takeaway. I can honestly say I've never heard any of my grandparents use this expression. In the last few years we've reached breaking point both with the economy and the obesity epidemic and the only way we can sort it out is taking back personal responsibility.

funnylittlefrog fruit does contain more than just 'vast amounts of sugar', they also contain vitamins and minerals.

The thing is that it's easier to eat a calorie-laden snack than prepare a meal - even a boiled egg. Added to which it's cheaper.

Bag of doughnuts in Asda - I think I saw it was 50p. 50p! Many, many people would rather have a quick gorge on those than go to the trouble of washing an apple.

Sadly cooking from scratch is the preserve of the poncey in this country.