The number overweight people at swimming today

[pingu2209]

I went swimming today with my 3 children. I am not exagerating to say that well over half the children and teenagers were overweight; some were seriously obese.

It really was noticable. Girls as well as boys. Anything from age 4 to 14.

Okay - at least they were exercising but I was really shocked.

shagmund nobody wants to hear that tho do they? Its too near the truth

Yeah it IS better they play at the pool

Swimming at the pool would be better tho!

READ THE FUCKING THREAD, IT IS NOT A FAT ATTACK
READ THE FUCKING THREAD, IT IS NOT A FAT ATTACK
READ THE FUCKING THREAD, IT IS NOT A FAT ATTACK
READ THE FUCKING THREAD, IT IS NOT A FAT ATTACK
READ THE FUCKING THREAD, IT IS NOT A FAT ATTACK

Glad I got that off my chest

Not sure I agree LWITW. I am fat and swimming is a form of exercise I enjoy, so I do it. DD (3) loves it too, so I take her. However, I almost run into the pool (not so fast my flab starts to wobble though) and avoid all mirrors on the way in and out. That way I don't have to face up to how I look in a costume. Another thing I do is try to assume that everyone in the pool is more concerned about their own issues - looking after their children. enjoying their swimming, thinking about what they will have for dinner etc. - than to be concerned about how I look.

Posts like the OPs make me reaslise I am wrong there and people are looking and judging. Won't stop me swimming but it will make me even more uncomfortable doing so.

The same point - about the increasing levels of obesity in society - could have been made (if it had to be) without bringing in swimming pools, as if you only notice people are fat when they take their clothes off. After all, this just reinforces the idea which some of us fatties cling to hopefully - if you don't take your clothes off, maybe noone will notice you are fat. That is enough to put a lot of people off swimming on its own.

Well - today playing, tomorrow swimming, maybe, HeySoulSister. Like I say, gateway.

And if they are encouraged to continue, and not made to feel they are being judged for being there (or, if Eliza is there, for having dared to step outside their houses), they are more likely to carry on.

Exercise needs to be fun and achievable, and readily available.

Its a challenge this not being fat lark though. Have been aware of what i eat since Jan - lost half a stone eating less and moving more but boy do I miss those between meals cakes/crisps

I've noticed this too. I have two sons who are 21 years apart in age.
We used to take DS1 swimming weekly and we've just started taking DS2 swimming. The only difference is the 21 years between (and a new pool) .

I am horrified by the difference in the shape of the children. I'm not horrified by the individual children, lest you think I hate all fat children on principle, merely by the very obvious difference in the general shape and size of those children in the pool. (Yes, I know some of them might have medical issues or genetic issues, but surely not more than half of those enjoying their half-term splashabout)

I'm not judging anyone (I'm hardly a super-model myself), but I do wonder how those children who are overweight now with no real control over their food are going to become healthy adults.
20 years ago, I was likely to think that a chubby child had other extenuating circumstances, now I'm just scared for what we are doing to this generation. (And why we keep making excuses and hoping that it will all get better on its own).

oh dear, fancy fat people wanting to do some exercize. Shame on them

and no I didn't RTFT. It's got 13 pages for heavens sake. How much time do you think I have?

Funny - the OP is concerned about the number of overweight children. Not the fact that they're swimming.

Actually thinking about it, maybe it is where we live or something, but although when I go swimming with my toddler I see lots of fat parents (which makes the experience mosre relaxing for me as a fellow whale) I rarely see fat children. Which I always feel is reassuring - clearly, like me, they are trying not to pass on their own bad eating habits to their children (not as easy to avoid as you might think sadly).

However, going by the few pages I have read on this thread, that is not a universal experience in the UK.

Just a thought.
I am a sport lover swim, gym, badminton..... Over the years I have observed very little relationship between body shape and fitness except at perhaps a national competitive level.
I have found out to my cost in lots of competitive situations that you can SERIOUSLY underestimate someones skill and fitness.

I am delighted that anyone takes the time to go and take part in any type of sport or physical activity there are so many benefits. It is sociable, combats depression boosts metabolism....

Go for it parents. Don't be put off. Run, jump, play go for a walk in the park .who knows what your child might become. Who knows what a great time you might have and where it might lead.

At my children's school - solidly middle-class area - there are very few overweight children and none I would classify as obese.
Our local pool is a mile and half away in a much more deprived area, and the number of kids I see there who are seriously overweight (not just a bit of pre-adolescent puppy fat) is truly shocking.
We are allowing a whole class of people to kill themselves, basically - but according to this thread the problem is that we might upset them by calling them fat

Yup - t'is largely a class issue in the UK.

Poor kids tend to be much fatter.

MummyPigsTummy... It is a falsehood to think that people won't notice that you're (general) fat if you're wearing clothes - they do. A swimsuit might make the wearer more self-conscious but, if you're fat, you're fat. Same with big boobs really, clothes can drape a bit but they can't disguise them.

You're going swimming anyway - kudos to you - I go too. I don't think anybody is 100% happy with their body, or there aren't many who are anyway. Some people will cast their eyes over our figure faults and we won't know it - other people will be more overt - and others, like me - genuinely wouldn't spot your cellulite even at close range. I might notice your swimsuit though if it's a nice one that I admire.

Swimming pools might accentuate the discomfort but I would offer you (and me) this advice:

1. Stop running, the floor is wet usually and you might slip and really hurt yourself.
2. Stop refering to yourself as a 'whale'
3. Consider a namechange; it's not self-deprecating, its sad if you see yourself like that rather than just because you're a real PP fan.
4. Bloody carry on regardless because those people you think are watching you, probably aren't at all.

We (the nation) need to stop taking a collective gasp everytime the word 'fat' is mentioned. It's an adjective that is generally matter of fact. It's not a measure of a person's' worth but it's a good indicator of health and we ignore it at our peril.

I think our society has got very mixed up about weight generally. We cant seem to tell what is healthy or normal. The 'ideal' is not based on medicine but the pages of Heat. If that is what people think they have to aspire to, no wonder many just think 'fuck it' and give up.

Exactly.

I know it's from the DF, but still...

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2281736/10-children-obese-time-start-primary-school.html

HoHoHoNoYouDont glad I am not the only one to have read the OP's post. This is about over weight children, not adults. Shame this thread has been hijacked by people who seem to be insecure about their own weight. In regards to the argument "ohh but they're swimming!!" - so what? It's very unlikely you will lose weight whilst exercising whilst you are consuming more than you burn off. And how are children put in the position where they need to lose weight anyway?

what shagmund said

its not very palatable, but its sadly so so so true

and agree MummyPigsFatTummy, CHANGE YOUR USER NAME! give yourself i foxy one, you deserve better

its actually depressing, poor kids

I do actually find it almost upsetting seeing overweight and obese kids. So sad to start out that way. I always struggle to understand how young kids can get like that, to me it's natural for kids to be slim, what are they eating? Maybe this thread might make some parents think about what they can do do help their kids be a healthy weight.

I'm not surprised adults get over weight. Think about it, we have an abundance of food, and particularly that which is the worst for us. All the procesed and snack stuff. We don't have to do anything like the physical excerise we did in the past. Why wouldn't we be overweight, these days it probably takes quite a bit of knowledge, self awareness and self discipline.

And MrsdeVere was right, I'd bet as many slimmer folk struggle going swimming and are self conscious. But you know what, encourage your kids into sport as much as you can. I believe folk that do sports seriously, generally are more body confident and won't think that everyone is staring at them or care as much. Also think folk who do sports, those you will find at the gym or pool will not judge you if they see you working out or swimming. They'll just think fair play for just doing it and will generally be supportive.

Perhaps you could make the lot of these fat kids better by not looking at them, not judging them and their parents and not pitying them.Try to look at the child within.
I live in a very MC area and can't think of any obese kids, maybe 1 or 2 overweight.I think a lack of exercise is a big problem for the poor.Swimming lessons for example £6 for 30 minutes, my 8 yo DD does 9 hours gym a week and hence can eat anything she wants and still be skinny (not that she does eat a lot of rubbish) but that costs me £75 per month. These will be out of reach of many families.In winter children spend most of the daylight hours at school.Schools need to take more responsibility for gettiung chikldren active.My youngest DD only does PE twice a week which is ridiculous.

Lottikins, in our borough if you are under 16 or over 60 you swim for free. Childhood obesity is an issue the council take very seriously.
www.fusion-lifestyle.com/centres/Albany_Leisure_Centre/facility/Swimming_pool

from the council's strategy document
"In 2009 Enfield produced its first ?Healthy Weight Strategy for Children and Young People? to respond to the rising threat of childhood obesity within Enfield. However, much has changed since then, so this strategy provides an update, review and includes both actions and aspirations for the next ten years.
Tackling obesity requires long‐term action. The significant numbers of children and young people who are overweight or obese mean that reversing the rising trend will take a concerted, sustained effort by all partners. For this reason Enfield?s aims are to:
 Halt the trend: stop levels increasing and maintain current obesity levels until 2015.
 Reverse the trend: by 2021 see a reduction in rates of childhood obesity
In 2009/10, National Child Measurement Programme data showed that in Enfield a quarter of reception age children and nearly 40% of children in year 6 are either overweight or obese.
As with many poor outcomes, childhood obesity and overweight levels are highest in the eastern half of the borough and amongst pupils eligible for free school meals. However, obesity is nonetheless a borough‐wide problem, with wards from all areas showing rates above the borough average over the past 4 years."

The rest of the text is here:
www.enfield.nhs.uk/healthy_enfield/healthy_weight/Healthy%20Weight%20Strategy%2021%2010%2011.pdf

We're not judging or pitying, just pointing out that nearly half of all children in some areas are overwight, some of them very overweight. It's impossible to NOT notice this.