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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think if we eat and adopted some of the lifestyle of the europeans we would not be the fattest country in Europe.

561 replies

WonderWendy1 · 10/08/2015 17:39

I went on a med cruise two weeks ago we stopped in Portugal, Spain, South Of France and Italy.

I think of myself as a fairly fit size 12 (14 in some things). I would say i'm on the slimmer side in the Uk. I go to these european cities and the women (and men) are much slimmer then me and dh.

I was then in Paris for a few nights a week ago and I can only say my gosh nearly everywomen I saw had the legs of Taylor Swift.

Aibu to think we need to be doing what the europeans do to avoid becoming the American country of Europe.

OP posts:
jenenberry · 13/08/2015 15:22

Clothes retailers just need to make a profit it follows that they will sell clothes to fit their customer base.

A good (but controversial) way of encouraging people to stay a healthy size, would be for clothes to start getting more expensive once they get over size 18,
It could be an incentive if people thought they had to pay more.

It must be annoying for clothes manufacturers to have to charge the same price for a size 20 as a size 12, when there is almost twice as much material in the large garment!

jenenberry · 13/08/2015 15:26

Conversely, you can have a giant fat arse and have healthy organs without much fat around them.

Kim Kardashian should live to a ripe old age then. Grin

Lurkedforever1 · 13/08/2015 15:28

That's what I'm saying, someone of average build with a bmi of 18.5/19, or just under if they're slightly built is usually well within the range of healthy fat levels, but by comparison to 'normal' is viewed as underweight.
Although I hate bmi and think body fat % is a better guide to health, you can have a bmi that doesn't correlate with the risk of your % fat and as you've said where it's stored. Or in reverse a bmi under 18.5 that due to build and lifestyle doesn't pose the health issues commonly associated with being underweight.
I think mortality is too blunt, quality of life and everyday minor conditions is a big factor too.

meadowquark · 13/08/2015 15:31

I was born in continental Europe and have lived in the UK for 10 years.

Here are my observations:
-Traditional British food is more unhealthy (meat pies, fish and chips etc.)
-Sandwiches so admired for lunch are very calorific, made out of crap bread and does not fill up. Hence the snacking a couple of hours later.
-Fast food is cheap in comparison with normal food. Where I lived Mcdonalds was an expensive treat.
-Culture of take aways. Where I lived there were simply no take aways.
-Better public transport, worse cycling conditions. I used to walk more (to bus stops etc.) and cycling was mainly on designated paths / pavements, so more people would take it up.
-Special offers in supermarkets, encouraging to buy more.

All in all I gained 5st over 10 years in the UK which I am now trying to shed.

suzannefollowmyvan · 13/08/2015 15:50

It must be annoying for clothes manufacturers to have to charge the same price for a size 20 as a size 12, when there is almost twice as much material in the large garment

true and I never even thought about it tbh!
then again you could say the same for small vs large feet, guess much of the cost is in the construction of the garment rather than just the amount of fabric used?

suzannefollowmyvan · 13/08/2015 15:52

the Krashcardigan bottom is made of human tissue?
Surely it cant be? Confused

HelenaDove · 13/08/2015 16:29

Jamelia?

ShowMeTheWonder · 13/08/2015 16:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Runningupthathill82 · 13/08/2015 16:54

Today, a woman in my office summed up, for me, what is wrong with so many people's attitudes to diet and exercise.

She's very overweight and has been doing the Clean 9, plus 30 Day Shred.

Anyway, today she waltzes in and announces she's making Dime Bar cake tonight "now the Clean 9 is over" and will also be "eating lots of crap all weekend" as she's missed "proper food."

Hmm
HelenaDove · 13/08/2015 17:26

I take a size 18 blouse due to the size of my boobs. I already pay out £30 quid a time for a bra. My boobs are the only place where the weight hasnt come off. Should i really be punished financially just for that.

And i cant help but notice that in this thread what has been mentioned is WOMEN in Sicily French WOMEN Twiggy Keira Knightly Nicole Richie

And how WOMEN should pay out more for certain clothes sizes when still earning less than men.

But what about the overweight men. Nowhere near the same suggestions made for them. Just thought i would point this out although i dont agree with it for either sex.

But i would bet a penny to a pinch of shit that if it were taken up it would only apply to women.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 13/08/2015 17:34

My bras are also expensive, HelenaDove, women are the only sex that grows breasts to the size that need bras so we are already 'penalised' if you like to see it that way. I see it that my breasts need proper support and I will pay for that.

You're incorrect in what you say about only women being penalised for bigger clothes (they aren't actually) - have a look at the 'Big and Tall' catalogue for men and see the whopping prices in there for very average high street clothes.

HelenaDove · 13/08/2015 17:40

Lying Witch thats not what i said I said that even higher prices for women are what is being ADVOCATED on this thread.

You have just said that women are already being penalised for bigger clothes and so are men.

But the only even bigger increase being advocated on this thread is being aimed at women

ShowMeTheWonder · 13/08/2015 17:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PlentyOfPubeGardens · 13/08/2015 17:45

Lurkedforever1 For the majority of people, a BMI below 18.5 would be underweight and would carry health risks at least as great as obesity.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 13/08/2015 17:47

I'm not advocating higher prices except that we should all stop buying cheap crap from China (better for another thread).

Women are penalised for sanitary protection and myriad other things that we need to have.

It doesn't really matter what the opinions are on this thread about paying higher prices for bigger clothes, the market forces will determine where the customer base is and, as it's getting larger, we'll continue to have all clothes at whatever size, at the same price.

HelenaDove · 13/08/2015 17:50

Ooh thanks for reminding me about them ShowMe . Id forgotten They do some gorgeous dresses.

SmillasSenseOfSnow · 13/08/2015 17:52

But the only even bigger increase being advocated on this thread is being aimed at women

I think that's more because the people suggesting it were specifying a cutoff dress size while doing so and are likely not nearly as confident when specifying a size in men's clothing that is the equivalent. If 16 were the start of the 'pay extra' bracket, I wouldn't personally know what the equivalent should be in men's clothing. XL? But doesn't it vary even more than women's sizes? Or not? I have no idea. I don't suspect the posters you're complaining about do either.

TalkinPeace · 13/08/2015 17:53

plentyof
But in that study, a lot of the thin people had other health issues.
Many athletes/dancers/cyclists have BMI under 18.5
are they more likely to die?

HelenaDove · 13/08/2015 17:54

Pube there is a guy in his 70s in my slimming world class who has lost lots of weight and is very thin.

If God forbid he gets ill and starts to drop weight he is going to stand a lot less chance of recovery.

MarchLikeAnAnt · 13/08/2015 18:03

It must be annoying for clothes manufacturers to have to charge the same price for a size 20 as a size 12, when there is almost twice as much material in the large garment!

Many shops already charge more for bigger sizes of the same item.

SmillasSenseOfSnow · 13/08/2015 18:05

If God forbid he gets ill and starts to drop weight he is going to stand a lot less chance of recovery.

Not sure you can make claims like that. It's quite possible he's improved his chances of survival (or even his chances of not getting ill in the first place) more than he's impacting them by being 'thin'.

At least he's less likely to die on the table due to being overweight.

suzannefollowmyvan · 13/08/2015 18:08

if you were exceptionally tall and had to have, say a specialist bed made you wouldnt think that you were being penalised for being tall, you'd just think that you were paying more because you needed a specialist service...wouldnt you

QuintShhhhhh · 13/08/2015 18:16

Currently in the North of Norway.

My friends kids do 2 sports each on average (one of them do three sports and therefore has two sessions a couple of days per week). Handball, football, athletics, basketball, gymnastics, horseriding, dance, etc. Each session is around 1.5-2 hours, usually twice per week. Competitive sports also have matches added on. They usually spend 2-4 hours per day doing sports after school, 2-4 days per week. At the weekends they often go hiking with friends and family, or skiing in winter. 2-3 hour or full day scrambles is not uncommon.

A sandwich of brown bread with cheese or salami is the norm for hikes.

School lunches is usually a sandwich of brown bread as above, a piece of fruit or carrots, and a small carton of juice or milk.

Snacking between meals is not common. Maybe an apple or a banana. Breakfast, lunch and supper are usually somber affairs, brown bread sandwiches, or oats and milk. Pudding is reserved for the weekend only, if at all.

Chocolate bars are expensive, crisps equally, there is a sugar and fat tax in place.

suzannefollowmyvan · 13/08/2015 18:20

Snacking between meals is not common. Maybe an apple or a banana. Breakfast, lunch and supper are usually somber affairs, brown bread sandwiches, or oats and milk. Pudding is reserved for the weekend only, if at all. Chocolate bars are expensive, crisps equally, there is a sugar and fat tax in place

that would go down like a lead balloon in the uk...doncha think?