Why are British kids fat?

[VogueVVague]

So time, two parents working, low budget/cost - all these things can result in ready meals being served up etc. but that still doesnt explain why, compared to the rest of Europe, our kids are the fattest.

So whats the reason?

Is it political?
Cultural?

Something must have changed for us and mot the rest of Europe in the past 50 years (doubt kids before 1960 were chunky).

I did read once ( on mumsnet) that the French don’t tend to breastfeed and prefer elected c sections as their lady bits ‘belong ‘to their husbands!
No idea how true it all is but their children are healthier and thinner so they are doing other things right. ( probably a myth - I’ve no idea)
They eat a lot of cheese and bread too which we’re told to regulate.
It’s all very confusing.

France has lower breastfeeding rates - go figure.

I was finding the statistics to say that looking at british culture isn't the answer as its a European problem, not that there isn't a problem - so looking to large parts of Europe wouldn't give an answer

It is really easy for most people to put on weight though. Something like 100 calories per day too many can equal 10 pounds weight gain in a year. In a child, 10 pounds is a lot but 100 calories extra is easily done. Food is everywhere these days, in chemists, supermarkets, coffee shops etc, so we probably need more will power than say, 60 years ago. Just because people are overweight does not mean that they are shovelling giant volumes of terrible food, just a little bit too much each day.

They don't eat a lot of white bread. The supermarkets here don't have masses of choice when it comes to sliced white bread because it isn't very popular. They also eat small amounts of strong cheese. I pay a fortune for cheddar here and eat it like it's going out of fashion my French dh prefers a tiny amount of strong cheese with his meal.

I've no idea about the childbirth issue but friends and family that I know have all had vaginal births unless it was an emergency c-section.

I think as a society we've completely lost our way with food. I went to Tesco today to get milk and fruit as we'd ran out, and I can honestly say that some of the horrors in there are just chemicals masquerading as food. I feel dreadfully sorry for the children being raised on this shit. Their life expectancy will be like those of children born 100 years ago when antibiotics were a thing of the future.

All of this naval gazing placing blame on snacks, poor value carbs, junk food, lack of breastfeeding, not enough PE - none are absolutely incorrect, but neither are they the smoking gun. It is definitely multifactoral.

More worrisome When you look at the data, childhood obesity has stabilised/lowered for those in the highest sociology-economic groups. HOWEVER, it has increased in the lowest ones. A child from the poorest 10% is is twice as likely to be overweight/obese. Interestingly, one study showed that birth weights across the different classes were about the same. However, starting as early as 3 months, weights were greater in the lowest classes.

Poverty is the problem and tacking this would not only help with childhood obesity levels, but so many other problems. Unfortunately, it is harder to deal with poverty than pointing fingers.

They don't eat a lot of white bread

What about the French sticks?

They don't all eat white baguettes every day!

When it comes to the price of food I think the issue is more of the perceived value for money.

Whenever I go out with my parents to all you can eat buffet I tend to eat until I am satisfied, whereas my DF will eat until he literally cannot manage another mouthfull then will say something about me wasting money.

The same applies in most restaurants too where you can “go large” or upgrade something for an extra 50p which is so cheap it seems like the obvious sensible choice even though the original is more than enough food.

I find sticking to a healthy portion size almost impossible when out as if the food is nice it does feel like a waste not to finish it. Most of the time if the portions were smaller I bet most people wouldn’t think anything of it (unless of course they changed an existing popular meal without changing the price).

My children (well child) is a bit overweight due to the fact he guzzles too much food and plays computer games too . No denial from me

I think birdsgotta raises a valid point AND people have always been poor and miserable and back then they couldn’t buy this shit

Interestingly there is HUGE obesity problem with the local Somalian population - women and kids . Because they get here and the shelves are lined with cheap shitty food . It’s actually really sad as the national cuisine food is really healthy . I am curious what’s behind it .

"Do people really have puddings after every meal?"

It was absolutely the norm for school dinners in the 1960s and 1970s, and often the case at home.

Just did some research on the issue I posted earlier . It’s proven statistically and I hope it didn’t offend anyone . It’s just something I have noticed a lot and it concerns me . I think it’s a crying shame
But hope it’s doesnt read badly and will ask for deletion if so .

"The same applies in most restaurants too where you can “go large” or upgrade something for an extra 50p which is so cheap it seems like the obvious sensible choice even though the original is more than enough food."

The damage this can do is scary

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Size_Me

An investigator tried accepting 'supersize' whenever offered, on a dailymfast food diet for 30 days, during which time he gained 24lbs, saw his cholesterol rocket, had signs of changes to his liver; and he reported mood swings and fatigue. Yuck

Mominatrix- yes agreed . But it’s just one part of the jigsaw puzzle .
So we can clearly see that lower income groups both local born and immigrants have this issue .
But go to any middle England service station ( where people have cars and are travelling and buying stuff from KFC and M&S ) - and they are overweight too

It’s so multifaceted and it’s got to the stage we need pan governmental intervention

Something pretty big needs to happen here

I think the French are just naturally inclined to eat good food and manage their portion control really . Good for them

My mum got me that ‘French women don’t get fat ‘ book but she fucked me off when she said to slowly eat a banana with a knife and fork

Skinny bitches

My dcs wanted puddings after dinner when they started primary school because they had them everyday at lunch. I just said no and offered fresh fruit or a yogurt which they weren’t as keen on. I think schools now don’t do cake and custard everyday which is promising

Some people have mentioned fussy eaters; I've noticed that some people I know who brag about how they don't tolerate fussiness and have children that eat everything put in front of them have fat kids. They are often fat themselves too.

Some children I know who are supposedly terribly, evilly fussy live in households where processed meat and chips'n'beans dinners are the norm. The children themselves prefer veg, lighter things and often spicy food.

@The80sweregreat That is a bit of a cliché, but as all clichés it has some truth in it . Less breastfeeding (cultural, also because women tend to go back to work quicker). C-section is seen as an option, not just if medically needed - but the protecting the lady bits is for yourself as well as (if not more than) for your husband

The idea of what constitutes a snack has changed in the last 30 years since I was at secondary school. On my high street there is a KFC and a McDonald's and come hometime they are packed with school kids.

I've noticed both fast food chains have added lower value items on their menus (around 99p) like popcorn chicken, ice cream flurry things, hot wings, apple pies, cookies, mini burgers and the lower price of these items makes them appear as a snack. The calories in these is way beyond the calories I would have consumed in pick and mixes.

In some parts of the country the streets are lined with cheap chicken shops where you can buy a piece of chicken, fries and a drink for under £2.

AuntieStella It wasn't the norm when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s....puddings after every meal wasn't something I encountered. Lunches at school yes...but not after evening meals at home.

Or lunches at home. And I think the key was that nobody really had a snack...an apple was something I could always have but in my house, there was literally nothing else. One packet of biscuits and one 6 pack of crisps, bought on a Friday....and eaten on a Friday by a family of 6 as the end of the week treat!

Now, people have cupboards packed with snacks....we didn't even have crackers! Cheese and crackers and other snacks were for Christmas.

"EEE when I were a lad!"

Champagne a yogurt is a sort of pudding though. And I and my peers were fine on daily cake and custard at school. None of us were or are fat.

It was what we got in all our other meals which kept us slim.

My son (5) will also be placed in the obese catagory. He has been 100th centile since birth for heaight, weight and head. and is now taller, and bigger shoe size than his brother (8).

Mummyof2 but why obese if he's just tall? If he's obese, then he's overweight surely?

I think many school aged children have a sedentary life. They get up, are often driven to school, sit in a classroom (with a a small amount of time to play out), get driven home, sit in front of the tv with dinner, sit and do homework, go to bed, five days a week.

I home ed my children and they are active every day be it at the park, soft play, walks in the woods, walks into town, swimming and so on. Even if we at home for the day they are physically playing in the house or running around in the garden. They move all the time.

I’m not saying everyone should home ed but I do think children need to be moving more.