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).

Also they eat what we eat. Sit down dinner. No TV on. No fizzy drinks in the house, etc. So maybe a combination of things. We do eat junk food. But only when we are out.

@expatinscotland

That's what the OP wanted
It started off with a falsehood and people got over eachother to offer explanations for it.
It's quite funny in a way, if it wasn't a reflection of what happens with more serious issues.

People (and kids) are generally a bit more hench nowadays.

I watch old Top of the Pops, and it’s very noticeable that people (audience as well as pop stars) weren’t just thinner, but much, much weedier. Decades of poor nutrition (ie being hungry) seemed to disappear and by the 90s everyone’s shoulders, chests, waists had expanded (and they had grown taller).

No explanation for obesity, but the British shape has changed.

@NotUmbongoUmchained

Oh god yes I remember that thread! There is another on here running now where a mum is considering changing toddler group because they only feed junk. She has been called smug, sanctimonious, precious, and told ‘it’s only a fucking biscuit’. We are really weird when someone tries to be healthy in this country.

Another thing I’ve notived on my travels (lived in two European countries aside from the UK) is the conversation about body weight. It’s only here people are so frightened of the word ‘fat’ or talk about ‘triggering food issues’. Again, these conversations and ‘feelings around food’ don’t seem to exist elsewhere. If you’re fat you get called fat. If you’re too skinny you get an extra portion of lasagne shoved at you and told to ‘fatten up’ but nobody seems to take it to heart. We are really weird about food and weight over here.

I watch it too Irma but I would say good weedier not unhealthy weedier i.e. the weediness of people who get enough exercise and don't eat too much crap!

There's also the kids' party culture. Mine are older now but I am told that young mums today are taking there kids to as many as 3 birthday parties a week, where I presume it's all fatty and sugary stuff.

Imo -a combo of xbox etc lack of exercise and overloading on fizzy drinks and junk food. (I'm talking everyday not just occasionally).However sometimes I see large dcs with large parents and wonder if it's just lack of nutritional knowledge? Cos if it was simply the xbox combo etc then the parents would be slim with larger dcs?

We are really weird when someone tries to be healthy in this country.

^^

YES.

I vote snacking. We’re fucking obsessed. The need some people have to be shovelling a snack down their toddlers or young kids at every opportunity is insane and much worse now than it was when my biggest DS was one.

I’m not convinced portion sizes is as much to blame as some posters make out. DS1 is 15, eats massive huge portions (easily double if not more than what DS2 at 14 eats) but they are both very slim, slightly above average height. They do the same amount of daily exercise.

But DS1 eats incredibly healthily, lots of salad, beans, fills his plate with vegetables, not arsed about puddings. DS2 doesn’t- he’s more a chips and white bread type, and if he ate the sheer quantity that his brother does I’ve no doubt he’d be fat.

It’s multi factorial snacking from a young age, moving less, heating housing more. Many reasons.

We are really weird when someone tries to be healthy in this country.

Yes!
When I lived in cornwall there would regularly be fat oriole shouting “freak!” Out their car windows when they drove past runners.

Palm oil. Sedentary culture. Advertising. Stress. Grooming. Laziness. Eating and drinking too much sugar. Car supremacy. We should have a week where cars are banned unless essential for the non-ambulant and see what effect it has (and be horrified how many need cars for work and life). More adults walking around and using public transport and kids would be safer. But we can't as a society that allowed ourselves to be fossil fuel dependant; screw the effects on future generations. Now we're making them feel like crap and promoting eating disorders. Leave the kids alone and sort society out!

Observations of DH'S french family:

Far, far fewer carbs
Loads of cheese - but served with crackers, not wedges of baguette
Dessert is a treat - and a tiny portion

They eat till full, not bursting. I'm not saying the french have it right but it's better than this lasagna and chips mentality.

In Britain, it's as if when you eat healthily you are seen as somewhat less of a person - you should be stuffing your face with roast potatoes and quaffing wine. Probably because it makes other people feel better?? Well, tough shit, i don't want diabetes, heart disease and joint problems!!!

We are really weird when someone tries to be healthy in this country

True...went on a day trip with some friends and the looks I got because I had some fruit in my bag for the kids and a tub of cucumber/carrot sticks!

Just back from holiday at a European resort. The British kids are noticeably and considerably heavier than the other European and Scandi children.

I believe childhood obesity is a "new" problem. My DCs were at primary in the 90s, 2000s. There are very few overweight kids in their photos. In my nieces' nephews' school photos there are very few skinny/normal kids. Most look heavier than they should be. That's only a 20 year age gap and both schools have a very mixed group of kids. In fact, probably more children from social housing at my DCs' school. I'm sure the primary kids of 1996 also had "growth spurts" - the common reason given on MN for overweight kids.

Grooming??? What kind of grooming? With hair combs or something else? #baffled

We are really weird when someone tries to be healthy in this country.

People can feel quite threatened when you lose weight I've found. Their comments were rather odd.

Kids clothes' sizing is messed as well; it suffers from the same vanity sizing as adult clothing.
I'm a size 10-12 normally. I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant. How is it that I can STILL fit into pyjamas with "14 years" on the label (from Boden) and dresses with "age 16" on the label (from Next)? Both were bought within the past 2 years...

Simples, as many have said: primarily eat less, but also exercise more. Cut down on all snacking, and sweets. Don't eat out so much (portions are quite large). Skip meat 3 or 4 days a week. Avoid sugary drinks. Go back to the 70s? All easier said than done, especially with kids who will raid cupboards/fridge when I'm out, asleep, busy … Try to educate them about eating. I'm constantly surprised that none of their mates (and rarely my kids) seem to have any idea what it feels like to be properly hungry. The merest twinge and its another 200 calories down the gullet!

Re the question of whether being active is a factor or not.

If as an adult you are trying to lose weight then it is mainly down to your food choices, although exercise has health benefits and will help keep off any weight you loss through diet.

In regards putting the weight on in the first place - particularly as children / young people then I think lack of exercise, either as part of play, as sport or incidental movement is a huge factor.

In our house we eat a variety of food but a lot of it is ready meals e.g. Frozen pizza, quick food such as pasta with bread on the side and eat out/ takeaway at least once a week (although to be fair we do have lots of fruit and veg) . However DS has always been an active, skinny child, playing outside as much as on games consoles and by himself if no friends around. As a teenager he eats huge amounts but is still hugely active - doing gym and weights to bulk up his skinnyness, has been doing a running challenge with one friend, plays football with other friends and walks miles to save on bus fares.

I do worry though what will happen if he becomes less active later in life.

Angekik In fairness pyjamas are usually very loose as are some dress styles. I can still fit into pyjamas I bought 20 years ago when I was much much thinner as well as a floaty type dress.

Oh, someone always has to insert this into EVERY food thread on MN. All of them! They all go the same way: Brits are lazy, Brits are fat, Brits drink too much, Brits never cook, Brits don't exercise, Brits don't understand portion sizes and it degenerates into a Britain sucks thread.

Expat, I think you agreeing with me that drinking culture, cost of sports bras, and similar explanations have nothing to do with the problem of childhood obesity. I do think that a big reason is the chasm of inequality and grind of poverty on families.

In terms if French families, my in laws, who are not unusual for their area in NW France, are obese, eat very few vegetables, certainly don't eat crackers with cheese (crackers?!? in France?!?), and eat loads of white bread. They don't eat many puddings,. true, but eat about 750 g of butter between the 2 of them per week.

Snack culture based on high carb snacks. The rest of europe is very unprocessed meat/cheese based for snacks and high protein. Also lighter meals and better diet choices overall with much less time indoors. The snacks and chocolate we have are now part of an everyday menu when they should be like a treat once a month.

Basically they're fat because of poor dietary education, the hangover of 'low fat is best' from the sugar lobby when it is anything but and parents are just fucking lazy.

Basically also because we're all advertised to, to the fucking hilt.

Snack culture based on high carb snacks. The rest of europe is very unprocessed meat/cheese based for snacks and high protein

Sorry but thats bollocks. I used to live in Ital and all the kids ate nutella on bread as after school snacks, cornetti, biscuits etc.