To think you can't ban food on trains?

[poshme]

In today's times (sorry rubbish at links) there's an article saying the outgoing chief medical officer wants to ban food on trains unless for medical reasons.
AIBU to think this is completely stupid & unworkable?
Apparently it's because we're snacking too much & too many children are obese.

I regularly catch trains with my kids- usually a 3-4 hr journey. Invariably it's a meal time, and part of passing the time is eating a packed meal. Yes- it's not the healthiest meal in the world & includes crisps & chocolate, but as part of a normal diet it's fine.

My kids are not overweight. In fact they're generally underweight.

If this is implemented they're never be able to enforce it surely?

Kazzyhoward, well, I said earlier that I think by 'local' they mean trains where the total journey is under a certain length of time. I know this means that there would be a lot of passengers doing short journeys on long-haul trains etc who would presumably 'get away with' eating food. And I agree, I don't think it's policeable, for that reason as well as others.

No crisps or nuts or sweets. The odd shortbread bar and healthy sandwiches, fruit.

I don't understand the logic of no nuts when you'd allow the odd shortbread bar. Nuts have been proven to have health benefits.

I agree it’s lidicrous and could never work or be enforced.

I think this may be trying to target the problem of secondary school students who for example finish school, get chicken and chips by the bus stop then eat it on the bus, go home and have another full meal with their family (who probably don’t know about the chicken and chips on the bus!)

When I lived in SE London it was a huge thing - if you were on the bus after school ended it would be full of teens eating take away food.

This ban isn’t the answer but I reckon that may be the problem they are trying to address here.

www.secretsfromtheeatinglab.com/ explains why willpower doesn't work.

Out of curiosity, I googled the original study because the webpage you link only advertises the book.

What I think the author has missed is that very few people are lucky enough to have been born with a metabolism that will allow eating as entertainment into middle-age.

I have no doubt that if you compare two people having different genetic makeups, one can weight say, 20 pounds more than the other while having identical diet/exercise patterns.

Obesity is entirely different, and where someone stops eating compulsively, obviously not eating compulsively will return sustainable weight results.

Other than in cities that have an underground or Metro system, I think 'local' trains would be impossible to define. The commuter trains where I live have a total journey length of up to 5 hours, but most people only do a few stops.

Maybe they should just ban all eating outside of specified hours. You may only eat between 7-8am, 12-1pm and 7-8pm.

Maybe the chief medical officer could have a word with my child’s school about the very carb heavy, unhealthy tuck shop at my dcs school. While he is visiting, maybe he could speak to the ice cream man who parks up between two schools, so has over 500 dc stream past him each day. Obviously they aren’t all buying, but there is always a healthy queue with some kids buying their weight in sweets.

While unhealthy food is so cheap and freely available people will always buy it over the healthier often more expensive options.

On a plane: can be a flight of barely an hour and there is a trolley option to buy or be served food and drink, alcoholic or not, at any time of the day or night.
On a train: where I am, there are still buffet cars, and if not, a trolley service. One major push towards foods that are manageable are those for which you need no cutlery and can dispose of whatever is left pretty easily (ever tried taking your own soup or porridge and attempting to eat and then keep your empties from destroying whatever else you have with you or your shirt?)
Most trains I've been on recently, whether at rush hour or longer distance at cheaper fare times, are packed to the gunnels. I am guessing this would be made 5 times worse if you insisted on a 'food permitted' coach like the 'quiet coach'. Would love to have time to eat somewhere civilized, ideally not worrying about the effect on work, but at least 4 days of 7 this is an absolutely laughable suggestion.

I get a tad concerned when I see how keen those in power are to lead with the stick rather than the carrot. Don't make unhealthy food more expensive, make healthy food cheaper. Don't ban eating on trains, make healthy foods more available on snack trolleys and station platforms. Ultimately, snacking is not the enemy. Were designed to eat little and often throughout the day rather than three bigger meals.

Doesn't affect me of course, as I've been priced out of commuting via train and now use the car instead- costs half as much. And I always stock snacks in the driver's door in case of motorway traffic!

I understand why there's no bins on the tube but I think that there should be some sort of rubbish disposal system because the mess from food and drink is a problem on London public transport imo.

sweet non-alcoholic drinks.

Right, so people can drink themselves under the table on a night out with all the sugar they want but those of who are teetotal for any reason can't have coke or a tonic?

It seems from reading this thread that the real issue is not eating on public transport, it's snacking in general. So many people seem to be saying why snacking is necessary when for most people it shouldn't be necessary to eat between meals. We just don't need to eat all the time, and as a previous poster said, most people's metabolism won't handle eating as entertainment by middle age (sadly I know that....). Many people need to learn what being hungry feels like.

@PinkSparklyPussycat
Nuts are a snack food. People do t normally have a few, they munch their way through the pack. Also ban ice lollies.

That would not be a rule I would be following. I'm a healthy weight, and if I want to eat, I will eat.

Can't stand the mess people leave behind, though. £1000 fine for littering - I'd support that!

I’d put a worldwide ban on crisps as well. And sweet non-alcoholic drinks.

Why ban sweet non alcoholic drinks, not all of us want to drink the artificial shit. Before anyone suggests water that's my normal drink but it's nice when I go out it's nice to have something different. I now seem to be restricted to Coke so I'm hoping they don't ruin it! I suppose I could always start drinking alcohol!

I’d put a worldwide ban on crisps as well my new 'going out' is sitting in with a club orange, packet of king crisps and a cookie. Why would you do that to me?!

Nuts are a snack food. People do t normally have a few, they munch their way through the pack. Also ban ice lollies.

Oh please, some people seem determined to suck the joy out of life. You might want to munch on a lettuce leaf once a day but some of us actually want to enjoy ourselves in moderation.

Oh and you haven't said why we might be allowed a little bit of shortbread.

There is a huge (pardon the pun ) problem with obesity in developed countries like the UK, USA and Australia. Obesity leads to so many other health issues and these are putting a massive burden on the NHS. More needs to be done to combat this problem, including taxes on unhealthy food and drink as well as making sport more accessible for those in lower socio-economic groups.

Trying to stop people from eating on public transport is NOT one of those ways. It's utterly absurd and will also be far too difficult to police/enforce. As a previous poster mentioned, drinking alcohol is banned on public transport but I regularly see people drinking it.

@stayathomer I like your style! I haven't had a club for years, I might have to buy myself a pack!

It should be illegal to eat tuna on any mode of public transport. It’s the most vile smelling thing and whenever I smell it on a train I think whichever idiot is happily tucking into it is incredibly selfish.

It should be illegal to eat tuna on any mode of public transport. It’s the most vile smelling thing and whenever I smell it on a train I think whichever idiot is happily tucking into it is incredibly selfish.

Hardly anyone uses public transport around here - they use their cars. Plenty of overweight and obese people around here. Are they going to ban people from snacking in their cars too? I think that it is the most ridiculous idea I've heard in a long time

It's ridiculous and patronising and unworkable. It also affects poor people more than wealthier people as anyone who drives can snack away. I can't imagine the train companies going for it as it would reduce their revenue. Agree that more healthy options should be available though as often the only choice is crap whether you like it or not.

Pinksparkly Do it and enjoy!!!:) Wishing it was Saturday now for it!

We just don't need to eat all the time

Maybe not, but do you want to live in a country where the government bans everything you don't need to do?

Snacking is not necessarily harmful- healthy snacks can be part of a balanced diet.