Boris declares war on fat

[Weallhavevalidopinions]

Boris has said his being overweight contributed to his problems with Covid-19.
Stories this morning suggest he will wage war on fat...

What type of help do you think might be suggested?

Have you decided to lose weight due to Covid-19 worries?

YABU - no I will not lose weight due to Covid worries
YANBU - I will lose weight due to Covid worries

People are also genuinely unaware of the calorific content of food and will consume 3 times the requited amount blissfully unaware. I am not one for counting calories, however, I think people should be mindful of them if looking to lose weight. That is so true, I've never had a weight problem, never been on a diet, had all the "you are so lucky with your metabolism" remarks. My sister, who has spent her entire adult life yoyo dieting, worked out my calorie intake for me and it turns out I generally eat between 1200 and 1500 calories a day. Makes the remarks if I decide to have a cream cake or bags of chips a bit meaningless really.

So true about the NHS Eatwell guidelines - such utter rubbish!

@CrystalTipped no reason you can't have a bit of pizza now and then. Many people fling themselves into diets which although would facilitate losing weight faster, often aren't sustainable. Have less slices than you usually would, and less often than usual, and that's still moving in the right direction. When I lost 6 stone it was largely by going low carb (but having one portion a day if I really wanted); but I knew it I gave up chocolate completely I would end up binging. So I buy the funsize bars, it works well, usually no one eats chocolate as they're actually really hungry, so size isn't an issue- but getting the taste.

Oh and people need to understand that just because your thin friend can eat 5 dunkin donuts and still stay slim doesn't mean that life is unfair. It just means their metabolism is different to yours, they may still/get health problems and actually dunkin donuts/macdonalds/kfc is not a treat it is crap food with no/little nutritious value. Eat what you body needs, not what someone elses needs.

Boris Johnson was going to style himself as some kind of Poundland Jamie Oliver this made me

But seriously, isn't it time we take the issue of the UK's high overweight rate seriously. As for any health concern, the way to go is no by blaming people and just ask them to make an effort, but by educating and thinking about practical solution. We should definitely stop crying 'fat shaming' every time the subject is brought up though.

The link between obesity and poverty would be a good starting point, maybe have all supermarkets offer a fruit and veg box at a fixed (low, gov subsided?) price, containing the amount one adult should eat in a week, with easy cooking instructions.

The evidence that having a BMI over 30 is a major risk for severe illness or death from a virus that we have no vaccine for and no cure should be enough on its own to motivate people to lose weight.

This message has to be got out in the starkest possible terms. Being obese has always been a serious health risk, but now it's a much more urgent one. The fact that the PM is obese and nearly died is good publicity of this fact, but the message is a non-political one. It's 'get yourself down to a healthy weight, or risk death if you catch this virus'.

Ive been much heavier than id like for about 15 years

And overweight Off and on at various stages over the last 8 years maybe

And properly overweight For about the last 4/5

I know i need to do something but like many people I struggle to lose weight (plus i do have medical issues Which makes me prone to gaining and hard to lose...though a better diet would absolutely make a big difference!!!!)

And I’m 50 now and thats gonna make it harder

But im not losing weight for covid or boris reasons 😀

I have put on a stone and a half in the past year and a bit due to perimenopause. Literally nothing else has changed in my lifestyle. I'm really bad at dieting but normally just cutting down would have weight dropping off me but now it's very, very hard. Being in lockdown with DH and 2 sons at home is not helping as the house is now filled with the crap they like to eat.

People demonise food. You see it in every single food thread on here. A 'healthy' lunch. M&S ready meals are death. I cheated/was greedy/naughty. Cheeky cake.

When you stop demonising food you can start using your common sense and moderation.

Diets don't work.

The other issue is that lots of medications can and do cause weight gain. I've turned down certain ones due to this and HCPs couldn't be bothered to think of an alternative (or it was too expensive) so it was that or nothing (later had to pay privately for an alternative that didn't have this side effect). But plenty of people are puffed into overweight and obesity due to this and then blamed for it.

Lol at Poundland Jamie Oliver

also taxes on crappy fast food

Takeaways etc already have 20% VAT added plus the costs/profit of cooking/serving. There's no way a takeaway is cheaper than buying the raw ingredients and cooking it yourself.

I think the pricing needs to be sorted out on junk food for sure.
Its too cheap.

And the one time i very successfully lost weight i was on a low calorie diet

Whether it pisses you off or not obesity is connected to a huge amount of health problems and is a massive drain on the NHS

That doesn’t mean every overweight person is going to put pressure on the NHS which is what you originally implied. I’m the living proof of that.

But im not losing weight for covid or boris reasons

So you'd rather risk death, just for the sake of sticking two fingers up to Boris????

Would you have lost weight if Lord Corbyn had suggested it?

Takeaways etc already have 20% VAT added plus the costs/profit of cooking/serving. There's no way a takeaway is cheaper than buying the raw ingredients and cooking it yourself.

Perhaps business rates for takeaways should be doubled and removed altogether for greengrocers.

Think tank the Kings Fund views on government’s (delayed, repeatedly!) Childhood Obesity Strategy of 2018 www.kingsfund.org.uk/blog/2018/06/second-government-childhood-obesity-plan

I’ve been half heartedly trying to lose weight since January, keep losing and putting back on the same 5-7lbs, this week I’ve decided I’ve had enough now and I’m on it properly as of Wednesday using MFP and exercising more however as I’m disabled there is only so much I can do exercise wise

Nothing to do with Boris and COVID-19 simply that I am unhappy with myself and I’m the only person that can do something about it

I think the problem with obesity and poverty is more linked to access to good cheap food? You can buy healthy food cheaply - most of the supermarket do special 5 fruit and veg deals, markets sell fruit and veg very cheaply but people have to be able to access these places. However the top fruits, like berries, don't keep and tend to be expensive so this is a problem. Fix these things, take all the excuses away and see what happens......

I’m the living proof of that

But you cannot see in to the future...

“The evidence that having a BMI over 30 is a major risk for severe illness or death from a virus that we have no vaccine for and no cure should be enough on its own to motivate people to lose weight”

Your post suggests ignorance about factors affecting weight loss, and motivation. These matters are by no means straighforward!

Perhaps business rates for takeaways should be doubled and removed altogether for greengrocers.

Then there'd be the outcry from the usual lefties about how unfair it is that the poor have to pay more for their fish & chips or kebab whilst the priviledged rich enjoy cheaper kiwi fruit. After all, the poor only eat junk food because they have no time to cook properly and it's their only pleasure!

@SuperLoudPoppingAction

I had not realised Boris Johnson was going to style himself as some kind of Poundland Jamie Oliver.

For all those talking about menopause and weight gain - we all know this is a problem for some however it's because your body doesn't need the volume or maybe type of food you are giving it. You have to have smaller portions.

There is lots governments and public agencies can do. Much depends on whether they prioritise public health or industry views, eg food industry, retail, hospitality, alcohol and advertising. UK Government policy has prioritised industry.