NHS costs attributable to overweight and obesity are projected to reach £9.7 billion by 2050

[hellymissy]

So many posters keep banging on about people not wearing masks, spreading the virus and overwhelming the nhs, people breaking rules etc which is obviously an issue - but we also need to focus on some bigger issues around the long and short term sustainability of the NHS a d consider ways to fix them.

Extracts from government website shows that;

“UK and international evidence suggests that being severely overweight puts people at greater risk of hospitalisation, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission and death from COVID-19, with risk growing substantially as body mass index (BMI) increases.

The current evidence does not suggest that having excess weight increases people’s chances of contracting COVID-19. However, the data does show that obese people are significantly more likely to become seriously ill and be admitted to intensive care with COVID-19 compared to those with a healthy BMI.

The UK-wide NHS costs attributable to overweight and obesity are projected to reach £9.7 billion by 2050, with wider costs to society estimated to reach £49.9 billion per year.”

If anything will cripple the NHS it’s the direct and indirect impact of obesity on ICU units, and long term pressure obesity puts on the NHS.

Seriously, What else can we do to tackle obesity?

**this is NOT a fat shaming thread, purely a thread to redirect some peoples attention towards some of the real issues around COVID

@SheepandCow

It's not the same as drinking. Us humans can live without alcohol (although it's very useful for cleaning). We can't survive without food.

But obviously the reasons why some people turn to alcohol as solace are the same as why others turn to food.

[quote Lightsontbut]@Marmitecrackers

I believe there is convincing evidence that some people are like you and can just moderate intake without thinking but others are different
Indeed one study I saw in tv showed that fatter people use will power all the time as otherwise we fatties would all be 50 stone. Don't assume that what works for you will work for others. Don't assume you have more willpower. It's good this works for you but that does not mean that the problem with others is their inferior willpower or just inferiority in general. Our genetic heritage is to eat while we can. The problem is a mismatch between that and current environment.[/quote]
Will power is really interesting.

I do believe everyone can say no to themselves on 9 occasions but will indulge themselves on the tenth.

If you have spent all day doing things you hate, crappy job, or caring intensively for someone, fighting intrusive thoughts and knowing you will do it all again tomorrow, you've already exercised your willpower and self denial to a massive level.
No way are you going to say no to a pizza or a biscuit when you finally get to unwind. You are going to say yes to something that's actually easily available that day, its human nature.
If you're in a better place in life and have had moments of indulgence throughout the day, maybe clicked Buy on even a cheap sparkly necklace or just had some laughs with the kids in the park, you haven't worn out your strength all day. Its easier for you to peel and chop for your evening meal and you dont mind so much if your dinner isnt the bright spot in your day - you can deny yourself here because you've said yes to something else.

It's not poverty so much in these cases, correlated with poverty sure but not quite the same I dont think

@AwaAnBileYerHeid

I think that many of the suggestions above are good.

However I think that we as a society have a very unhealthy dependence on the state to help us and do everything for us. We can eat shit and the NHS will deal with any illnesses we end up with. Many people demand and expect interventions such as free vouchers from slimming world from the GP. A gastric band courtesy of the NHS if they can't lose the weight. Disability benefits should their obesity or resulting health concerns prevent them from working. I'm obviously not saying the NHS/state should just abandon people. Just pointing out that there aren''t really many consequences/hardships for people who eat themselves into oblivion. The state will pick up the pieces.

The NHS DON'T do Gastric bands !! Unless your obesity is so extreme that you need to lose a little weight t to be safe for the anaesthetic for Bariatric surgery.. get your facts right !!

Apologies if this has been mentioned, I haven’t rtft. But I’ve been training to become a Breastfeeding Counsellor and I was absolutely gobsmacked to read the impact of bottle / formula feeding on both child and maternal obesity.

Breastfeeding can reduce a child’s risk of becoming obese by 25% (along with a whole host of other lifetime benefits which would save the NHS millions). But you never hear about government throwing a load of money behind supporting women properly to feed their babies... I guess formula companies pay quite a bit of tax?!

www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/news-and-research/baby-friendly-research/infant-health-research/infant-health-research-obesity/

Smoking is often discussed publicly about the associated cost (though high tobacco taxes help), drug use is too. People want this treated the same? It will be discussed then

It isn’t the same. Tobacco tax revenue is higher than the cost of treating smoking related diseases.

@VinylDetective

Smoking is often discussed publicly about the associated cost (though high tobacco taxes help), drug use is too. People want this treated the same? It will be discussed then

It isn’t the same. Tobacco tax revenue is higher than the cost of treating smoking related diseases.

That's true. Smokers pay for their (and other people's) NHS treatment.

So it's about cost?
Well then obesity saves us billions in pensions and social care costs.

The Givernment also need to look at stress and the impact that has on the body in terms of weight gain.

Loads of research out there now which examines the link between the two.
I don't know what the answers are though.

Breast fed as a baby
Traumatic childhood
Binge eating disorders
Failed dieter....I lose but regain it and more on top for good measure.

I'm in my 50s now and more aware of my triggers but still have no answers and I'm still obese.

I think the govt should tax tf out of junk food. No-one needs heaps of sweets, chocolates, biscuits, crisps and cakes. Very few people (type 1 diabetics excluded) need sugary drinks. As long as this food is cheap and readily available, people will stock up on it. When retailers and food manufacturers are charged for the healthcare costs generated by the sale of unhealthy food, then perhaps things will change.

Yes you're absolutely right @Whiskyinajar

Stress - and especially the role of cortisol - has very strong links to both inflammation and obesity

Hence perhaps why in times of widely prescribed sedatives such as valium people were slimmer.

Smoking is an appetite suppressant.

'Stress - and especially the role of cortisol - has very strong links to both inflammation and obesity'

🙄

Yes in a few people. A few.

'It's not the same as drinking. Us humans can live without alcohol (although it's very useful for cleaning).We can't survive without food.'

Well we can't survive without fluids either so here's a plan, don't binge drink and don't overeat. Well if you do accept you made the choice and it's isn't down to 'inflammation' or Government not giving you a cook book

Wow there are a lot of arm chair health economists on this thread. I’m afraid it’s not as simple as healthcare costs x amount, a smoker/obese person will die x amount of year sooner than average etc. That is massively simplifying a very complex issue!

You don’t get to just count the obvious of healthcare costs and saved years in pension for the state. There’s lost work years paying tax and NI due to ill health. Benefits that may have to be claimed due to inability to work. Cost of road sweepers and landfill for all those cigarette butts/ food packets lying around. Cost of fire or other emergency services that may be affected due to these issues (smokers causing fire, morbidly obese people requiring special measures to get them out of their homes to appointments etc). The list is endless and very complicated. That’s before you even factor in what a persons cost to the state would be without smoking/obesity/alcohol/intake other vice here. It’s really not as simple as you all like to make it seem and very much based on estimates.

So no smokers probably don’t contribute as much as they cost and you’re in la la land if you think all that tax goes straight to the nhs alone!

Having said that it is well recognised in the medical community that obesity is the single most important healthcare crisis of today and the future. It is projected to cost far more and be far more destructive to healthcare services than any other (e.g smoking, alcohol, drugs). This is to the NHS, I don’t know about other state lead services specifically.

So we can pussyfoot around the issue as much as we like and people do like people to when it comes to obesity. But the truth is we’re getting fatter and it’s having a huge impact on our healthcare services.

@Nhsisfucked that’s interesting - I didn’t know that was possible. How can your be referred to these programs?

Personally I tend not to go to the doctors as if you are obese, no one engages with your medical problems. You just get a lecture, Again.

Yes SheepandCow and also creates that little oasis of relief, of one-time, a moment of self indulgence similar to what I've described upthread regarding a drink or a treat snack.

Everyone needs those moments throughout the day. I would love to be the person who naturally turns to exercise or a decade of the rosary or painting my nails or something to get that Ah, what a relief, feeling.

@GetOffYourHighHorse
A lot of medical and academic research suggests it's far from a minority.

But - yes. When it isn't down to mental health or poverty (where people need help and support) - when it really is simple personal choice, then it is that person's choice. And each to their own.
Live and let live.

@Peasbewithyou I agree re breastfeeding support I had with 1st dd was woeful. I was traumatised after an emergency csection and was bullied into giving dd1 a bottle. She now has a massive appetite and is overweight although very fit and active. I never lost my pregnancy weight. It was probably the start of my weight issues tbh
Dd2 was breastfed and is a normal weight. Luckily we were discharged early.
Dd3 was readmitted due to weight loss. Support in hospital was mixed but I was stronger. Dd3 is a skinny little thing and by week 8 I weighed less than at the start of my pregnancy. Still obese but better.

Actually @Foxyloxxy7
Somebody who works as an actuary posted upthread. They pointed out exactly what I'm pointing out wrt costs and expenditure. I'm sorry I can't remember who it was.

@7days Good post.

'when it really is simple personal choice, then it is that person's choice. And each to their own. Live and let live.'

Oh absolutely. For once we agree! I have no interest in trying to lecture people to change, i do of course live and let live. I just do not and will not accept it's anyone else's fault other than the obese person's, that's all.

@SheepandCow sorry haven’t seen that reply and just had another look through and still can’t find it. However, it still doesn’t take away my fundamental point of you can’t actually ever work the true cost out as you can never accurately say what the person would cost to the state without that specific risk factor. That was my bottom line that all the figures batted around are estimates. Some estimates will obviously be better than others.

People on this thread are massively over simplifying cost to state on both sides (despite the earlier post you’ve referenced that I sadly can’t seem to find). So it can’t hurt to point it out more than once!

@pascal2908 the NHS do fund gastric bands. I had a patient a few months back who had received one.

Perhaps before telling people to get their facts right in such a rude, snooty manner, you should get your facts right! How embarrassing for you.

God I had to go and comfort eat a load of cheese, crackers and dark chocolate after reading this.

It IS a fattest thread.

I've spent my entire life being told I'm obese and it's my fault. Two years ago I was diagnosed with a disease called lipoedema which is excess fat that can't be dieted or exercised off. Its stage 3 out of 4 progressed. I now have 20 ins knees and the NHS won't fund treatment so I'm having to sell my house to pay for liposuction to restore my mental and physical health. Had somebody actually looked beyond the bmi chart, listened to me when I said I was starving myself, and not sent me on the high fibre low fat holy grail when actually I need to eat keto, I might not be in the mess I am. What does the OP say to those of us that appear obese but aren't and are quite seriously ill due to NHS neglect? And before we get the 'well we don't mean people like you obviously', how would you tell the difference in the street? I'm sick to the back teeth of hearing about fat people bringing the NHS down when some of us are involuntarily fat because of a shite NHS!

@Pascal2908 the NHS offer gastric bands at BMI 35 (if you have significant comorbodities) or BMI 40 if you don’t. With the current UK obesity rates that means that over 2 million adults in the UK would be eligible on the BMI category alone ignoring the lower limit allowed with associate health conditions. The NHS can actually offer gastric bands to a lot of people. It’s just usually people have to loose weight to safely undergo anaesthetic. It’s not a requirement to be considered for the surgery it’s just often a side effect as the anaesthetic needs to be administered safely.

@mellicauli ask to see your practice nurse or if your trust has them a social prescriber, or care navigator, not all trusts have them yet but they will do eventually you really just need to ask, same as a gym memberships being prescribed for back problems etc

It isn’t the same. Tobacco tax revenue is higher than the cost of treating smoking related diseases.
Not only that is not a humane argument for anything, I doubt the statement very, very much.
Your source?