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

As long as officials and people in general dont address the psychological issues that are the root cause of obesity, NOTHING will change! Its just easier to pretend obese ppl are stupid or lazy, or both, isnt it?
I was very overweight, because I have been abused in childhood and used food to medicate and supress the intense emotional pain I felt. It took me years to overcome this, and I only managed to do this because I realized the connection between my eating and mental health. Most people have no idea.

Obesity wasn't a major issue when I was a kid, in the UK.

What's changed since then?

Media - have put fear into the hearts of parents that if little Johnny is out of their sight they might be kidnapped, so less playing out, fewer kids walking home from school, plus a general change in society which is less community focused - we're not insular, less in touch with our surroundings and nature in general

Cars - more cars, more being driven around, more traffic on the road so little J can't play outside

Both parents working - less walking to and from school as it's now part of commute instead, plus more time at after school care rather than running around with your mates, less time to cook homemade food, easier to choose the cheap but less healthy option, less likelihood to eat together at the dinner table because parents working late etc

Green space at schools - my primary had a MASSIVE field we could play in every break, mostly sold off now

Curriculum - no food tech, limited food education, plus a more packed curriculum = less running around

Tech - screens are addictive and there is loads more choice of things to watch or play on screens, on demand, because kids aren't going out to play they are under their parents' feet and to get a break or them out the way, screens is often

Portion sizes - bloody huge now when we eat out compared to the 80s

Food style - old school meat and two veg, stews etc was pretty standard. Maybe lower carb than today? Don't remember eating pasta much and pizza was an exciting new delicacy. There also seems to be an endless food oneupmanship going on - which has led to freak shakes, giant crumpets, pizzas with bacon stuffed crusts etc, always selling something bigger, more appealing etc

Feels like it's tricky to treat the existing obesity issues but can we treat them in the next generation? So much seems to lie with parents' habits, so it will be a hard cycle to break.

I grew up in The Netherlands and being obese or even overweight just wasn't considered acceptable. People would actually tell others they were too fat, as its considered to be doing them a favour.

Well that sounds just lovely. Are you holding this up as some kind of shining example? @GreenlandTheMovie

If you think it is just a case of eating less and moving more you are genuinely lacking in intelligence. In the whole weight is an emotional and ment health issue.

I think everyone can agree that poverty is one of the factors, but it simply isn't (based on numbers) the most common one.

Actually I wonder how many obese people do blame external factors or do they actually accept they are responsible for their own weight ?
I tried to. When my denial was being weak... I assume quite a few of us do. Wouldn't dare to guess % obviously.

@Lovesgood that's a good point too, what emotional hole are people trying to fill by eating? And why is that getting worse?

@fallfallfall yes I agree as tobacco is still the number one cancer killer - however obesity is the second and also causes so many other illnesses - diabetes, cholestoral, blood pressure the list goes on...

I honestly think after reflecting on this thread that the main issue is lack of intervention and education from a young age.

It's been a while since I was at school lol but I don't remember anything discussed about nutrition, ever and my younger family members tell me not much has changed in that respect

@Lovesgood

As long as officials and people in general dont address the psychological issues that are the root cause of obesity, NOTHING will change! Its just easier to pretend obese ppl are stupid or lazy, or both, isnt it? I was very overweight, because I have been abused in childhood and used food to medicate and supress the intense emotional pain I felt. It took me years to overcome this, and I only managed to do this because I realized the connection between my eating and mental health. Most people have no idea.

I honestly understand what you mean and I’m sorry for your awful childhood

But the reason you can comfort eat is because of the type of food. It’s not all psychological. Junk food has all the hallmarks of an addictive substance. In that sense, you can use it to sooth emotional pain, just like any other addictive substance

@hellymissy

But in Britain its always assumed that obesity is due to poverty, and it needs money to tackle it.

And this is simply not the case. If I think of the office I work at, they reflect the stats of 63% of the country being overweight or obese and non of them live in poverty.

It's attempt to detract from the real causes and allows people to bury their head by convincing themselves healthy food is too expensive.

It's not - it just takes much longer to prepare and isn't as 'exciting' as eating junk

I think the link that people make between poverty and obesity is a lot more complex than health/unhealthy food being affordable/expensive. I find what jack monroe writes about food poverty really interesting.

I grew up in poverty and was brought up eating deep fried chips etc. I got a lot more healthy when I went off to uni and started eating a wider range of food as I was exposed to the types of food other people eat.

I wonder if there is a generational issue. My mother fed me all sorts of crap and I rarely ate fresh fruit/veg. She hated if I didn’t eat much dinner and encouraged me to have anything (sugar sandwiches) I would eat. However she was one of 10 children growing up in poverty in the 50s where food was scare. So I wonder if there is a psychological aspect to Her behaviour. Anyhow because I grew up with that food I find I am drawn to it to make me feel better and have to work hard to develop healthy habits.

@Lovesgood
They won't listen. I pointed out the link with mental health and the human need for comfort (be it food, valium, smoking, or whatever else).

I think this thread is meant to be 'adult discussion' about how awful obese people are for being obese.

@nanbread
You forgot smoking and valium. In the past people struggling with life (whether poverty or poor mental health or any other trauma or issue) had options of comfort other than food.

Fischliweiss Well that sounds just lovely. Are you holding this up as some kind of shining example? @GreenlandTheMovie**

If you think it is just a case of eating less and moving more you are genuinely lacking in intelligence. In the whole weight is an emotional and ment health issue.

You sound lovely, going around saying people are "lacking in intelligence", without offering any solutions. Because clearly over-complicating the issue isn't actually working - Britain is one of the most obese countries in the world.

It really is simple - if you eat too much food, you get obese. If you have interests in life that lead you to keep active, you are less likely to be bored and sit around eating too much. Not all activities cost money, or much money. But it seems part of the culture now to excuse obesity on poverty, when in reality its strongly related to being very inactive in terms of sociability outside the home and keeping active, not necessarily in a sporting way.

Its so depressing, I often feel I'm not only living in a foreign culture but in an alien culture.

@sirfredfredgeorge

We need the same rules as covid surely, provide proper laws that protect the NHS.

What do you mean by this?

Cos it kind of sounds like you are proposing laws to prevent fat people accessing health care? Or am I jsut reading fascist intent in your post where there is none?

@hamstersarse

The sugar tax was a move (very small) in the right direction

But we have a problem that much of the economy rests on the provision of shit food

no it wasnt it was typical leftist politics punishing the healthy people that like a treat once in a while to pay for obese people

They need to tax the high sugar stuff. I know I wouldn't buy 4 packs of Wispa bars if they were for example £3 instead of £1. Also make fruit cheaper. We can go through a 6 pack of apples in a day ( family of 5), but they can cost an average of £2 a pack and that's not even the really nice apples ! There is no doubt that it's expensive to eat a healthy diet.

And a bag of chips from the chippy is £1.30.

Some people don’t have ovens/saucepans, etc. Ok that’s at the extreme end but it’s still an issue.

Cos it kind of sounds like you are proposing laws to prevent fat people accessing health care?

I don't agree with overweight being denied healthcare it would be unfair, but I do believe that there should be means tested introduced in order to access treatment - not just for obesity but for smokers, drinkers, anything self inflicted

This is how life insurance works, they price it according to your lifestyle and health history. So the government could in theory (assuming you earn enough) charge more for certain lifestyle related conditions?

@yellowcatss

The only thing to solve this is regulation unfortunately

I’m a total advocate for capitalism but a libertarian approach to this just hasn’t worked and it needs regulating now

I’ve been obese for years now. To me what’s most needed is to have easily accessible help to people who are a little bit overweight. Once you get to being obese it’s so much harder as to lose that weight you have to stick to a restricted diet for such a long time. I’ve lost about 10 stone over the last 5 years in 1/2 a stone - 2 stone blocks but I’ve put it all back on again and gained another 4 on top. I was 12 stone within 5 months of having my first daughter. Overweight but by less than a stone & it really wouldn’t have been a huge problem to stick there. After that I went back to work with a non sleeping 5 month old and I basically compensated by eating chocolate. I had no time, energy or enthusiasm to get back to exercising and all I felt was tired. I gained 4 stone over the course of a year. I’ve since had a second child but I’ve never managed to get back down below 14.5 since and I’ve been as heavy as 18st. I eat when stressed and when tired. I’ve built associations I’m struggling to break and the worse I feel the more likely I am to eat junk. It’s a nasty vicious circle that’s hard to get out of. I’ve asked for help and get told I could go to weight watchers. That would help if my issues was not knowing what I should be eating or not having ideas what to cook etc. That’s not my problem though. My problem is emotional eating and I feel like what would help would be ability to access mental health services for strategies to deal with that. It’s not available though (at least in my area) and I don’t even want to go to the GP again because they made me feel like I was just not interested in trying and that set me off on another cycle of eating crap. I’m pretty confident I’m not some outlier and that lots of people are stuck in similar destructive patterns with how they eat that just can’t get out of them (likely some of them aren’t even overweight as they cycle round a much lower weight but I’d guess it’s also not good for them)

Lean mince is more than twice the price of high % fat mince.

Cos it kind of sounds like you are proposing laws to prevent fat people accessing health care?

No, no, laws about forcing everyone to take measures to prevent the need for NHS treatment - so obligatory exercise, no driving a car when you could walk/ride a bike and things which are unhealthy or risk the NHS banned - and that includes skydiving or Rugby as much as excessive cake. Just the sort of measures which limit the need - rather than rationing.

@JacobReesMogadishu

And a bag of chips from the chippy is £1.30.

Some people don’t have ovens/saucepans, etc. Ok that’s at the extreme end but it’s still an issue.

Yes. 5 million living without the basics. www.bigissue.com/latest/five-million-brits-live-without-a-cooker-fridge-freezer-or-washing-machine/

(oh and no, I'm not actually being serious, but then I don't agree with the current STICK methods to limit coronavirus impact)

If people die younger, how much does that save on pensions and social care?
Billions and billions.

@GreenlandTheMovie It was similar where I grew up. It wasn't done in a fat shaming fashion. Just that people didn't just quietly watched the family member to put on weight. Just matter of factly "You are putting on weight". Nothing nasty.
Now I am away from them... Well, I am working on it.

You are not lacking intelligence.

@JacobReesMogadishu

Lean mince is more than twice the price of high % fat mince.

It’s probably not for this thread but this is part of the problem....the high fat mince is healthier than the low fat mince

Agree with @whatkatydid2013 did that looking at it from a changing mindset point of view would also massively help. So something like CBT/counselling. I believe a main part of the Cambridge diet is weekly counselling about food habits.....I wouldn’t recommend that diet but the counselling sounds a good idea.

Specialist Nurse led/counsellor led/dietician led community clinics that people can self refer to which offer this counselling?