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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not be surprised the NHS is in trouble…

211 replies

Itmakesnosensetome · 17/02/2023 15:34

We’re on holiday in Tenerife. We’re in a pretty nice hotel, fairly pricey so quite a lot of wealthy retired people . Pretty much every single person is very overweight or obese. I don’t mean a bit of a tum and hips- I’m talking huge, hard bellies on the men and massive women. there has always been overweight people but this feels unbelievable. There are some Spanish, Norwegian and Swedish people and none of them are fat - how can the NHS cope with this problem?

OP posts:
RedRiverShore3 · 17/02/2023 17:16

They are probably all on an 'all you can eat holiday'. I note you say that they were wealthy pensioners, I'm old but fairly thin so thats ok then is it

Kangarude · 17/02/2023 17:18

Well the OP has done a good job of whipping you all into a froth, yet not being seen again Hmm

letthemalldoone · 17/02/2023 17:18

DappledOliveGroves · 17/02/2023 16:18

This is one of the reasons I think that having the NHS being free at the point of use has significant drawbacks. People aren't incentivised to take responsibility for their health as they think it's "free". If people had to pay something for treatment, they'd have a much greater interest in taking responsibility for their health.

I have Vitality private healthcare and the app links to my Smart Watch and records my fitness levels. The most steps and exercise I do, the weight I lose, the healthier I eat and the more proactive I am about my health means that I am rewarded by the insurer. If we had a similar system with the NHS, perhaps this may go some way in tackling the obesity crisis. I doubt this is a sole solution - the amount of sugar, processed food and snacking that goes on is obviously a key factor and there are various reasons why people will become overweight and obese, but I do think personal responsibility needs to be incentivised somehow.

So, let me get this straight - you think people overeat and get fat because they know they have access to free healthcare? Weird perspective.

No-one wants to be ill, not even fat people.

RedRiverShore3 · 17/02/2023 17:19

Another thread on here was saying how good stuff like Deliveroo was and artisan bakers and stuff like that,

Pirateships · 17/02/2023 17:19

It's not the main factor or the only factor, but it is a substantial factor.

Iwantmyoldnameback · 17/02/2023 17:19

Actually OP perhaps you could tell us where the hotel in Tenerife is because I've been there a few times and I've never been able to feel slim and judgemental in on the large side but certainly not massive and my husband is on the slim side. My ego needs this!

cptartapp · 17/02/2023 17:20

Dacadactyl · 17/02/2023 16:12

YANBU. If I was in charge of the NHS people would be given a couple of chances to lose weight/stop drinking/smoking etc and if they didn't do it, they'd be paying the full price for any drugs they needed.

Too much carrot and not enough stick at the minute.

Everyone? Of any age? Or would the same old groups be exempt from charges, leaving the poor sods in the middle yet again.

Dacadactyl · 17/02/2023 17:21

Hellybelly84 · 17/02/2023 17:15

Just to correct you, the government have been warning for years that obesity is causing a crisis in the nhs, as have the nhs itself. Are you arguing with the people running the nhs?

Its a pity the government haven’t done more of a ‘Covid Style’ campaign and shown the general public the true effects of obesity. We know for example, that one of the causes of Cancer is obesity, therefore more people who are obese = more people getting cancer, aswell as all the many other health conditions obesity causes - diabetes to name a horrible one.

You may not personally be using the nhs much, but there is a higher chance alot of obese people are compared to someone who eats healthy/regularly exercises to maintain a healthy body weight (not in any way suggesting people should strive for perfection, but we know what a healthy body weight is - we can google it).

There is going to come a point where the nhs cant cope (nearly there) and maybe then people will sit up and take note. I actually thought Covid would be a turning point as we know (for a fact) obese people were far more likely to be affected more seriously by it and still are. The facts are all out there, even if you have been lucky so far.

So yes, more people obese = more strain on the nhs which is already battling horrendous waiting lists, Cancer backlogs, Covid, flu etc.

Show quote history

I know obese people who were all really worried about Covid, but not enough to actually lose weight.

vodkaredbullgirl · 17/02/2023 17:22

Dacadactyl · 17/02/2023 16:12

YANBU. If I was in charge of the NHS people would be given a couple of chances to lose weight/stop drinking/smoking etc and if they didn't do it, they'd be paying the full price for any drugs they needed.

Too much carrot and not enough stick at the minute.

Good job you are not in charge.

RedRiverShore3 · 17/02/2023 17:22

I note OP managed to slip in 'wealthy retired people', how can you tell a persons wealth by a holiday in Tenerife.

CarPoor · 17/02/2023 17:22

ThighMistress · 17/02/2023 17:10

But when the dcs were little (10 years ago about) it was all healthy eating/five a day etc etc and now that seems to be a dirty message and now it’s “celebrate your curves”.

No one should have to aspire to being size 8 and resemble a lean marathon runner, but it seems the pendulum has swung towards not acceptance of lumps and bumps but portraying extreme excess weight as normal and even desirable.

Do you desire to be fat?

How many times do you look at yourself in the mirror and go "god I wish I had more cellulite", give me a spare tire, bingo wings yes!

Come on. Whilst there has been a shift away from extreme thinness as the aspiration, and acceptance of fat bodies, very few people are actively desiring to be obese ffs. And no one loses weight healthily because they hate themselves.

Yes we should accept lumps and bumps. That's not shocking as you try to portray, healthy bodies have lumps and bumps.

Seasonofthewitch83 · 17/02/2023 17:23

These threads are so predictable.

Its 'lets point fingers at each other for the problems the Governments have caused' all over again.

I doubt OP will be back, no doubt a paid for shit stirrer.

Dacadactyl · 17/02/2023 17:23

cptartapp · 17/02/2023 17:20

Everyone? Of any age? Or would the same old groups be exempt from charges, leaving the poor sods in the middle yet again.

Show quote history

Yes, everyone. And if you didn't have the money, tough luck.

Irisheyesareshining · 17/02/2023 17:25

Obesity is definitely adding to the strains of the NHS, it’s shocking how many people are now obese.

rwalker · 17/02/2023 17:26

Not worded the best but as a nation we need to make more of an effort and take some responsibility for our own health

this would no doubt decrease demands on out health service

Unfortunately we seem to be at a point in society that everything is ether someone else fault or problem

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 17/02/2023 17:27
Hmm
Hellybelly84 · 17/02/2023 17:27

Dacadactyl · 17/02/2023 17:21

I know obese people who were all really worried about Covid, but not enough to actually lose weight.

Show quote history

Crazy isnt it-we were being told you were more likely to end up on a ventilator if you were obese. Those images from the early days were shocking.

Iwantmyoldnameback · 17/02/2023 17:28

RedRiverShore3 · 17/02/2023 17:22

I note OP managed to slip in 'wealthy retired people', how can you tell a persons wealth by a holiday in Tenerife.

Well she wouldn't want us to think she was in one of the cheaper parts would she?
Varies a lot does Tenerife.

MinceandMash · 17/02/2023 17:29

A few years ago I went away with my DM to a hotel in Spain that had mixture of Brits, Germans, Dutch and Spaniards. We used to joke that you could spot the Brits a mile off because they were all fat and sunburned 😂

Seasonofthewitch83 · 17/02/2023 17:29

Hellybelly84 · 17/02/2023 17:27

Crazy isnt it-we were being told you were more likely to end up on a ventilator if you were obese. Those images from the early days were shocking.

Show quote history

Ah yes those lazy fatties dont even care about dying.

I know a few people who had bariatric surgery because of it and are not facing lots of related health issues from the surgery.

There are SO many factors that determine fatness, its not as simple as 'Just eat less or you will die.' I

Hobnobswantshernameback · 17/02/2023 17:31

Frothy goady bitchplopping op and yet people are stupid enough to fall for it

cantitbesimpler · 17/02/2023 17:31

As PPs have said it's our ability to keep people alive with a multitude of co-morbidities that's screwing the NHS. Yes, obesity is a problem and if you work an A&E shift you'll see plenty of alcohol-related issues too. But it's the very old with multiple issues who represent with vast majority of the patients. We talk about our ageing population but don't really acknowledge the impact of it. And NHS funding hasn't even come close to keeping pace with the change in demographics.

CaponeOnTax · 17/02/2023 17:33

We need to be able to have discussions about obesity/smoking/alcohol/dangerous driving or whatever and the cost/health impact they have.

It’s only once we understand the enough about the costs that we can work out how money spent on the NHS can be fairly and properly used.

VirtualRealitee · 17/02/2023 17:33

See I'd believe this more if you hadn't said the Spanish were slim.

There's an obesity crisis in Spain too, unless they lock up their fat families and only release them in the dead of night?

Seasonofthewitch83 · 17/02/2023 17:35

CaponeOnTax · 17/02/2023 17:33

We need to be able to have discussions about obesity/smoking/alcohol/dangerous driving or whatever and the cost/health impact they have.

It’s only once we understand the enough about the costs that we can work out how money spent on the NHS can be fairly and properly used.

Then you need to either talk about dismantling the NHS and implementing a private system or look at myriad of factors that contribute towards someone's health.

The health service is meant to be just for healthy people or those we deem 'worthy'.

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