AIBU - With this new data on obesity and the NHS is it time to have some honest and difficult conversations?

[IAmADancer]

New data from a ‘landmark study’ has show that obesity costs the NHS around 14billion a year and that 2 out of 3 adults are obese.

I know this is a difficult subject but the numbers are pretty clear. With the cost of living crisis and a general requirement for both parents to work now to support themselves how do we support people to make the right choices and tackle a growing problem?

Im really interested to hear people’s opinions on what we can do with such stark figures laid bare.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/17/cost-of-obesity-twice-those-who-are-healthy-nhs/

Is there research being done on what are the long term (potentially devastating) effects from taking drugs like Wegovy, Ozempic, or any of the others? I'd be very concerned about young people taking drugs like this, possibly for the rest of their lives.

Yes obesity is a problem, and the factors that contribute to someone being obese are multiple and complex.

My eldest son has complex needs, including complex mental health needs. He lived in residential accommodation for people with complex needs for three years, and he now lives in supported accommodation. Many of the social activities that he was encouraged to do, involved food. There were cookery groups, going out for cake and coffee, little parties, barbecues and so on. The meals were also quite hearty and there was a special 'takeaway' evening.

I am not criticising the service at all, but there was such a strong association between positive action and eating, that most of the residents did put on a considerable amount of weight. Now he is in supported living, he eats because he is lonely or bored.

I am only giving my son as an example of some of the factors that may lead to overeating and obesity. Our drinking culture is another factor.

Ideally, there should be a holistic approach to obesity, combining education, with a greater variety of appetising and convenient 'healthier' foods. Swimming and gym classes could be subsidised for people on low incomes. Greater opportunities for social interaction that may counter the isolation that may lead to overeating, and much more availability of mental health services.

It is going to take time, but with the correct investment, our society can be healthier.

Similar- I’m slim although now I’m nearing 50 I’m having to tighten the belt.

I do intermittent fasting and it’s been a godsend.

I agree it’s the constant grazing that’s a big contributor-the snacking culture. Almost that “you need to permanently be eating between 7am and 10pm or your metabolism will dry up” message from
the marketing men.

I wish you had read my post more thoroughly, I didn’t say thin I said shape. Also I did also concede in my initial post that these aspirational physiques may be beyond the mass population, just on grounds of genetics, how much time one has available to devote it etc. Furthermore I’m sure a great many fitness influencers have had surgical interventions and all sorts.

However having a few positive examples to aim for is I’m arguing a good thing. That is all.

Look up the outcome of children who have Autism in places like Nigeria. As said, they become malnourished and then succumb to disease. Feeble bodies were accepted to go along with feeble mindedness, but in truth they were left to die. The ones who survived would have been affected by eating so little and just be considered frail.

Ban ultra processed foods and those with really high sugar and fat content. Alternatively levy a tax so those companies have to pay to fix the problems they cause.

@Testino I see three different consultants and a dietician. All on the nhs. I see a physio both on the nhs and privately. I prefer to take their advice as they know me and my medical history rather than random people on the internet who don't know me . Why is that a bad thing?

See if any of that rant was actually true, we wouldn’t have such high levels of obesity.

mots that simple. The advice on healthy eating from the nhs hasn’t really changed in decades and has been proven in research to be incorrect. We’ve been hammering people with nonsense advice, plastic, hormone filled foods, left struggling families working so many hours that just an hour to exercise is a farce, and then folks like you whine about it.

and by the way, lots of overweight people do pay for their treatment through NI and taxation and vat, same as everyone else. What next charging people who fall over things they should have seen or people who ignore warning signs before more extensive treatment is needed?

if being a twat to a overweight person actually worked, then we wouldn’t be in this situation.

we’ve even got NICE limiting the treatments for hypothyroidism, leaving people struggling no matter how little they eat.

People in chronic pain struggle to stay active and care for themselves and therefore gain weight, thanks to medical advances many can live with conditions which cause chronic pain instead of... Just dying.

Thank you @Achwheesht

In the US, Wegovy currently carries a black box warning for increased risk of thyroid C-cell tumors a safety in humans is unknown.

It’s a multi faceted problem social, political, financial, evolutionary and a scandal (these have been spouted as the answer but are not the answer - move more eat less, low fat, measure and weigh, buy a subscription, join a gym, snack / drink on protein bars / shakes or nuts or fruit smoothies et al)

Humans are not built to live on highly processed foods, refined grains or sugar

but when they do it can affect bodies and brains in such a way that moderation and control can not be managed by will power or exercise or individual shame and meanwhile the damage grows …

I don't think it's about gym membership - lots of people have mentioned gyms in this thread. I'm 57, and we never used to have lots of gyms. And yet in my own lifetime I can remember a time when people who were obese were outliers; most people were a healthy weight. And yet nowadays we often call a normal healthy weight skinny and have adjusted our expectations of a healthy weight. In short I think a lot of us are kidding ourselves. I think we all need to be encouraged to have honest conversations with ourselves and our nearest and dearest.
Are we overweight? Why do we think we are? Because there'll be a multitude of reasons. And, if you'll excuse the pun, one size will not fit all as far as a solution is concerned

I have hashimotos and Graves’ disease. When underactive one meal a day usually a salad and a protein doesn’t let me lose weight. It just keeps me standing still. I have to actually not eat, and do the “devil wears prada “ diet of a cube of cheese when you think you’re going to pass out. It is the most ridiculous thing to be accused of overeating when you’ve not eaten anything at all that day. Also makes me think why effing bother.

if I just go for healthy home cooked meals and ignoring the fasting, it will go up whilst underactive. Absolutely nothing I can do about it.

If there was a way to just not eat again I’d take it in a heartbeat, I’ve spent decades eating food I don’t like because it’s good for me, still fat, still have thyroid bouncing around, and still very much sick of other peoples comments.

I know people get very defensive and all of the what about x minority of people who have y which means although they eat a grain of rice a day and are still obese posters come out; but reality is for most it's not due to a physical medical condition but to a mixture of others.

Reality is if the government are committed to cutting obesity rates they need to do some serious investments in different things. The lifestyle most people lead for various reasons is just not compatible with maintaining a healthy human body, but it's not as simple as just eat less- if it was there wouldn't be as many people miserable with the way they look and suffering the ill effects of being fat.

@Antisocialfluffmonster

What medications are you on? And how did they treat the Graves'?

Thing is, would you shrug your shoulders at an anorexic teenager and say "just eat some biscuits"?

If so then fair play. It wouldn't work though, and there's every chance that the teen would die.

I have a binge eating disorder. It makes me fat not thin but is, quite honestly, just as likely to be fatal to me as anorexia is to many. Instead of understanding or treatment I get a shrug and told to "just stop eating".

Shame, blame and our obesogenic culture are making the situation worse, not better.

I am fat in this country and easily lose weight in my home country.

The differences I see:

-my home country has safe cycle routes everywhere that don't randomly just cut off in the middle of a path
-cycling is taught in schools alongside road safety, so children cycle from an early age
-there is an excellent public transport system, meaning people don't drive as much if they live in cities - an excellent way to have people walk more (to and from a bus stop/ tram/ train line)
-the choices of fresh food are much larger. Nothing to do with Brexit, but try to find more than two varieties of mushrooms, more than one type of asparagus etc. despite them all having their own, individual flavour, and you're stuck here. Plenty of food stalls selling specialist fresh fruit and vegetables out there.
-far fewer choices for getting a takeaway, which is often prohibitively expensive
-restaurants serve children the same food as adults (expanding their palates as they grow) and offer children's or pensioner's portions, which are smaller and cheaper, encouraging people to eat less
-people work fewer hours and therefore get out and about more
-socialising rarely centres around alcohol. People drink, but it's not to get pissed, it's part of a meal.
-the drink of choice is tap water
-home cooking plays a big role in socialising and people like to impress by cooking from scratch
-lots of outdoor spaces to get active and walk in, even in cities, and they are safe

It's not perfect, many people are still obese, but it has a profound impact on how I eat and move, so I'm a lot slimmer there if I stay for a while.

@Skethylita

I was reading that thinking that what you're describing is actually, for the most part, the life of high earners or people with inherited money in this country. I live in London and that's the life I see. But through work, I interact with plenty of people (also in London) who live a very different existence. The difference is income disparity.

Medical issues, disabilities and eating disorders aside, the issue is largely one of low incomes in a country with high COL and a medical system that's so busy playing catch up they have very little scope to focus on preventative care.

@Skethylita
I want to live in your home country, it sounds FAB😍
I'm wondering if battery powered bikes are a thing there though?

This worked incredibly well in the US where no one is obese.

I listened to a radio programme that explained that if, for centuries, your family had to deal with sometimes limited food and heavy, exhausting physical demanding work, those with ‘efficient’ genes, who held onto calories, were at an evolutionary advantage. But once placed in a food environment like modern Britain, those same genes make weight gain far more likely.

😂

They need to stop being governed by food companies who have no interest in health and every interest in profit.

Tax UPF highly. Use the extra to subsidize home grown, healthy food. Make a decision to invest in us becoming self-sufficient as a nation on food we can produce ourselves.

I’d love to be thin again looks at photos of me 20 years ago!

Sadly long term autoimmune diseases have other ideas and I’m now obese 🤷‍♀️

Due to being poorly I’ve not eaten for about 5 days and I’ve lost zero weight 🤷‍♀️ no one is really interested in helping me.