Overweight Brits abroad

[Artyfart]

I know this will upset people but it’s time to face facts and I’m talking about myself here too. Just got back from second holiday abroad this year when once again it was painfully noticeable how overweight British people are compared to our European neighbours. We stand out a mile! Every time I saw someone fat I’d wait for it and…. British accent. We look a state and it’s time to do something about it. No wonder the NHS is on its knees. I came back more determined than ever to lose weight.

It was at breaking point the last time the tories were in too. (Pre 97). I remember a friend's dad who was a doctor taking in the 80s about what the tories had done to the NHS being disgraceful

It has been at breaking point and at the point of collapse since the mid 70's, it is trotted out at every election, Private Eye add to the list every time a Labour politician uses it as a reason to vote.

Only is the conversation being made for reform instead of treating it like a religion.

Yes, I went away in June to a part of the Balearics that wasn't very touristy and seemed to be where a lot of Spanish people went on vacation. Most people were average to slim (by our standards). Many of the British tourists I encountered were also bright red with scary-looking sunburn.

I think to get an accurate picture, look at television, look at crowd scenes. I have been struck by old footage of the UK as late as the 1990s, when you view footage taken in busy streets etc, it's like looking at a different race of humans, people just look so slender compared to now, where nearly every other person is overweight.

So what?

So you want to lose weight because most brits are fat? And you’ve only just noticed this. However surely you want to lose weight because it is better for your health, you want to look and feel better and not develop any weigh related illnesses? Or just because you don’t want to be fat abroad? Bizarre thread.

You obviously haven't noticed the Germans, Italians and Austrians who were staying where we were, I'd say in men the Germans were more overweight. What nationalities people are will be partly resort dependent

@MysteryPop
I agree with you, the manufacturers and purveyors of addictive food like substances will not willingly relinquish their vast profits and they will continue to lobby and bribe the government.
The government is only interested in staying in power so as to preserve and increase the wealth of itself and it's wealthy friends and donors.
We are just cash cows to be milked for profit by the wealthy and Powerful.

I disagree, I think that the issue is a lack of personal responsability, and people blaming their bad eating habits on advertising, supermarkets, fast food etc.
When actually it is their choice to shop the way they do / drive instead of walking / don’t want to waste their free time cooking from scratch etc.

The denial is pretty astounding, not to mention the cries of fat shaming. Maybe we actually need to be shamed more? Unless something changes, like part or full privatisation, the NHS is not going to be able to adequately fund life-saving treatment for this coming generation of patients whose conditions are triggered by obesity, because it's such a large percentage of the population now. And I say that as someone in my 50s whose BMI is currently in the obesity category, but who is trying to do something about it because I've been in denial for too long.

I’m sorry you had to witness this on your second holiday abroad this year. Perhaps next time you will find a place where you won’t be subjected to fatty wobbly Brits. I’m sure there are plenty of people on here who can give you ideas.

In the uk my size isn’t noticeable, I’m pretty average. Over there, I noticed that I was in the minority. That spurred me on to want to lose weight for health reasons. I also noticed I very was sweaty and out of breath in the heat compared to my family

Well, if you have any tips I'll gladly hear them! I've been trying lose weight since I was 8. I'm 45 now. I've been bulimic in the mix too. I hate thinking I'm fat every single day of my life. But it's not as simple as "oh, I should lose weight so I will". I'm on a diet today, as I am most days.

I grew up in the 60s and 70s too so don't really need a lesson on the fact that shops weren't open very late. I just don't think it made any difference to how much people eat. Fewer women worked and it was possible to buy food in the daytime which it wouldn't be now for everyone. There was loads of convenience food in the 70s too.

Just back from Turkey. Yes, there were a lot of overweight Brits there, but there were a lot of overweight people from all nationalities. The problem of over-eating/under-exercise certainly isn't confined to the UK.

I came back significantly thinner after a serious bout of 'Turkey tummy' (and just for the record, I am not overweight anyway). I don't think I'll be hurrying back to visit again!

I mentioned the two trips because it was the fact that I’d noticed it twice so the first time wasn’t a fluke. Btw you don’t always need shed loads of money to go abroad. We visit family for free in Belgium and stay in hostels/campsites at other times

So why are so many more people making those choices now? Why does it keep rising? Why are poor people more likely to make those choices than well-off people? Why do people feel less personal responsibility now and why are we seeing that rising in all countries? If this is all down to individuals making choices, why are so many more of us making bad ones?

Really? It's at breaking point. About to fall over

I see. This is because of fat people, is it? Given the state the NHS has been in for countless years, I really doubt that.

People never seem too worried about the state of the NHS when they are advising posters on here to have their fourth/fifth/sixth child. Or when they're off ski-ing. Or crowing about their edgy weekend drug use. Or when it's "wine o'clock". Only when it comes to fatties.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/222777/does-belgium-have-a-weight-issue-the-statistics-give-cause-for-concern
It seems to be getting worse in Belgium, OP.

I have noticed that British people seem to be fatter younger. By middle age there doesn’t seem to be much to choose between nationalities. But there seem to be a lot more obese British teens and 20 somethings than other nationalities, when abroad.

Thinking about it, I went for a night out in town for the first time in years recently and was surprised by the amount of obese youngsters. Loads more than there would have been when I was that age. But I guess a lot of teens lives are a lot more sedentary than they were when there wasn’t so much tech at your finger tips.

And @Inkpotlover suggesting we need to be shamed more just makes me feel hopeless that we will ever, ever get anywhere in reducing obesity.

Inkpot, I have been ashamed of my weight since I was eight years old (and not fat!). Not one day of my life has passed without me feeling shame - when I was starving myself and gaunt, I felt ashamed of being too fat and too greedy. When I regained all the weight and kept piling it on to obesity, I felt ashamed. Rinse and repeat for over thirty years and I can tell you the one consistent thing I've had in my life is shame about my weight. And it's never helped me to be healthy. It's only ever spurred me on to harm myself more.

Shaming fat people will not help.
Diets make people fatter long term.
If you manage to shame a fat person into a diet (unlikely) you will probably be making them fatter in the end.

Different statistics on different sites - no surprise there, Generally it does seem as if the UK comes behind Lativia, Malta, Ireland (surprised me) Hungary and Turkey (if you count it).
Close to the UK seems to be Germany and Belgium.
Europe wide problem of being overweight it would seem.

I totally agree. While there's no doubt genes and metabolic rate can have an impact on the way the body processes food, (I'm not sure how to phrase the next bit without having this post pulled) history shows only too well those deprived of food will lose weight no matter how slow their metabolism.

Anyone who thinks obesity isn't putting pressure on the NHS needs to consider just one of its many health complications - usually Type 2 diabetes (which is life-limiting and can cause blindness or force the amputation of limbs). It's not all about the cost of treatment, it's the personal cost to patients due to the complications of their condition.

The level of denial and accusations of fat-shaming on this thread are alarming.

From the OECD website...

Adult obesity rates in Spain are higher than the OECD average, but child rates are amongst the highest in the OECD. Two out of 3 men are overweight and 1 in 6 people are obese in Spain. One in 3 children aged 13 to 14 are overweight.

If 'everyone is so tiny', you might need to venture further than your front door?

As a child/teenager I'd come home from school, 3 mile walk daily get changed and be off to the lido, park, friends house. Then when working I found I was putting on weight so cut back on food. Mum didn't buy treats but at the weekend in the summer there was the corona van or ice-cream van. We ate well but from scratch if it was cold weather, sandwiches in the summer.

We did move more I guess

I think you've misinterpreted me, or I didn't make my point clear enough. I'm not saying fat shaming is what we should be doing, but rather the denial on this thread makes it clear that people do not realise how serious the problem of obseity is in this country, we need to do something drastic to change things.

I am you. Been on-off dieting since I was told I was a 'big girl' in my teens. Bulimic in my 20s and early 30s. Technically obese now. I am currently, however, fat shaming myself into being healthier.