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Original poster

Overweight Brits abroad

1000 replies

Artyfart · 01/08/2023 08:57

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.

OP posts:
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23
Hibiscrubbed · 01/08/2023 13:15

Nearly 3/4s of British people aged 45-74 are overweight or obese.

Nearly a quarter of 4-5 year olds are overweight or obese.

Those are quite worrying stats.

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 13:17

This reply has been deleted

This user is a goady troll so we've removed their posts.

A society that makes it more socially unacceptable will likely be less obese

Just going by where I’ve lived

Whelm · 01/08/2023 13:19

justasking111 · 01/08/2023 13:13

So the media bang on about. I'm not convinced.

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I was under the impression that among the 'lower classes' 🙄women were more likely to be overweight and men slim, while among our 'betters' women were skinnier and the men more corpulent.
I'm sure someone will put me right.

bossyrossy · 01/08/2023 13:19

If you want to lose weight, stop eating processed food and takeaways.

Cocktopus · 01/08/2023 13:20

bossyrossy · 01/08/2023 13:19

If you want to lose weight, stop eating processed food and takeaways.

Seeing as you're a weight loss expert, how would you suggest I lose weight?

ichundich · 01/08/2023 13:22

I went to Germany recently and can report that other countries are catching up fast. Lockdown has a lot to answer for.

Cocktopus · 01/08/2023 13:22

Artyfart · 01/08/2023 12:58

Honestly it was the general unhealthy look that stood out most.
A curvy buxom Italian mamma glowing from a diet of olive oil, fish and sunshine simply doesn’t look the same even if she’s also a size 16

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Ah right. So Nigella as a size 16/18 with all her luscious curves and middle class diet is okay, but a size 16/18 from Aldi pizza is not?

Your classism is showing, OP.

HangerLaneGyratorySystem · 01/08/2023 13:24

cor what a load of whoppers we are eh? The OP must surely be pursuing a career with the Daily Fail to have come up with that headline! I imagine her holding up one of those 1950s fat lady cartoon postcards, maybe with obligatory DF sad face? Anyway, great idea for a big thread OP. You’re so clever! (Has anyone said think of the kiddies?)

Original poster
Artyfart · 01/08/2023 13:25

Cocktopus · 01/08/2023 13:22

Ah right. So Nigella as a size 16/18 with all her luscious curves and middle class diet is okay, but a size 16/18 from Aldi pizza is not?

Your classism is showing, OP.

Show quote history

That’s the point!! Over there it’s nothing to do with class, everyone eats healthier. Over here, it is. Cheap food is shit

OP posts:
NoraBattysCurlers · 01/08/2023 13:25

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 09:07

Obesity is on the rise in the rest of Europe too. Other countries might be behind, but they're catching up. It might be worth considering what it is in our societies that's creating an obesogenic environment and what we can do collectively to combat it. Individually, people don't have long-term success in maintaining weight loss. We can't keep attributing obesity to personal failures, because that isn't working.

No, other countries are not catching up.

Obesity rates in the United Kingdom are the highest in Europe. Rates here have increased faster than in most OECD countries.

https://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/obesityandtheeconomicsofpreventionfitnotfat-unitedkingdomenglandkeyfacts.htm

WarmWinterSun · 01/08/2023 13:26

A lot of people in the UK don’t seem to take care of their bodies, and that is worrying. It is definitely a cultural problem. Poor diet is normalised, overeating is normalised, snacking is normalised and socialising always seems to involve cake / sweets / crisps / junk food / alcohol. There isn’t enough emphasis on delicious healthy food. Instead the emphasis is on sweet treats and junk food as the most fun / special thing to eat. This combined with more sedentary lifestyles means we are heading towards major health problems in this generation.

WomblingTree86 · 01/08/2023 13:26

Courgeon · 01/08/2023 13:13

Agree with you OP. I work at a university and the majority of people there, students and staff are overweight, a lot likely, dangerously so. The body positivity movement and the normalisation of being unhealthily overweight has a lot to answer for and the hateful phrase "real women".

The burden this puts on the NHS is huge, type 2 diabetes, cardiac issues, mobility problems, inflammation and lots more. There needs to be change at a societal and policy level as well as individual. It's highly noticeable when in Europe how much bigger British people are.

I whilst I agree the Tory government has decimated the NHS the UK public abuse it as well and largely don't take responsibility for their own health outcomes. I used to work in it trying to solve insoluble problems because of that factor, hence leaving and no intention of going back. Whenever I met non UK patients they were always shocked at how British people abuse what they are very fortunate to have in comparison to the health delivery model in other countries.

I see quite the opposite in the university by me. Perhaps it depends on the university.

PackettInn · 01/08/2023 13:26

Mayhem3 · 01/08/2023 09:50

Overweight or obese?

Because if you’re looking simply at BMI then people in the ‘overweight’ category are healthier than people in the ‘normal’ category.

So yes being obese can be very dangerous but if they’re simply slightly overweight then they’d actually be healthier than those slimmer people you saw.

How on earth did you work that one out?

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 13:27

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 13:17

A society that makes it more socially unacceptable will likely be less obese

Just going by where I’ve lived

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As eating disorders are sharply on the rise among young people (what, even with all the body positivity on social media?? Yes, that's right! Social media has a detrimental effect on people's body image, it doesn't boost confidence but actually the opposite) and it is nigh on impossible to get mental health support and treatment I am genuinely terrified of this mindset.

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 13:30

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 13:27

As eating disorders are sharply on the rise among young people (what, even with all the body positivity on social media?? Yes, that's right! Social media has a detrimental effect on people's body image, it doesn't boost confidence but actually the opposite) and it is nigh on impossible to get mental health support and treatment I am genuinely terrified of this mindset.

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No need to be ‘terrified’

Have you not experienced other cultures?

They are not all the same as British and that has an impact. Which is borne out in the data.

There’s no point in being terrified of what other cultures do, unless you’re going to tell them to do what.. change so they are as obese?

osi · 01/08/2023 13:30

BounceyB · 01/08/2023 09:34

I've just been to Greece. Lots of overweight French people there, to the extent I googled the statistics. France is 6% behind the UK in obesity (19% vs 25%); and I think 5% in overweight. It's possible to Google it anyway. The notion that "it's only Brits" or that everyone else does it better, is a lie. I'm fed up of it.

I've been in France 23 years. In that time KFC and Starbucks have grown from 0 to hundreds, Macdo has lunchtime queues snaking into the parking and le fast food has become the norm, especially among the under 50's. Proportionately, obesity has risen. Central Paris is full of wealthy, skinny women. Go to any suburban supermarket on a Saturday afternoon here for a complete change of demographic

Hibiscrubbed · 01/08/2023 13:31

Because if you’re looking simply at BMI then people in the ‘overweight’ category are healthier than people in the ‘normal’ category.

What orifice did you pull that from @Mayhem3 ? 😂

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 13:32

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 13:30

No need to be ‘terrified’

Have you not experienced other cultures?

They are not all the same as British and that has an impact. Which is borne out in the data.

There’s no point in being terrified of what other cultures do, unless you’re going to tell them to do what.. change so they are as obese?

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I'm terrified when people advocate shaming and say that it works. I don't know what data exists proving that shaming people reduces obesity or that this is the reason that obesity rates are lower in some cultures than others. But I do know how harmful it can be.

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 13:34

Being more obese isn’t making us happier or mentally well anyway, the numbers for people signed off including poor mh are staggering and growing. Was just listening to stats today

Plus impact on NHS

Europe may be adopting some of the same stuff but U.K. seem to be ahead and top of charts

Inkpotlover · 01/08/2023 13:35

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 13:32

I'm terrified when people advocate shaming and say that it works. I don't know what data exists proving that shaming people reduces obesity or that this is the reason that obesity rates are lower in some cultures than others. But I do know how harmful it can be.

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You’re projecting your own personal fears though. I don’t think you’ll ever be able to view what needs to be done to tackle obesity objectively.

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 13:35

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 13:34

Being more obese isn’t making us happier or mentally well anyway, the numbers for people signed off including poor mh are staggering and growing. Was just listening to stats today

Plus impact on NHS

Europe may be adopting some of the same stuff but U.K. seem to be ahead and top of charts

Absolutely, I think the lack of mental health support is one of many factors linked to obesity. And it certainly doesn't make people happy. Investing in mental health would see a physically healthier population too, I'm sure.

KimberleyClark · 01/08/2023 13:36

WomblingTree86 · 01/08/2023 12:31

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.

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Convenience food on the 70s was mostly frozen, in tins or packets. Not fresh ready meals, pizzas and ready to microwave snacks. Also there weren’t entire aisles in supermarkets devoted to crisps and allied crap.

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 13:36

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 13:32

I'm terrified when people advocate shaming and say that it works. I don't know what data exists proving that shaming people reduces obesity or that this is the reason that obesity rates are lower in some cultures than others. But I do know how harmful it can be.

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Well don’t be. Unless you’ve lived in that culture I don’t know how you’d assess what it’s like. Data shows the outcome, we’re near the top for obesity.

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 13:37

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 13:36

Well don’t be. Unless you’ve lived in that culture I don’t know how you’d assess what it’s like. Data shows the outcome, we’re near the top for obesity.

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Yes but we don't know that shaming or lack of it is the cause.

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