Page 30 | Overweight Brits abroad

Artyfart · 2023-08-01T07:57:49+00:00

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.

abyssinianrosette · 01/08/2023 20:05

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 19:31

No, when people say it's celebrated what they actually mean is that it's more tolerated. If it was celebrated, we'd see people trying to gain weight to get a big beach body but we don't! People can acknowledge a big body can look nice or that a fat person can be confident, but no one has yet made obesity something anyone aspires towards. Pretty much everyone fat would prefer not to be.

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Exactly! Having this compulsion to buy and stuff down or graze for hours on large quantities of food, going from shop to shop hoping nobody sees you, fearing the pounds creeping on and just wanting to start again and never do it again.. .

being told how ugly you are by your parents

being made to feel grateful for any attention at all even when it's unwanted. Knowing the police won't believe you because who could want to rape a fat person?

No one would want that. But that is how it often is to be obese!

Trulywonderfulworld · 01/08/2023 20:07

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 11:48

But why has that increased? Why would people all across the world all get lazier and less self-controlled all at once? Why have poor people got lazier and less disciplined faster than wealthier people? Why are Brits lazier and less disciplined than other nations and what's making them lazier and losing self control too?

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No idea
But those questions would make a great thesis.
perhaps

1..the internet has made everyone feel they have a right to have what everyone else has…..entitlement.
2.. we don’t all have to work all hours doing whatever we can to put food on the table as we now have a fall back.ie. benefits. Not that long ago there were no top ups. Just work or be on the dole and prove you’re looking for work. No halfway. The only top up was child benefits.

3..we all feel we have a right to be able to own a car so people jump in it just to go down the road.
4..people think they’re too tired to cook or exercise ( telegraph article on lazy Britain ).
Once you start slowing down you just get slower.

Productivity in the uk is down aswell partly dues to laziness and not putting the hours in Maybe everyone spends too much time on their phone/internet rather than working or maybe people are just physically too slow. Do we walk at a pase around the office or dawdle and chat on the way. ( other factors also effect uk productivity )
Ask a German builder to build your extension and he’ll do it in half the time of a British one. Plus it will be better. Why, because they have pride in their work and are super efficient.

x2boys · 01/08/2023 20:10

LlynTegid · 01/08/2023 20:03

@x2boys I am glad not to be recognised as from these shores, I don't want to have to discuss Brexit on holiday, or my thoughts on Mr Johnson.

Why would anyone want to discuss either Brexit or Boris,Johnson on holiday ?

Matchinglipsandfingertips · 01/08/2023 20:11

@abyssinianrosette I'm sorry. My mum was a copper on rape and domestic violence. She would have believed you and nicked the bastard. Sending hope x

Blondewithredlips · 01/08/2023 20:12

Stealth boast second holiday abroad this year?

RattleRattle · 01/08/2023 20:12

This reply has been deleted

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

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 20:13

Trulywonderfulworld · 01/08/2023 20:07

No idea
But those questions would make a great thesis.
perhaps

1..the internet has made everyone feel they have a right to have what everyone else has…..entitlement.
2.. we don’t all have to work all hours doing whatever we can to put food on the table as we now have a fall back.ie. benefits. Not that long ago there were no top ups. Just work or be on the dole and prove you’re looking for work. No halfway. The only top up was child benefits.

3..we all feel we have a right to be able to own a car so people jump in it just to go down the road.
4..people think they’re too tired to cook or exercise ( telegraph article on lazy Britain ).
Once you start slowing down you just get slower.

Productivity in the uk is down aswell partly dues to laziness and not putting the hours in Maybe everyone spends too much time on their phone/internet rather than working or maybe people are just physically too slow. Do we walk at a pase around the office or dawdle and chat on the way. ( other factors also effect uk productivity )
Ask a German builder to build your extension and he’ll do it in half the time of a British one. Plus it will be better. Why, because they have pride in their work and are super efficient.

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Fucking hell

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 20:14

x2boys · 01/08/2023 20:10

Why would anyone want to discuss either Brexit or Boris,Johnson on holiday ?

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Every time I stand in the long airport queue watching EU passport holders skip through, I curse the name of Boris Johnson so I guess that qualifies?

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 20:18

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 20:03

Ok @CloudyMcCloud , you think it's just a matter of personal responsibility. So how do you suggest we get people to take personal responsibility then? Here we are in an obesity crisis, you think it can only be fixed by individuals so how will you make them do it? Mumsnet threads about fatties spotted on holiday just aren't doing the trick, what will?

Maybe we could try my ideas and even if obesity rates don't reduce, we'll all be getting better healthcare, better education, less shit in the water, less car emissions - I think we'll all be onto a winner anyway!

Or we can just carry on and every time we see a fat person enjoying life we can post disapprovingly about it on Mumsnet, that will probably be just as good.

Tbh I’d just take some posts that don’t do that angry thing over discussing the issue. The posts coming back re lazy and yelling at people are lashing out. Fine it’s a tough thing to do and people’s frustration goes somewhere.

But yes I’m all for an acknowledgment of personal health, especially with what people say to their dc, model and do.

macrowave · 01/08/2023 20:18

PurelyOrnamental · 01/08/2023 19:11

I blame the weather, its easy to get out and about and walk everywhere when it's lovely and sunny.
It's nice to sit out and have a leisurely evening meal with family made of beautiful fresh ingredients from the local market that you walk past on your way home from work when it is still 20+ degrees in the evening.
Of course the people that live in these countries look better! It is hard to look good when you spend an hour drying and styling your hair only to step outside and get piss wet through, we haven't had a fully dry day in my area of the UK for about 2 months, and this is supposed to be summer 🙄
Of course brits would look amazing if we had the beautiful naturally tanned skin tone of the Spanish, unfortunately for me I have the double whammy of being pale as well as fat, I use fake tan to try and look slightly better but it isn't the same as the amazing skin tones found in naturally sunny places.
I have multiple medical issues (under active thyroid) that are currently not responding well to medication hence the weight is a bitch to get off/keep off but I think I would stand a better chance in a country that isn't cold and wet for the majority of the time.

If it were about the weather, Sweden Norway, Finland etc would have a much higher obesity rate. Instead, they have some of the lowest levels of obesity in Europe.

MotherofGorgons · 01/08/2023 20:20

And talking about non-European countries, if it were about the long work hours and lack of public spaces, Japan, Singapore and Korea would all have a much higher obesity rate.

Maireas · 01/08/2023 20:20

It can't be the weather. Also, there's nothing wrong at all with being pale. Some people are very fair skinned, that's just the way of it. It doesn't look worse or better than any other skin tone.

Maireas · 01/08/2023 20:22

Yes, @MotherofGorgons and in Tokyo they have so many vending machines, food is available all the time.

Anxioys · 01/08/2023 20:24

It's because people eat badly in the UK and neglect their health.

It is about diet. Eating processed rubbish. It's been designed to make you want it. From your breakfast cereal in the morning, a sandwich made with processed fats to the ready meal in the evening, all of that is UPF. And you will still be hungry afterwards and eat on average more than someone who eats fresh food

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 20:26

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 20:18

Tbh I’d just take some posts that don’t do that angry thing over discussing the issue. The posts coming back re lazy and yelling at people are lashing out. Fine it’s a tough thing to do and people’s frustration goes somewhere.

But yes I’m all for an acknowledgment of personal health, especially with what people say to their dc, model and do.

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Ok so you asked me for specific suggestions, I provided them and you're still vaguely talking about acknowledging personal health. So that suggests you think fat people don't acknowledge their personal health? How do you suggest we get them to acknowledge it?

Because like I've said, fat people do acknowledge it. Look up local Slimming World groups, see how many people attend. Look at sales of diet books, and MN weight loss threads and you will see fat peo acknowledging their personal responsibility and trying to lose weight. But we still have an obesity crisis!

You want to see people on weight-related threads taking personal responsibility: we are. Lots of us. Trying to lose weight, making the effort. We still haven't solved the problem. Many people in this country are taking responsibility and trying to lose weight but most of them will fail. And all you can do is make very vague statements about wanting to see people trying to change. But never accepting that lots of people are trying to change and we might need a bit more than that!

RattleRattle · 01/08/2023 20:28

This reply has been deleted

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

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 20:29

MotherofGorgons · 01/08/2023 20:20

And talking about non-European countries, if it were about the long work hours and lack of public spaces, Japan, Singapore and Korea would all have a much higher obesity rate.

Obesity is on the rise in Japan too. They're a long way behind us but they're still getting fatter. So something is going wrong there too.

Sweetpea1532 · 01/08/2023 20:29

This is a fascinating documentary...
I wrongly assumed food additives and processed food were an invention of the late 20th century...
This documentary is shocking.
It has a bit of something for everyone..even a bit about the suffragettes.
There is also a part that relates to OP pointing out how unhealthy some people look with poor skin, etc.
Watch this...your eyes will truly be opened!
I'm apologise for not doing a link...I'm old, and dont know much about tech things.

x2boys · 01/08/2023 20:29

Anxioys · 01/08/2023 20:24

It's because people eat badly in the UK and neglect their health.

It is about diet. Eating processed rubbish. It's been designed to make you want it. From your breakfast cereal in the morning, a sandwich made with processed fats to the ready meal in the evening, all of that is UPF. And you will still be hungry afterwards and eat on average more than someone who eats fresh food

Because for course the rest of the world all.have a perfect diet and are skipping through life filled with sunshine and rainbows 🙄

abyssinianrosette · 01/08/2023 20:30

macrowave · 01/08/2023 20:18

If it were about the weather, Sweden Norway, Finland etc would have a much higher obesity rate. Instead, they have some of the lowest levels of obesity in Europe.

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Interesting point. What they do have there is a better standard of living and better mental health in their children. Which is where the roots of eating issues often lie, whether they start young or not.

RattleRattle · 01/08/2023 20:32

This reply has been deleted

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

MotherofGorgons · 01/08/2023 20:35

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 20:29

Obesity is on the rise in Japan too. They're a long way behind us but they're still getting fatter. So something is going wrong there too.

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Because they are now eating more Western food and drinking fizzy drinks. Like most countries which are getting fatter.

Anxioys · 01/08/2023 20:35

Okay but the reason is Brits cook less from scratch. But everywhere that is eating more UPF is getting fatter. Those countries that still cook from scratch and don't eat UPF with the same frequency have lesser issues with obesity.

MotherofGorgons · 01/08/2023 20:36

I should have said processed food rather than Western food. The two should not be synonymous, but often they are!

CloudyMcCloud · 01/08/2023 20:36

MysteryPop · 01/08/2023 20:26

Ok so you asked me for specific suggestions, I provided them and you're still vaguely talking about acknowledging personal health. So that suggests you think fat people don't acknowledge their personal health? How do you suggest we get them to acknowledge it?

Because like I've said, fat people do acknowledge it. Look up local Slimming World groups, see how many people attend. Look at sales of diet books, and MN weight loss threads and you will see fat peo acknowledging their personal responsibility and trying to lose weight. But we still have an obesity crisis!

You want to see people on weight-related threads taking personal responsibility: we are. Lots of us. Trying to lose weight, making the effort. We still haven't solved the problem. Many people in this country are taking responsibility and trying to lose weight but most of them will fail. And all you can do is make very vague statements about wanting to see people trying to change. But never accepting that lots of people are trying to change and we might need a bit more than that!

Show quote history

I can’t vouch for slimming world tbh or dieting as many know it

There are other ways to change lifestyle

The pp made a good point, cereal in the morning, sandwiches from cafe, maybe not great food at night. UPF and calorie counting and / or yo yo dieting is part of it. It’s addictive and doesn’t bring satiety. That is so hard to break as a cycle.

Then the idea of exercise. It can be better to have as part of day not a huge hurdle.

Your suggestions are government ones yes, mine are really for a person. I’m not great a heavy state interventions, pandemic put me off for life, but I do appreciate freedom to make changes so it’s better for my life and health

I know you look at it from another angle, try not to get angry about that though

I mean look at @RattleRattle here

They keep going back to just wanting to shout at the fatties.

I’m not shouting at anyone, far from it. But so defensive and angry, it’s not good for them.