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.

Not to mention the pissheads and the cokeheads

I agree being realistic is a good way to tackle the issue, but being realistic doesn't require you to sneer or make silly comments about stretching tattoos does it? Not making nasty comments and silly little giggly 'sorry I couldn't resist' ridicules isn't pussyfooting around, it's being a decent human being.

As so many are at pains to point out, obesity is an increasing problem, and considering that ridiculing, trying to embarrass and shame overweight people is relatively common, it's clear that that approach doesn't work, or we wouldn't have a problem, would we?

If it truly came from a place of 'concern' then people would be recognising it doesn't work and looking for another way that does. But it's very rarely about concern, and more about good ole fashioned superiority and trying to put people down by whatever means available.

We are around the most obese of our European neighbours. Our health service is very negatively impacted by overweight people, heart disease, diabetes, strokes. At present, this will be the first generations of adults whose children are likely to pre decease them, so yes, we have a very serious problem with obesity in the UK.

I live overseas and I couldn’t agree more. Especially on the coast and popular holiday destinations. It’s a lack of control and pure greed with both food and alcohol, and a sheer bloody mindedness to refuse accept the problem. It’s embarrassing.

The NHS is on its knees as it’s grossly underfunded and has been for a significantly long time. There are many other reasons also but being obese definitely isn’t the single isolated reason.

Judgmental much? You do you and leave everyone else to do as they please. No opinion needed surely.

Our health service wanted all the gyms shut during the lockdowns. They got their way and the gyms closed. The ones that tried to defy this got heavily fined.
This meant that the HABIT of going to the gym was broken. Im fucking sick of the NHS wanting it both ways

@JenniferBooth
There’s nothing to stop you exercising at home. You don’t need a gym to work out.

Lol You are fucking joking arent you The raging alcoholic who lives underneath me bangs on his ceiling when i simply walk from the living room to the kitchen/bathroom. Check your privilege

And that isnt the point The point is the NHS lost their right to moan about obesity when they demanded that those places shut, Im damn sure Rachel Clarkes/ Jed Mercurios ITV drama about that time wont cover it from that angle though

https://twitter.com/doctor_oxford/status/1344340846938894336

I have friends staying at the moment from Asia. First time to the UK. They are very shocked by the amount of sugar we eat — cakes and biscuits and deliciousness everywhere. Also the amount of bread products we eat. They just don’t have our diet. We took the kids to an indoor play centre due to the shit weather today. She couldn’t understand the love for nuggets, chips and sweet drinks … and it made me think about it too. ‘Bad food’ is everywhere .. and instantly available.

This is interesting, would love to see some stats on this. What I noticed a while back was the amount of seriously obese young mums in my area (and I say this as a morbidly obese person myself).

Someone mentioned Benidorm earlier: are resorts known as full of typically pissed up Brits lower class/less well educated tourists therefore full of overweight people? Genuinely asking (and thinking of a mate who is a regular and fits the description).

When living in France as an overweight person, I can echo pp saying shopping for clothes was not fun. Being a size 9 shoe was just beyond outrageous!

@JenniferBooth
Not being overweight isn’t a dictat from the NHS, a healthy diet and excercise makes you feel better. And that’s the whole point of life isn’t it? Feeling good?

@JenniferBooth
have you heard about this thing called ‘outside’?
it’s a big place where you can exercise ‘til your hearts content.

People will get ill and die regardless of whether they are thin or obese. It may happen later if thinner but that doesn't mean it will cost less plus older people are more likely to get dementia which costs social care as well as NHS. In addition more older people equals more pension and other costs to the taxpayer.

We went to an all inclusive hotel where I saw the largest women I have ever seen. She didn’t all day lying by the pool and eating and eating…she was German not British.

@BashfulClam
Im not really sure what that’s supposed to prove. You saw a fat person?

A gym won’t help re losing weight. The only way to lose weight is to eat in a caloric deficit. It’s good for the body and cardiovascular system but people using it as a weight loss method are going to be disappointed. We need to be taught about nutrition in depth at school.

It’s to show that the biggest person I have ever seen on holiday wasn’t British. Fair play to her, she stuck on a bikini and gave absolutely no fucks.

So do you include yourself as ‘fat’ or just judging everyone else?

Continental Europeans tend to smoke more than Brits, and smoking, while obviously unhealthy, is associated with a lower BMI. Also, in a lot of other countries there is more social stigma around being overweight or obese than in the UK.

The staff were slim and good looking because they were extremely young.

The answer to most of your questions about attitudes to smoking is YES. Until very recently, and still in some circles, it was indeed considered as rude, improper, and even 'Nazi' to ask people not to smoke indoors. Bans on indoor smoking in pubs and workplaces were often treated as huge infringements on personal freedom, examples of the 'nanny state', etc.

And the big difference between attitudes to obesity and smoking is that in the former case, one is usually criticizing other people's APPEARANCE, and making aesthetic judgements, not just health-related ones. For the most part, people aren't commenting on other people's dietary choices, portion sizes or time devoted to sedentary activities, at the time when they observe these behaviours- which would be more comparable to comments on smoking. They are commenting on the fact that other people LOOK fat, and indeed tend to attribute it to overeating and insufficient exercise - but the main criticism refers to people's LOOKS. And attacking people about their looks is indeed cruel and a form of bullying, even if one tries to justify it on health grounds.

The cost