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.

I'm not British, so no self-loathing from me.

In the UK, 23% of men and 24% of women aged 25 - 34 are obese: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/health-survey-for-england/2021/part-2-overweight-and-obesity#overweight-and-obesity-by-age-and-sex

In Spain, that's 9,5% of men and 10,3% of women: https://www.ine.es/jaxi/Datos.htm?path=/t00/mujeres_hombres/tablas_1/l0/&file=d06001.px

So I guess the relevant question for you would be: why do you think the British "middle-aged spread" starts so young?

Not sure if posted earlier but here is data for the UK (i.e. has stats for Scotland, Wales and NI, not just England) with breakdown of regions in England and reference to deprivation, disability, education and ethnicity.

https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03336/SN03336.pdf

Mostly because they had hard manual jobs and walked to work, shops etc.

Even running a house was far more strenuous than it is now - no washing machines, vacuum cleaners etc.

macrowave Yet childhood obesity in Portugal and Spain is higher than in the U.K.

I know? I haven't said anything about child obesity.

I was responding specifically to this, from your earlier post:

I’ve never noticed masses of overweight young British people, so it’s the middle-age spread which happens to people from all countries.

This is demonstrably false.

macrowave I can only comment on the young British tourists I see here in Spain compared to the citizens and they don't appear to be any more overweight than the Spanish. As to why the statistics are what they are - more young smokers in spain, better weather for a less sedentary lifestyle and sweating half your body weight off in the soaring summer temperatures.

macrowave Also, young British people applies to children and adolescents too. They are noticeably thinner than Spanish kids, even with our outdoor lifestyle here.

Really pertinent and informative post. It will be lost in the absolute dross that is much of this thread but thanks for posting it. What you say makes perfect sense and it's refreshing to read.

...nothing to do with food then? 😂

Blaming climate is silly - the two CCAA with the highest levels of obesity are Galicia and Andalucía, both with 26,7% and with very different climates.

There are plenty of hot countries with high obesity levels. People spend a lot of time outdoors and sweat a lot in Mexico, Australia, etc but they also eat a great deal of shit processed foods, and subsequently they have some of the world's highest obesity levels.

Again, smoking is a misnomer: there is no correlation between low smoking rates and high obesity rates.

It's all about food, and the more people ignore that, the harder it will be to combat this problem.

@WomblingTree86 .You have articulated exactly what I have always thought and witnessed. The dementia figures are rocketing because people are living longer and are physically fit . Sadly people who have dementia and are mobile end up in secure nursing homes . Sadly my MIL is now in one and it is a very sad ,depressing end to her life! Dementia is a terrible disease . I also work in a care home so my MIL is not the only example I have

I beg to differ - I think our highly processed diet plays a huge part in the rocketing Dementia rates, certainly not increased fitness. Medicine means that even those with comorbidities are living longer but certainly not fit and healthy lives. More and more evidence that exercise plays a large part in dementia prevention - not all types but it certainly can only help being fit and eating well.

Again, smoking is a misnomer: there is no correlation between low smoking rates and high obesity rates.

Nicotine is a known appetite suppressant though. Kate Moss is a lifelong smoker.

macrowave Have you actually lived in Spain? Everyone isn't eating a fantastic diet here. People eat loads of fried food and pastries and use a lot of oil and salt in their cooking. There is more access to fresh fruit and veg, so people eat more, just because of accessibility, but English people in general are much more conscious of diet than Spanish people. We eat a shit ton of processed meat here too...daily and loads of cheese.

Also, nicotine is a know appetite suppressant and of course weather plays a massive part in motivation to do sport, go out and move. Regarding the heat and sweating, I lose around 1-2k every summer because the heat makes me eat less and I sweat a lot more doing anything. This is common for most of us here. We put on weight in the colder weather.

I'm Catalan.

This is the first time I've ever heard anyone argue that the British diet is superior to the Spanish, so congratulations, I guess?

Maybe you eat a load of shit, but most of us don't. Most people I know eat a largely traditional Mediterranean diet (I grew up in East Asia so I eat a little differently).

Sweating does not lead to fat loss.

Slim is back in according to my daughter. She and her friends are all slim, both male and female. The love island look!

I agree with older people generally. I think many people stop giving a shit when they get older and just eat/drink what they want. I do.

macrowave I don’t think the British diet is superior to the Spanish diet, but I think the Mediterranean diet is not followed like it was in the past. I don’t eat a shit ton of processed food, no, on the whole I follow a whole food based diet. My in-laws eat a lot of shit, as do many people in my area. They also eat healthy stuff too like fruit, veg, lentils etc. There are aspects of the diet here that are bad whether you want to admit it or not, like cookies and milk for breakfast, a bocadillo with jamon for almuerzo. The whole morning is spent eating foods that don’t nourish you for young people. Whole food diets, vegetarian diets and vegan diets are much more popular in other countries and are only really just coming in here. In most normal restaurants it can be difficult to find these options, especially vegan or whole food plant based. The U.K. has its issues, but let’s not pretend other counties don’t too.

macrowave While sweating itself doesn’t burn calories, in extreme heat the cardiovascular system has to work harder to regulate body temperate, which does indeed burn calories.

@Childhoodnostalgia, when I was a child in the 1970s, seventy was considered very elderly and an achievement. Many people died earlier than this. It was unusual to reach eighty, ninety more so and there were far fewer centenarians than there are today. These days, seventy is only just past middle age and eighty and ninety are not at al unusual. Dementia is still very much more common in the elderly and there are far more very elderly people now than ever before. This is the true reason for dementia.

Yes a good diet is protective against dementia - there is a link: basically a Med diet.

British people eat more UPF than other Europeans. It shows. And our children eat more than adults. It's up to individuals to see that danger and regulate what they eat. The government is not going to do it for you.

I do wonder whether increased homeworking has had an effect. Even people in sedentary jobs have to get up to walk to the printer, photocopier, kitchen, toilet, canteen/coffee shop, train station, car park etc. I worked on the fourth floor in my last job and always used the stairs, and I know since retiring 4 years ago thatI have gained 1.5 stone.

I'm wondering what's gone wrong in Malta if they have a Mediterranean diet, including lots of fish?

I think you actually have to eat the diet as opposed to claiming you do. 65 per cent of Maltese are overweight.

Elevated blood sugar, of the kind associated with diabetes is also linked to dementia.

Yes, I just wondered why? What's gone wrong in Malta with their wonderful climate and access to fresh fish etc?

One of the theories I've read is that the massive growth of the tourist industry brought a huge amount of fast food, convenience food etc.

The same pattern can be seen all over the world in countries where traditional diets have been hit by globalisation.

Malta may have been particularly affected as it's such a small country. A lot of agricultural land has been developed, and they didn't have that much to start with, which would also affect the way people eat.

People tend to eat lots of ready meals or takeaways. Not just the British though. Working long hours as a couple doesn't help.