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.

Those of us with autoimmune disease get left on steroids for years because it is the cheapest option. Then we end up overweight and with osteoporosis and broken bones. This costs the NHS more in the long run.
Can't have the better drugs or physiotherapy until we get a lot worse and practically immobile, unable to work etc. It is marvellous isn't it.
I despise the USA system, but, for people who have insurance, with my condition, they get the good drugs straight off so that they can continue to work and pay the insurance premiums.
(Of course, the reason I don't like the US system is because so many people don't have insurance).

I know. Imagine saying that instead of enjoying your surroundings and having new experiences.

It will get worse as even more US brands come over here. They just serve enormous portions of everything as standard and that soon gets to be the norm. It's less pronounced in other countries that have not been as quick to welcome these brands in.

Like, the Five Guys regular burgers have two big patties on them. Just one example.

For those of you struggling on steroids, my sympathies indeed. It's probably bad enough without others judging you for your weight gain.

Yep.
Even in the short time I was on steroids they not only made me very large they also caused huge pain in my spine. Thankfully I came off them very swiftly due to the Cushings and therefore my back resolved swiftly but it gave me a taster of the long term harm they cause.

The NHS is causing some of the issues by prescribing the cheapest available option. It's only right that highlighting this is part of the conversation.

And it's only right that we ask that people back away from judging us as individuals when they have no idea what the back story is.

I was in Butlins recent and was shocked at how many fat people there was particularly fat children so wasn't even abroad to notice this. It was just very apparent as Butlins had thousands of people in one area. It just seemed everywhere I looked people were eating all the time and it tended to be junk food. It reminded me why I try eat healthy and hill walk but it's definitely a wider society issue and will be having a huge impact on the NHS but so does alcohol.

Takeaways aren't cheap. People living with poverty do not buy takeaways. A meal for a family of four from an Indian takeaway, say, will cost at least £50 - more than the weekly shopping budget of some families on a low income.

If you had £3 to feed a family of four, what are you going to choose? A pack of peppers is about £1.50, chicken breasts about a fiver, salad ingredients £3 or £4... But a couple of frozen pizzas and a massive bag of oven chips from Aldi will set you back £2.80 all in. And that will fill you up for far longer than a salad.

Before you suggest lentils and pulses and whatnot - they require seasonings and extras to make them tasty. All of which add to the total cost.

A large microwave lasagne is about £3 and will feed a family - plus it takes minutes to cook in the microwave. Many people can't afford to have their oven on for ages, slow cooking tough but cheap joints of meat or making 'cheap' casseroles.

When I was at my poorest I used to buy a packet custard creams for 25p and two packs of 15p noodles and that was my food for the day.

People who don't understand how poverty can make you fat, but still think that people living with poverty can afford takeaways, are some the most dangerously ignorant people you'll ever come across.

Let’s face it many Brits are over weight and quite sensitive about it. Hence the comments here. Brits are noticeably fatter than other Europeans, but other Europeans smoke more. Both very unhealthy and many overweight people seem to ignore the health side. Once you’re in your 40’s and 50’s you do need to address it, and by then it’s much harder to lose weight naturally. Not impossible though.

So many angry defensive posts on here. Also people in denial. There are many many people who are unhealthily overweight because of bad diet, lack of knowledge about healthy eating and a society that has become increasingly dependent on car usage. Why not have a conversation abut this instead of angrily berating anyone who states an actual fact? British people are amongst the most overweight in Europe. Several studies have shown this. Denying or defending it isn't going to solve the problem.

Its rained here all summer. Haven't had a proper holiday in 5 years.
No wonder we eat shite.

I also take 2 steroid based inhalers daily and have done since childhood and have had to take courses on steroids due to lifelong asthma. I agree they do make maintaining weight difficult whilst on the tablets but what

Excellent points, @Cocktopus . All this "cook from scratch" is easy advice to give, not always easy to follow.

Really? Do you not watch the news? Huge delays at A & E, terrible conditions, NHS staff strikes not just for pay but also doe conditions?

Posted to soon

I was seeing in general was inactive lifestyles, poor eating habits and far to much access to junk food.

People living with poverty are not spending almost twelve quid on a burger.

The current fetishism for telling fat people that they are just fine as they are, to protect their body image, doesn't help either.

People living in poverty also can't afford holidays,abroad either.

The judgement is horrific.

And what is more horrific is being told you are a burden on the NHS for your weight when it's the NHS that prescribed the bloody steroids. Other medications that don't cause weight gain/T2 diabetes etc are available, just more expensive...

Do you think.fat people don't realise they are fat ,im.fat I'm well.aware if it thanks .

Haven’t read the full thread but you are correct OP.

The UK is a depressing place to live compared to many other European countries and there are lots of couch potatoes with unhealthy diets.

The general culture around food is appalling and that’s an enormous contributing factor.

I don’t think you are ‘fat-shaming’ either, obesity is a health issue and there are many ways to avoid it, whether it’s addressing the mental health of physical health issues, other countries seem to manage.

Take Asia for another example of you will.

One of the biggest problems that people don't think about is that if you are living in a hostel or BnB, you have no storage/prep area/cooking facility. So no possibility of preparing fresh food, or buying in bulk, batch cooking etc.
If you only have a kettle, then it is likely to be pot noodle, or cheap pasties, crisps etc.

I can only imagine how frustrating that must be. I'm sure you're doing your best to manage your condition, but you're between a rock and a hard place. I'd be tempted to be very rude and direct to the judgey folks!

I lived in a poor area as a student. The only supermarket was at the bottom of a huge hill . I love eating healthily so bought lots of fruit and veg etc but carrying heavy bags up a massive (and very polluted) hill gave me a real insight into why people found it hard to be healthy if they were poorer . And I only had myself to feed.