Why are there so many overweight and obese British women?

[EvaHara]

Genuine post and I promise I am not a weight troll. Recently I was on a cruise and couldn't help but notice that many other British women onboard - especially younger women - were considerably overweight or obese. Some were in fact huge and easily as big as some women I saw in the US when there a few years ago.

What has caused this rise in overweight people, particularly younger women? I don't remember there being this many overweight/obese people even 10 years ago.

I am not judging, just curious.

I think the sheer availability of food doesn't help - no matter where you are or time of day it's so easy to have a huge chocolate muffin & latte. I'm old enough to remember when you simply didn't eat between meals! The odd packet of crisps or small bar of Cadbury's if on a journey and that was it.

Not to mention the addition of palm oil and hydrogenated fats in many products - is it any wonder that diets have changed, and the subsequent obesity.

I hate to see obese young children and teens - they're in for a lifetime of ill health, angst and dieting.

What do you want me to say? I started a discussion.

We have forgotten what a healthy portion size is. I’m shocked at the way some ppl pile up their plate even young children.
I think women put on weight easier compared to men especially after menopause.

Crap weather so less chances to walk. A lot of processed food. ‘Body positivity’ has normalised bigger bodies. Constant stress probably contributes to weight gain.

Im overweight
its not the Goverments fault
or poverty ( I have a huge income )
its not mental illness
or lack of choice
or autistic / AHDD / neurodiverse .... yada yada

Im just really fucking greedy and I love my food and drink 😂

British men are more likely to be fat than women. But women taking up space is much more offensive for some reason.

'In 2021 to 2022, 63.8% of adults aged 18 years and over in England were estimated to be overweight or living with obesity. This was an increase from 2020 to 2021 (63.3%). In 2021 to 2022, the prevalence of adults who are overweight or living with obesity remained lower among women (58.4%) than men (69.1%).'

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/obesity-profile-update-may-2023/obesity-profile-short-statistical-commentary-may-2023#:~:text=In%202021%20to%202022%2C%2063.8,%25)%20than%20men%20(69.1%25).

Same re last paragraph

I think food is addictive if you do UPF and sugar. We’re not great at stopping. I just low carb as it’s easier not get in sugar cycles

Fat bottomed girls make the rocking world go round 😉

I think you have lost sight of how to have a discussion.

Yeah but some are designed very deliberately to make you eat the whole packet.
The van Tulleken book mentioned upthread has a whole chapter on Pringles. Once you pop you can’t stop.

😂😂😂😂

Posters saying “poverty”
are being disingenuous. The poverty in this country is very much first world poverty. True poverty is literally no money for food. We have free education here, everyone has access to the internet and can learn about healthier options. Everyone could be living a healthy lifestyle for less money. A tin of beans is substantially cheaper than a takeaway.

it’s just not as tasty. That’s the reality.

And at least we keep - most of - our clothes on!

I think the high number of very overweight young people is a cause for concern.

I'm 45. I live in a city in the UK and, more specifically, an area of that city where the demographic skews very young (me excepted, obviously!).

There is a very large number of young women who are not just overweight, but carry their weight in a way that suggests conditions such as metabolic syndrome etc.

Of course there were folk about who were 'a wee bit on the chunky side' when I was 25, but certainly not at the volume I see in my neighbourhood.

I genuinely believe there is an obesity crisis at large in the UK and sneering at 'fat-shaming' doesn't help. This needs to be addressed at both individual and population level.

because manufacturers of UPFs spend vast amounts of money making their edible food like substances as addictive as possible
and stress, lack of provision for enjoyable exercise, and various other things acting together

I would say on a cruise it's not massively representative of society as a whole. Not all, but a lot of people find cruises and all inclusives appealing as they are very fond of overindulging in food and drink. So by default a lot will be larger.
People are overweight for many reasons, but convenience foods, the rise in delivery apps etc obviously pays a part. You used to have to walk up the road or to town to buy Gregg's, now you can have it delivered without leaving your bed practically.

I think there really is a simple answer. It's UPF. Wherever it is replaces traditional home cooked food as the main source of calories, the population gets fat. It's happening everywhere in the world that there is UPF, even remote rural communities in developing countries who get plenty of exercise.

This. And yes it is partly the government's fault tbh. I understand that we don't want a nanny state, but when it's got to the point that normal human levels of willpower are just no match for the resources food companies have for finding more and more ways of making cheaper foods that are far more palatable than any naturally-occurring foods, to the point of being highly addictive, and with decreasing nutritional content so that they don't even make people feel full, just make them want more and more...

And when the state of the country, cost of living crisis etc makes people a) need to buy cheap food and b) so fed up that they are less able to resist UPF treats... I think we have to recognise that the government has tye responsibility to do something i.e. some more regulation of what companies are allowed to do to food.

I think it's because we are lazy bitches with no self control, isn't it? That's what we usually get told.
Personally it's a mix of not great mental health that's focused itself on food rather than self harming in recent years, my body reacting very differently to food post gall bladder surgery and what is probably a sugar addiction.
Happy to avoid cruises though OP so you aren't prompted to ask any more 'genuine questions'.

Definantly childhood obesity, and issues from then onwards. I can vouch for that! We weren't poor, my mother cooked. We didn't stop off when older from school getting pizza or chicken and chips like many did, and omg the amount I see doing that now 🫣
I always binged on what was available which was biscuits and bought sugary things during school/after school.

However I was allowed to eat Coco pops for breakfast, or tea with biscuits, when I talk about this I am met with a brick wall. Obviously it might not have been THE complete cause, but it didn't help.
Plus being allowed to stop in the shop after school and buy a sweet.
I'm not saying it's ok if your child is slim, but when they are bigger, you have to think on a bit.

I have also been told girls can be naturally bigger from baby/toddler onwards/hormones etc not sure. But you can see the young kids who are just naturally bigger.

I know of one family where on one side of the family everyone is big, so this is genes/genetics. Bad luck.
But the mother has not learnt from her own experiences.
And kids live on mostly Maccy d's lol as she calls it and pizza etc.
She calls a yoghurt one of those Freddo choc desserts.
Obviously that is not good.

We have a different life here, not cooking up soups daily as someone from another country said they do there.
We are less active. Weather I mean look at the past year just ☔️☔️ non stop.

It's far too easy to buy rubbish too. But yes of course there are plenty who run/walk go gym if you can afford it.
They eat well, all this Protein diets have become big.

Then there are the hormonal reasons emotional mental reasons why eating healthy and being slim isn't a breeze either. Lack of proper help and support.
The NHS telling you to eat mainly starchy carbs and fruit and veg lol.
But if you have diabetes pcos prone to weight gain easily. This does not help. You feel hungry eating like that because of what carbs do to the body.

Last week's the Food Programme was interesting if you think it's nothing to do with governments.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001yqym

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

Well, they’re on a cruise. Which is basically a floating unlimited buffet and bar. Hardly likely to attract the kind of people who are interested in health and fitness. Go to Club La Santa or Pollenca and you’ll see a different picture.

Why is obesity on the rise in the U.K.? The reasons are obvious:

• car dependency
• highly calorific convenience and snack foods
• sedentary jobs
• sedentary leisure activities

Food culture in the UK isn't stellar to begin with, coupled with a highly developed processed food and takeaway industry. Not to mention sedentary lifestyles and high car dependency.

So, what are your thoughts on the subject?

Yes! The conflicting and out of date advice, as well as the hundreds of ' diets' that are just a commercial enterprise, published in newspapers and magazines that just bombard people with conflicting information. The NHS advice takes so long to change and advice based on advice from the 1950s.