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AIBU?

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Original poster

To suggest that enforced national food rationing might help solve the nation's obesity problem?

350 replies

Lucia39 · 30/05/2009 00:13

During the period 1939-1954 the nation's diet was, apparently, the healthiest it has ever been.

So would a similar regime assist helping those who are increasingly "dimensionally challenged"?

Vegetables, fruit, and pulses would be more freely available but meat, dairy produce, sugar and fats would be strictly rationed.

Any thoughts?

OP posts:
MissSunny · 30/05/2009 00:41

Message withdrawn

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 30/05/2009 00:41

For Sale/Wanted: Wedding dress, worn once. Stub of lipstick, reddish colour. Buyer collects. Tel: Kensington 1212

skramble · 30/05/2009 00:41

Chauffer loves the new wartime ration chic look

ipanemagirl · 30/05/2009 00:42

Apologies to OP

(Duchess! bows, scrapes, prostrates...)

No, just pottering but so tired am going to retire!

All the best to you!

ChippingIn · 30/05/2009 00:42

FluffyBunnyGoneBad - sorry if you missed the other anti fat people thread Lucia39 started tonight and it seemed a bit inappropriate to you.

edam · 30/05/2009 00:44

Skramble

Don't get the older generation started on the Yanks in WW2. Turning up two years too late is only the start of it...

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 30/05/2009 00:46

Good to see you too ipanema, albeit briefly. I'll lure you out with NF thread soon. I'm off too, I have a birthday cake to ice. :martyr:

skramble · 30/05/2009 00:46

Oh I don't want a yank, I will wait tfor the boys to return , will the chaffuer be excempt from the call up as his work is sooo important .

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 30/05/2009 00:49

If your chauffeur is Oddjob from Goldfinger, then I'm afraid he'll be conscripted at once for hat throwing duty.

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 30/05/2009 00:49

Oh dear. OP really did another one? Link???
I'm going to have to take back my 'be nice' ish post arn't I? Bugger!

Original poster
Lucia39 · 30/05/2009 00:55

edam: Oh dear you're making some very generalised observations and sweeping statements! I thought that was the cardinal sin that people were always accusing me of committing!

As to your ridiculous statement about people "literally" starving I'm afraid you are quite wrong. Some people may have suffered from malnutrition but Britain, as a nation, was not "starving" in 1939. As to health care provision, no, there was no universal health care - that was introduced in 1948, however, there were the National Health Insurance Acts of 1933 and 1934. Regarding your comment about your relative who was a young mother with a child - she had no need to "starve" as she had recourse to the Work House. Whilst this was still a somewhat harsh regime [although it had moved on since its depiction in Dickens' Oliver Twist] it would have provided food and shelter for both her and her child.

However, you appear, once again, to be completely missing the point [what a surprise]! This thread has nothing directly to do with social conditions prevailing during WW2, it is merely suggesting that a similar rationing scheme might go some way to alleviating the obesity levels in this country which are in danger of reaching epidemic proportions!

OP posts:
hmc · 30/05/2009 01:02

Lol - Lucia, you are barking. Seriously (intrigued now) are you winding people up for sport, or is it that you have a tenuous grip on reality? I don't know whether to be scathing or compassionate

I think it was your Work houses comment that got me intrigued. Have you read any social history - I suspect not, because they were wholly pernicious institutions.

Are you Xenia - you have very similar 'styles'

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 30/05/2009 01:03

I see your point but food is plentiful now, it's cheap because the supermarkets hold the farmers over a barrel. Not many know how to cook from scratch, for a long time it was not taught in schools, home life can be chaotic. Portion control doesn't exist, nor does regular excercise. It's a generation and education problem rather then a ration thing. There is too much choice in the supermarkets, but this way we are encouraged to spend more then we need. This needs adressing rather then WW2 rationing.

RockinSockBunnies · 30/05/2009 01:04

Not a bad idea, though unlikely to be happening anytime in the near future. Personal choice is all well and good but what's the limit? What happens when people become morbidly obese and start demanding surgery to staple their stomachs? What happens when the Fire Brigade has to start taking down the sides of peoples' homes in order to remove them to hospital because they're too large to fit through the door (US examples, but we're not far behind). When people don't take responsibility for their own health and eating habits, then who will?

May I also suggest, seriously, that if they were to re-introduce National Service with compulsory physical training, this may also alleviate the current obesity problem (and could also help with the social issues too, but that's a whole other thread!)

Original poster
Lucia39 · 30/05/2009 01:04

For God's sake why can't some of you READ and COMPREHEND?

It's like trying to get through to a Set 8 class during last lesson on a Friday afternoon!

OP posts:
ChippingIn · 30/05/2009 01:05

FluffyBunnyGoneBad - sorry, she didn't actually start the thread, was just on it, being obnoxious, with posts such as this...

By Lucia39 on Fri 29-May-09 21:19:14
My husband plays "spot the fatty adult" when we go out shopping. It keeps him amused when he's bored. He did keep a sort of tally for a while but gave up after one occasion when he'd spotted 47 in less than 2 hours!

I'm just generally getting very fed up of the anti fat people threads, the assumption that those of us that are fat are so because we are too lazy (to exercise), don't eat properly and are the lowest of low, with no education and no common sense and that as long as you are thin, you are healthy and a good parent.

Lucia39 is somewhat known for her ability to shit stir though.

Thunderduck · 30/05/2009 01:05

No need to shout Lucia.

hmc · 30/05/2009 01:06

"May I also suggest, seriously, that if they were to re-introduce National Service with compulsory physical training, this may also alleviate the current obesity problem"

FFs - its grandfather back from the dead! Go to the light grandfather, can you see the light? (and take your Daily Mail with you!)

Original poster
Lucia39 · 30/05/2009 01:07

hmc Quote ["I think it was your Work houses comment that got me intrigued. Have you read any social history - I suspect not, because they were wholly pernicious institutions."] End quote.

Firstly, your use of the word "pernicious" is wholly inappropriate in a historical context. Secondly, with regard to your question on social history yes I have, do you want to engage in a formal discussion on these matters?

OP posts:
hmc · 30/05/2009 01:08

With you? (splutters) no I think I'll pass... No offence, but I just can't take you seriously

Tortington · 30/05/2009 01:08

oh tis lucia again. how entertaining

RockinSockBunnies · 30/05/2009 01:09

Well, it's true. I know it's not especially popular to mention on this site, but honestly, I've thought about this issue for a while now (especially upon moving to London 5 years ago).

Original poster
Lucia39 · 30/05/2009 01:10

ChippingIn: I've made no comments about fat people being lazy - although others obviously have. However, as you are trading comments about me - here's one for you - if you don't like being fat do something about it.

OP posts:
Thunderduck · 30/05/2009 01:12

The government can dictate what people eat when it's taxpayers are allowed to dictate where their money goes.

MachuPicchu · 30/05/2009 01:13

I am waiting for someone to suggest that fat people ride exercise bikes linked to the national grid...

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