No 10 wants people to lose weight before the second wave

[Redolent]

What could possibly go wrong with encouraging people to go on a quick crash diet??

————-

As well as longer-term proposals to reduce the incidence of obesity, government officials are having urgent discussions about how to persuade people to lose weight in the next few months, before an anticipated resurgence in coronavirus cases in the autumn.

In England, 64% of adults are classed as overweight or obese and 29% as obese as measured by BMI, among the highest levels in Europe.

One official involved in the emergency planning said the government was alarmed at the possible death toll from a second wave. A programme is expected imminently, possibly within 10 days, based on encouraging people to reduce their calorific intake and lose weight rapidly.

You eat more when you're stressed, poverty is stressful and we have one if the most unequal societies in the world.

Seriously? If this were true the UK would be way down the list of the fattest nations in the world.

Can the government make it mandatory please then I might find it easier? Or take away my constant chocolate options.

In a word, no but then again you know that.

@fellrunner85

It struck me that lockdown should've been the easiest time ever for people to lose weight. There was a major incentive- ie less risk of dying from Covid 19. And the environment, for most of us, was supportive to losing weight. No restaurants open. No colleagues bringing cakes etc to work. Not much open in the way of takeaways /fast food/ bakeries etc. No parties and pub trips. Plus that was teamed with, for most people, more time and freedom to fit in a half hour run or a morning Joe Wicks workout.

With obvious exceptions, such as the elderly & vulnerable, and those relying on food banks, we had more autonomy than ever over the food we had access to.
Most people did one supermarket trip a week, or less, or relied on online deliveries. It should have been easy to not buy chocolate, crisps, etc and therefore not eat it. It should've been easy, for those who could afford it, to meal plan and buy decent healthy food.

But for many, this simply wasn't the case. There was a definite "lockdown is shit so I'm buying booze and crisps" mentality.
And that's the crux of it. As a nation, we're overweight and obese because we choose to eat the way we do. And even when most forms of temptation - parties, pub, family occasions - are removed, and we're shopping alone in a bloody pandemic, we keep doing it.

I loathe this Government, but they're doing the right thing in public health terms here. Thing is, will people listen? Unlikely. As a nation, we'll refuse to take personal responsibility. We'll keep putting ice cream and sauvignon blanc and Doritos in our supermarket trolleys because we "need a treat", and then wonder why our obesity figures and our Covid death rates are sky high.

Couldn't agree more.

Of course diets work, but anyone who thinks people get to the obese stage just because they don't know how to diet is off their rocker.

Diet is a great way to help short to medium term overweight people get back to a healthier way.

Diet alone will almost never help a long term obese person to reach a healthy weight and stay there.

And when I say 'diet' there I'm using it as shorthand for returning to healthy eating habits (as in 'your diet') not a crash dieting plan.

I was born in another European country where people are much slimmer and on the whole have a very outdoorsy/exercise based lifestyle and it is frowned upon to give kids eg snacks/crisps etc and alcohol intake is much lower than in the U.K. I am all for a big health campaign but it has to be a proper cultural rethink I reckon. Obesity is a huge problem in this country and has been for a while. A number of children have also gained a lot of weight during lockdown. Some short term strategy is not going to work. But if we all want to continue with a national health service than I do think people need to take responsibility for their health and it isn’t just people who are obese. I am naturally slim and lucky that I can eat what I want but I could definitely be a lot fitter.

[quote Splodgetastic]@dairyfairies, I'm afraid Boris has to lead by example with this one. I'm not going on a diet unless he does, that's for sure.[/quote]
I think I've had enough 2020 for one day.

I can't see how they are going to encourage people to eat more healthily and exercise more in the short term.

It's always been well known that being overweight is the route cause for many severe illnesses and early death. Yet this hasn't worried people into a healthier lifestyle so why would it now ?

I believe psychologically we can't do it. Unless we live in a dictatorship where we're made to exercise and are made to have a healthy diet it's not going to happen. Many couldn't even do lockdown properly so there's no way society is going to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

This will of course be classed as fat shaming.
Be big and be beautiful! We will be too offended by people suggesting we lose weight!

In the meantime, we grow fatter and unhealthier putting ourselves at risk of more than just COVID (chronic disease, anyone??)
It beggars belief that so many people are complaining about going back to work because of how ‘risky’ it is to their health but will then happily pile the weight on which is far, far riskier for their health in the long run!

Save the NHS - lose weight.

That should be the message.

The goverment haven't just this week advised overweight people to lose weight though have they? We've all known since March/April that obesity increased your risks of becoming seriously ill, from covid anyway, obviously we've all known about the increased risks of heart disease and cancer for much longer so really there's never been any need to crash diet. A second peak in the winter months gives people at least 6-8 months from the known increased risks to lose some weight. Its a bit disingenuous to start a thread stating the goverment are advising people to crash diet when they've done no such thing.

@WorraLiberty I'm good but I'm not that good! My eyesight isn't great so I type on a separate app in response to what I'm reading then copy it over. Though my speed is around 90wpm last I checked a couple months back even with shitty eyesight (too many years experience )

but it has to be a proper cultural rethink I reckon

Absolutely! And taking into consideration our different climate too, so often we compare or are compared to countries with hotter, sunnier weather which is more conducive to being outside more, exercising more, eating lighter less calorific foods. Climate has a huge effect on this.

Ahh that explains it

[quote Splodgetastic]@feelingverylazytoday, well it’s clearly not working - he looks bigger than ever![/quote]
Really? I thought he looked a bit thinner.

More gimmicks from the government that has no plan.

I don't doubt the value of weight loss, everyone knows it, but 1) it's a complex issue and 2) it's a bit last-minute.

The important bit in this story is the government expects a second wave.

You know being overweight increases your personal chance of death and yet "I won't unless Boris does" is a common response. Besides, he has lost weight.

And taking into our climate too
I think our climate is very condusive to a healthy lifestyle. Not too hot, not too cold, nothing too extreme. There's nothing really to stop people getting outdoors.

Well this thread has certainly drawn out all the fat shamers hasn’t it
I like fat people, they make me look good:)

On March 11th I was 21 stone and 4 lbs. today I am 18 stone and 10 lbs. I lost quicker because I was bigger and I know I have a long way to go. I have PCOS and I’m on medication which makes it hard to lose weight. I’m an educated woman. I knew the risks of being obese. My dr had even suggested surgery to me. I read so many weight loss stories and I was waiting for my light bulb moment. The thought of not being ventilated because of my size was it.

I haven’t been on a diet at all. We do online shops so I have been very strict in what I ordered. Baking for the family was things I didn’t like so I wouldn’t be tempted. My aim was/is to nourish my body with goodness rather than a quick fix. I’m eating more plant based, meat is lean and I am eating a huge amount of fruit and veg. Exercise was walking the dog an hour a day and doing a you tube video - Joe Wicks, yoga, HIIT. I read so much about wellness and how to look after my body, self care and do on.

This isn’t a boasting post at all so please don’t take it that way I just wanted to share how I am doing it.

Of course there are illnesses and conditions that make us overweight and some people can’t exercise. But (and I was guilty of this myself) I do not believe that people with these conditions are eating as healthy as the should be. I used to eat a 4 pack of Kit Kat chunkys a night with a family sharing bag of crisps. My excuse was I can’t lose weight anyway so what’s the point. Nobody has ever become overweight eating salads.

There is lots the government needs to do in regards to cycle paths, opening gyms, looking in to the mental health of obese people, etc. But only we can be the ones to do it. Saying unless Boris loses weight then I’m not going to is pathetic. Do you really need that idiot to lose a few stone before you do?

September is 8 weeks away. Even a pound a week is over half a stone. It might not seem much but it will make a difference.

It struck me that lockdown should've been the easiest time ever for people to lose weight.

Friend has a weight problem.
She is spending lockdown with estranged husband who co-owns her home & he didn't have anywhere else to stay.
He's spent 3 yrs chasing other women but still doesn't want a divorce .
Friend is Catholic and got together with him 17 yrs ago.
In fact, he spent last night with some random woman.
Friend couldn't get a hug or go spend time face to face with anyone else for ... 8 weeks?
I used to go on walks with her anyway (so report me).
So she could see someone that cared about her.

She comfort eats. Is honest that she shouldn't but it's a crappy situation. For her, lockdown has been opposite of easiest time to lose weight.

@Averyslover, sorry, but I am still failing to understand why I should lose weight. Boris is at least four stone overweight, so probably losing 20% of his body weight is going to be helpful for him, but for the vast majority of people 20% of their body weight is quite significant - surely that’s going to leave an awful lot of people underweight!

@Splodgetastic you don’t have to lose weight at all. It’s your decision. If medically you need to lose weight then Maybe you could look in to a healthy eating lifestyle that suits your needs. Yes Boris is overweight but does that really make any difference to your life? It doesn’t to me. If Boris is 8 stone or 18 stone makes no difference to my life at all, why would it? Why does it to you?

From what I have read, Boris is exercising more and is on a diet. He has also spoken about how his weight did not help when he had Covid. Also depending on which report you read, he now has immunity to Covid so he’s not at risk.

As for everyone having to lose 20% of their weight, you’re just being pedantic. Of course they are not asking people in normal weight range to lose 20%.

[quote Splodgetastic]@Averyslover, sorry, but I am still failing to understand why I should lose weight. Boris is at least four stone overweight, so probably losing 20% of his body weight is going to be helpful for him, but for the vast majority of people 20% of their body weight is quite significant - surely that’s going to leave an awful lot of people underweight![/quote]
What?

Have the government said everyone should lose weight, just those who are actually overweight?

Splodge if you don't want to lose weight (if you 'need' to) then don't bother. Personally I couldn't care if Boris turned into Augustus Gloop but my weight and his aren't connected. I'm losing weight for my own health. I don't need to be told. I'm overweight. I feel and look like shit.

If you're only just overweight though, losing 20% of your body weight is going to put you right at the bottom end of the so-called normal range. I don't see where this figure has come from?

Who has said everyone needs to lose 20%?