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??

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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.

I believe I had it and I think they are right. Being overweight is a major risk factor, it felt like I was dying. I say that as a very overweight person (I'm in the morbidly obese category) and I am bloody intent on losing weight as quickly as I can for many reasons but that definitely gave me a wake up call.

I am trying an extreme diet for now and will move on to management type diet later. For me, I am as serious as considering surgery if need be. I have no intentions of going back to being as overweight as I am, this is for me and my health.

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

The tories are going to do sod all about that, are they?

@roundtable I know, you can’t make a joke round here without the miserable crowd TRYING to put your posts down! It’s funny to watch them flailing around spouting their ‘knowledge’ though

Perfectly possible to socially distance at a parkrun and gym @CrowdedHouseinQuarantine perfectly!

@DemolitionBarbie

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

The tories are going to do sod all about that, are they?

Well even if they did, it wouldn't be before Autumn.

This is something people are going to have to do for themselves, or not as the case may be.

No-one can force people to lose their excess weight.

@WorraLiberty it may sound the same but the idea is more of a diabetic approach. Cut out the foods which provoke insulin resistance. And yeh, that's sugar, white carbs, beer. But you can have more fat than we have been lead to believe we're supposed to have. I have followed this approach since shortly after lockdown and I"ve lost some weight, but I feel like I'm insulin sensitive now which is the real back to basics fix your metabolism cos everything else relies on it approach.

Ahh I see Keto, that's an interesting way to do it.

Even though obesity is the primary cause of insulin resistance, I suppose doing it that way is less likely to result in so many 'offended' people.

Some overweight / obese people remain insulin sensitive but the vast majority do not. So I'm not trying to say it's ok to be overweight, you can be healthy and overweight. Not flying that flag. But start with the right step. Which is not calories in, energy out. That makes people hungry.

We aren't the fattest country in Europe. Malta is. I think their problem is portion size. I ordered rabbit stew at a café and I swear it must have been at least two or three rabbits (not that rabbit meat is in any way fattening, but the sauce had a lot of oil I guess). Also had a bowl of pasta with ragout and it was big enough for two men. Even DH struggled to finish meals and he loves his food.

I would love to see Boris have a weekly weigh in with Dr Jennie Harris. I would pay good money to see that. They could charge for pay per view to help the national debt.

I know two very obese women who have always found losing weight "impossible". Since it became clear that so many of the "no underlying conditions" deaths were people who were obese, Covid has been the motivation they needed.

Both have dropped several dress sizes (they were both morbidly obese, so had a lot to lose) and one has just completed Couch 2 5k. I'm really pleased for them and it does prove it's possible.

Losing it is one thing. Keeping it off is another.

Losing it is hard - but many, may people have done it many, many times. And put it back on just as many.

So those who are saying “it is personal choice” - to some extent it is. But please recognise that, statistically speaking, if you can reduce your BMI by even a couple of points and keep it there, you have achieved something which is really quite rare.

Crash diets can actually be quite good at reversing the effects of prediabetes. See Michael Mosely blood sugar diet.

I find weight, hunger, hormones, the metabolism v interesting. Dr Jason Fung's book is a very interesting read for somebody who thinks well huh, thanks Boris, I've tried dieting before and ended up back in the same place, plus a few pounds.

We have all been fed a crock of shit for thirty years with ''low fat'' foisted upon us.

I would love to see Boris have a weekly weigh in with Dr Jennie Harris.

what has that got to do with anything? You do this for your own benefit. Not for Boris. I really don't the the 'oh but Boris is big' arguments of some. you would do yourself a massive favour. Isn't that enough???

@cosycatsocks

Crash diets can actually be quite good at reversing the effects of prediabetes. See Michael Mosely blood sugar diet.

Agree, I loved his BBC documentaries and bought the books.

Interestingly (well, I thought so) I was looking for a Leslie Kenton book about menopause, I got it secondhand for #2 so I was delighted, when I saw Leslie Kenton's book diet X. Based on the prediabetes risks and metabolic syndrome! this book came out in 2005 but unfortunately for leslie it didn't seem to capture the public's imagination but credit to her for understanding the importance of the metabolism and not peddling diet yoghurt and crispbreads.

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.

@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.

I’ve recently started the fast 800 plan and from what I’ve read losing weight quickly isn’t considered a bad thing health wise.

ICNARC report, those who went to critical care, risk factors is really good. Look for 19 June. They show the hazard ratios on sex, ethnicity, obesity & age. Being Asian or male or heavier mean increased risk of death among those who arrive in critical care.

But they each add minute extra risks compared to being elderly.

@dairyfairies

I would love to see Boris have a weekly weigh in with Dr Jennie Harris.

what has that got to do with anything? You do this for your own benefit. Not for Boris. I really don't the the 'oh but Boris is big' arguments of some. you would do yourself a massive favour. Isn't that enough???

The whole 'Boris needs to lose weight too' is a non-issue. He doesn't rely on the NHS for his healthcare, he could get as big as Henry VIII if he wanted to. The drive for the public to lose weight is to reduce the pressure on the NHS and consequently facilitate better recovery rates. Anybody who doesn't use the NHS is essentially exempt from this, they'd still do well to lose weight if they're overweight for their own personal reasons, but how does their weight loss affect those that only access NHS healthcare?

[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]
And if the worst (God forbid) happens?

Will you have "If only Boris had lost weight" as your epitaph?

That's the most ridiculous form of passing the buck I've read yet and my goodness there's been plenty to choose from.

@WhatCFeryIsThis, most private hospitals just do elective surgery and so on, not emergency medicine. Some things you don’t go to private hospital for (maybe some accidents can be dealt with, like fractures) and long-term conditions are usually through NHS. The point about Boris is the rank hypocrisy. Do as I say, not as I do. Why should I lose 20% of my body weight? Where is the evidence-based policy, yet again?

Boris must be over 16 stone, how do you get that overweight? Must be a right piggy eater, I'm taller than him, if I got to 16 stone I'd be horrified

[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]
He is on a weight loss diet, also an exercise programme.

I see the Boris acolytes are out in force on this thread. I’m not having a repulsive, middle-aged slug telling me how to run my life.

@feelingverylazytoday, well it’s clearly not working - he looks bigger than ever!