Why are nearly 25% of British women obese?

[twitterer]

On the news this morning we are told that British women are the fatest in Europe, why? Of course it is down to eating too much and exercising too little. But other populations don't suffer so badly. I wonder if there is more (healthy) pressure from society, men, employers and others to be healthy

Source, please.

Could this wage discrimination etc be down to other factors? Reduced health/mobility/motivation due to weight?

I just took the dog for a long walk. The nearest I get to 'exercise' these days as I can no longer run. But it was pitch dark and most sensible people would have been a bit spooked. That was the only time I used to be able to run too. My mum rang when I was out and bent DH's ear (again) about how dangerous it was

Problem is what else am I supposed to do? I'm at work all day. I wonder whether that has an impact on how much women exercise in this country. It's dark by 4pm atm. If you are doing a sedentary job this might be the only chance you have to do it.

Study from Yale University published in Nature magazine
here
Abstract :
"This article reviews information on discriminatory attitudes and behaviors against obese individuals, integrates this to show whether systematic discrimination occurs and why, and discusses needed work in the field. Clear and consistent stigmatization, and in some cases discrimination, can be documented in three important areas of living: employment, education, and health care. Among the findings are that 28% of teachers in one study said that becoming obese is the worst thing that can happen to a person; 24% of nurses said that they are "repulsed" by obese persons; and, controlling for income and grades, parents provide less college support for their overweight than for their thin children. There are also suggestions but not yet documentation of discrimination occurring in adoption proceedings, jury selection, housing, and other areas. Given the vast numbers of people potentially affected, it is important to consider the research-related, educational, and social policy implications of these findings."

essential - I tend to agree. As I said earlier we have this absurd disconnect between the unattainable 'ideal' which is always a lot thinner than the advowedly healthy BMI range, and the reality which is bigger than the healthy BMI range. But emphasising the desirability of the thin extreme helps no-one - apart from the diet industry. There has to be a happy medium where women can be the right weight for their height, regardless of the numbers on the clothes that they buy and without being seen as 'fat' when they simply aren't.

Sorry, I don't believe in the genetic argument. Genes haven't changed this much in the past 50 years, have they?

Also the stress argument, Wibbly, are british women more stressed than the rest of us?

And have levels of anxiety and depression increased proportionately over the years? These are genuine questions.

I think it's wrong to judge an overweight person outright, but surely "33% of women are overweight and 24% are obese" cannot all be explained by trauma/disability/depression.

Cross-posted with your link.

I've scanned that paper and while I can agree with a lot of it and see how things like that can happen (but not the college-funding thing !), there seem to be a lot of limitations to that research. It seems to rely heavily on theoretical questions being posed to people. I thought I'd be getting hard figures showing pay packets are inversely proportional to BMI or something.

I still don't get how your quest for equality has anything to do with why British women are obese. Are you saying it's because we discriminate against them?

Entropygirl not 'fair' what bollocks?? Of course it's fair- I could say it's jot fair because fat people get to enjoy veggy mcdonalds with fries and red sauce andbi don't. That's not fair either!!

Of course thin people go to bed hungry sometimes. We all WANT to eat the same amount of stuff but some of us dont

Of course it can't be explained that way for everybody, just as saying everyone is eating too much doesn't work. There are many different reasons why people are overweight and each explanation will cover a percentage of those in the overall percentage.

we don't teach cookery in schools anymore. I'm 32 and never had a cookery lesson at school.

Incidentally, I have some size 18 clothing but my BMI is 22. I just have big shoulders and a broad back, is all. I've got some size 8 skirts too, cos I've got a little waist. It all depends on the cut. I don't think dress size is a very good indicator (until you're in like size 22 or size 4 etc).

I think once a population moves in a direction, it becomes useless to talk about personal/individual behaviours. It's a cultural, systemic change and needs responding to on that scale.

Interesting that 33% of women are overweight, and 44% of men.
So more men are overweight than women, and yet by the media around this story you wouldn't know it.
What are all these lardy blokes going to do about the fact that nearly half of them are too fat? Or doesn't that matter?

Please can the men of Britain get in shape forthwith as you are letting us down.
Thanks.

We shouldn't be normalising obesity either though EFA. Difference between discriminating and normalising. If we are too politically correct about it, we are just burying our heads in the sand about a very real problem. Can you truly separate sending out a very real health message without causing this friction and creating a certain sense of revulsion in some people? A lot of smokers feel discriminated against for various reasons (including employment). Like it or not obesity has an impact on other people and like or not we morally shouldn't be pretending its ok to obese.

There is too much emphasis on low fat and not enough emphasis on low sugar.
There is an appalling amount of sugar in things like low fat yogurt and supposedly healthy cereals like Special K, and even ketchup etc. Refined sugar is far worse for you than a little bit of full fat anything. Its false promotion and equal if not more emphasis should be made of low sugar products - and I dont mean stuff packed full of artificial sweeteners. We need to learn to have less sugar in everything like we have learned, I think, to have less salt.

LOL northernwreck. So true!

I agree NICEyNice

dustlandfairytale, sugar isn't just used for taste, its used as a preservative. If you remove sugar from some products they would go off a lot quicker. Which is why so much processed food has it in - for maximum profit for supermarkets. Far better just to encourage cooking from scratch as you avoid that problem entirely.

Popbiscuit Mon 28-Nov-11 19:03:48
I'm surprised at the recommendations of the plan you posted, Griff, and with apologies for highlighting your post I think that's part of the problem.

Our diets are meant to be mostly plants. A healthy plate should ideally be at least 3/4 veg not 1/3 and 1 small slice of bread is PLENTY. It's also more filling to eat this way, rather than bulking out meals with stodge and sugar. I think it's also about thinking outside the box and planning ahead. So, we're conditioned to think that a (convenient but calorie-dense) sandwich is our only lunch option when instead you could have an ENORMOUS salad with all sorts of veg, some chicken, fish or pulses on top, a little sprinkle of cheese (no need for dressing really but a little oil and vinegar goes a long way) and a bowl of vegetable soup for the same calories and feel satisfied for longer.

No problem its been an adjustment to change my ways which I thourght was healthy used to drink lots fruit juice but cutr back on that.

Instead of sandwich as uses up my healthy options I do a large salad with hard boiled eggs, ham, tomatoes , no oil but a little grated cheese.

Rather than opt for chips im now having potatoes and veg with fish.
find jacket potato and side salad far more filling than a sandwich.

The plan works as I can fill up on calorie dense foods in unlimited amounts so keeps me full for longer. Im eating more and healthier than before started the diet its reconditioned my way of thinking.
Because im restricted im counting the bad things and not overindulging or losing track how much im eating.

Not really sure about fat discrimination.
As a lot of uk is overweight or obese,
I have freinds who are large some still are some have lost weight.
One told me about embrace your curves blogs and websites she used to read to make her feel better reminded me of someone with an eating disorder going on pro anorexia site.

I see lot of people even within health profession doctors, nurses, midwife, hv all over weight.
Had a few overweight teachers too.
I think weight issues definatly got worse last few years.

shocked at the biggest loser programmes how restictive their diets, how much they train and how much they lose in such a short space of time.

I think we need to get past fear and denial over weight issues and do highlight without being mean that they have a problem.
as long as we tiptoe round the issue and make out its normal not sure what will happen.

I was unhappy at my heaviest yet people were saying you had kids you never get it back like kids is an excuse or its unrealistic to want prebaby figure back.
Would love to be size 8 but dont think will achieve this until I stop breastfeeding as bigger on top.

Popbiscuit Mon 28-Nov-11 19:03:48
I'm surprised at the recommendations of the plan you posted, Griff, and with apologies for highlighting your post I think that's part of the problem.

Our diets are meant to be mostly plants. A healthy plate should ideally be at least 3/4 veg not 1/3 and 1 small slice of bread is PLENTY. It's also more filling to eat this way, rather than bulking out meals with stodge and sugar. I think it's also about thinking outside the box and planning ahead. So, we're conditioned to think that a (convenient but calorie-dense) sandwich is our only lunch option when instead you could have an ENORMOUS salad with all sorts of veg, some chicken, fish or pulses on top, a little sprinkle of cheese (no need for dressing really but a little oil and vinegar goes a long way) and a bowl of vegetable soup for the same calories and feel satisfied for longer.

No problem its been an adjustment to change my ways which I thourght was healthy used to drink lots fruit juice but cutr back on that.

Instead of sandwich as uses up my healthy options I do a large salad with hard boiled eggs, ham, tomatoes , no oil but a little grated cheese.

Rather than opt for chips im now having potatoes and veg with fish.
find jacket potato and side salad far more filling than a sandwich.

The plan works as I can fill up on calorie dense foods in unlimited amounts so keeps me full for longer. Im eating more and healthier than before started the diet its reconditioned my way of thinking.
Because im restricted im counting the bad things and not overindulging or losing track how much im eating.

Not really sure about fat discrimination.
As a lot of uk is overweight or obese,
I have freinds who are large some still are some have lost weight.
One told me about embrace your curves blogs and websites she used to read to make her feel better reminded me of someone with an eating disorder going on pro anorexia site.

I see lot of people even within health profession doctors, nurses, midwife, hv all over weight.
Had a few overweight teachers too.
I think weight issues definatly got worse last few years.

shocked at the biggest loser programmes how restictive their diets, how much they train and how much they lose in such a short space of time.

I think we need to get past fear and denial over weight issues and do highlight without being mean that they have a problem.
as long as we tiptoe round the issue and make out its normal not sure what will happen.

I was unhappy at my heaviest yet people were saying you had kids you never get it back like kids is an excuse or its unrealistic to want prebaby figure back.
Would love to be size 8 but dont think will achieve this until I stop breastfeeding as bigger on top.

I do think that we need to acknowledge that - whilst many large ladies look absolutely gorgeous and should not feel that they would be any more attractive if they weighed less, it's surely undeniable that they would be healthier and at lower risk of cancer, strokes and heart disease. Surely it's no different to knowing someone who smokes (which of course is an even greater risk). It's nothing to do with judging the person's appearance - or at least it shouldn't be.

I think it's about changing habits. After mum died exercise became a habit as I made a conscious decision not to hit the bottle. Exercise produces endorphins and I also feel great when people comment on my wieght loss.

It's like giving up smoking or drink though; it has to come from within. Anyone can loose wieght if they put their mind to it; unless there is an underlying medical condition.

Sorry for some odd reason last post came through twice

As a mum a few things worry me

freinds who want a family but have problems concieving due to being overweight.

pregnant women who are obese more so than overweight carry risk to themselves and their child.

From working in supermarkets for nearly 10years and observing playground most families share similar dietry habits so most of time kids are overweight too which carries health risks for them especially if they young and not aware.

Was quite shocked by programme called junkfood baby on bbc 3 6months ago they also did series on unhealthy mums to be.

I understand uk has a problem as we need a strategy but no one can agree whats best and inevitably someone gets offended.

A lot of time reading magazines with stories about weightloss its usally a really bad photo that gives them wakeup call and they say they dident realise how big they were.

Lifes too short to be unhappy. Think weight plays a part in peoples confidence and stops them from doing stuff which then gets them down.
Its not just the physical health benefits its the mental too.

Although my husband loves me no matter what size and vice versa our relationships always better when we happy with ourselves.

Lack of willpower.

I'm sure most thin people would like to eat more, but they have the willpower to stop.

Just marking my place.

toptramp I will try to remember that...I can do it. I can!

Lazyness and lack of self control. No one forces cream buns down anyones throat!

JAndan surely you don't really believe that fat people are fat due to their poor will power? Words fail me.

I work with one of the worlds leading Medical researchers on obesity. Interestingly he is decidedly overweight himself. I must ask him whether it's because he doesn't know that he is fat or is merely weak willed.

essential - ask him if he eats too much