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

Sea - I disagree with that as well - high cholesterol food has been shown not to be unhealthy in itself - hence the 'mediterranean' conundrum regarding heart disease.

My children eat very little processed food at all - I think it is the saturated fat you get from processed food that is unhealthy - hence the whole trans-fat debate that you get in the States that isnt even discussed here.

Children need fat - a piece of grilled chicken and a steamed potato is an unhealthy meal for them and their brain development.

And the sugar debate has been done to death on here and is a very complex area.

Maralyn Monroe is at least a 14 in <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=anegan.prblogs.org/files/2009/03/marilyn_monroe.jpg&imgrefurl=anegan.prblogs.org/tag/marilyn-monroe/&h=481&w=380&sz=46&tbnid=5MEpwdw_tDukBM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=71&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmarylin%2Bmonroe%2Bfat%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=marylin+monroe+fat&docid=oY4fFN5R9KuVYM&sa=X&ei=oZLTTpnwD8aS8gPAwujrDw&ved=0CCUQ9QEwAA&dur=410" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this picture - it does seem to be the only picture of her where she was anything near that size though.

queen that pic looks a uk size 12 max to me, not a 14

Italy's adult generation may not be affected now, but it's definitely coming

I'm almost 5'10" and when I was a size 14 I was FAT.

I do think people are in denial.

I remember when a size 10 was aspirational. Now it is a size 8. Maybe even a 6. Why? Because dress sizes bear no resemblance to what they used to be. I can get into a size 8 now, which is patently ridiculous because how can a woman who is almost 6 feet tall get into a size 8? When I was a skinny teenager there was no way I could fit into an 8. Even if I had zero fat on me, my hip bones literally would be too wide for me to squeeze into an 8. I assure you I am not skin and bone!

People cling to these fake dress sizes (I've worn size 6 pieces in Next which were massive on me...WTAF?!) and the 'embrace your curves' culture and think they look just fine. When in reality they don't.

Looks size twelve to me too.

God - she was so, so gorgeous. I love generous thighs on women who have small waists. (I currently have thighs like prize hams sadly, and am carrying an extra six inches round my waist I'd like to see disappear - ho hum)

I hate the calling fat "curvey" business too! when I am a size 10 or 12 I have curves! at 14, 16 and 18 my curves are filled in and I have bulges! denial is right! why am I told to be proud to be over-weight and to love it! I think you love yourself more if you take responsibility and get back down to a healthy weight!

Most people I know who are overweight are in denial about how much they eat & have real trouble understanding portion size/what's healthy, people seem to pussyfoot around the issue and take offence when the word Fat is mentioned (it's a different thread all together, but it seems to be acceptable to grab a slim girls wrist & say 'bloody heck, you're tiny' or comment on her size, but not if you grabbed a fat person's wrist & said 'bloody heck, you're huge'), the whole 'curvy' & 'real' fad only adds to that.

No one I know (including myself) eats breakfast in the morning, everyday...so I guess having the wrong ideas about meal times doesn't help!

"'embrace your curves' culture and think they look just fine."

When they used to say a woman was 'curvy' they meant she went in at the waist and out at the bust and hip. Because you can be very, very slender and still be curvy. I'm more 'lumpy' than 'curvy' these days.

my collegue recently went to Denmark and was staggered by how Healthy their canteen was

we eat sugary fatty carbs and we drink too much

simples

Dabbler I am 'flabbergasted' at your attitude. Surely size 14 IS generally overweight whatever your age?

Marilyn Monroe had a BMI of 19.3.

I eat breakfast every day, but its fruit juice and cereal bars - not ideal at all! I know! I cannot stomach anything else at the times I'm up, and cant really use the kitchen much at that time anyway! I have to wake up quick to be fit to drive so its a sugar hit. I do try to have some protein at my break though but that can be hours after I start to work

otter - I am a large 12 (nearly 14) atm. I am 5'11. I don't like to be this big so am trying to lose weight but my BMI is 23 so not officially overweight.

And has anyone noticed how clothes aren't designed to emphasise the waist anymore?

They're designed to conceal.

grumple - could you eat a yogurt?

I have some Onken plain yogurt, which is very bland but slips down a treat.

yes I have a small yogurt drink in the (well my) "morning", but those things are mostly low fat and high sugar these days

fatlazymummy That's what I was trying to say (obvioulsy not v well)

shagmundfreud I am over 34. I would have to put on half a stone to be overweight
I am not in denial and am 'fabbergasted' that anyone thinks size 14 is automatically overweight. I am over 34 yrs sold, 5"7', bmi 25 (mid range). Okay I have some bulges but I am not officially overweight and a long way from obese.

I think that's also part of the problem, so many people buying into the "fat free" label bollocks! one of the yugurt drinks I sometimes buy is fat free but has about a third of your daily calories.

Lots of sugarey "fat free" items, then loads of aspartaimey "sugar free" items (which trick your body into releasing insulin because of the sweet taste, but there's nothing for it to work on so you later have a sugar crash, then crave carbs......)

Some smaller shops don't have any normal yogurts etc, its all the sugary "fat free" ones or the aspartaimey and fat free "diet" ones. They just get you into a viscous circle with cravings

Omrian I think your height will define your clothes size as much as weight- at five foot 8 my normal weight is 9 stone 8 but often need a 12 for arm and body length iyswim

bmi of 25 is overweight though isn't it? Only just. Sorry.

Thanks to whoever put that link about italian children becoming fat.... I wanted to add it myself.
There is this trend in italy now. And i think all is due to the arrival of american chains like mcdonalds that in the last 3-5 years have become extremely populars with (middleclass, so the majority of italians) families with young chidren.
Compared to lets say 30 yeasprs ago, more women are out and cook less. I guess "progress -or regress- is coming to italy too!

I agree otter - I was just taking issue with your comment about size 14 always being overweight. It's all relative.

Dabbler I am 44 and five foot 8 my bmi can normally be around 20-21. I weigh 10 stone 8 now and it feels sooooo heavy - I don't know what my bmi would be now but WOW it's so hard. I don't know how people get anything done with bmi above 23 - it's exhausting