Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by Mick F »

Yes.
Mick F. Cornwall
User avatar
al_yrpal
Posts: 11537
Joined: 25 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
Location: Think Cheddar and Cider
Contact:

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by al_yrpal »

According to Time magazine… .

61% of Britons are overweight or obese

As are..

66% of Americans

89% of Tongans

69% of Mexicans

20% of Indians

4.4% of North Koreans

In France last week there were noticeably less overweight people about.

So whether its an epidemic I dont know, but its certainly a trend and it points to certain styles of eating.

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
User avatar
Sweep
Posts: 8443
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by Sweep »

I have read that Italy has a growing problem, but it seems as nothing compared to Britain.

Those statistics quoted in thread though - i don't think they are very Illuminating - there's a massive difference between "overweight", which I'm not surprised includes a lot of people, and "obese".

I'd guess that a pretty substantial proportion of this forum is overweight. I am.
Sweep
TonyR
Posts: 5390
Joined: 31 Aug 2008, 12:51pm

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by TonyR »

Sweep wrote:I have read that Italy has a growing problem, but it seems as nothing compared to Britain.


Obesity a growing problem? Geddit? :wink:

I'd guess that a pretty substantial proportion of this forum is overweight. I am.


Probably because most of us have reached that age where our broad minds and narrow waists swap places. :wink:
User avatar
NUKe
Posts: 4161
Joined: 23 Apr 2007, 11:07pm
Location: Suffolk

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by NUKe »

TonyR wrote:Probably because most of us have reached that age where our broad minds and narrow waists swap places. :wink:

:D :D
NUKe
_____________________________________
axel_knutt
Posts: 2880
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 12:20pm

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by axel_knutt »

Figure 2.3 shows some recent flattening off in the growth of obesity. There's been a drop in admissions with a primary diagnosis of obesity, and a drop in prescriptions for obesity drugs. The number of admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of obesity has risen relentlessly.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
freeflow
Posts: 1637
Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 1:54pm

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by freeflow »

Walking down the High Street of my local town shows the OP obesity figures to be a gross (groan!) underestimate.
User avatar
al_yrpal
Posts: 11537
Joined: 25 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
Location: Think Cheddar and Cider
Contact:

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by al_yrpal »

freeflow wrote:Walking down the High Street of my local town shows the OP obesity figures to be a gross (groan!) underestimate.


Where is your local high street? Is it a 'regional' problem? :D

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Easy.........just look in your local rag and see how many look like they pinched their clothes off a circus clown.........
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by mercalia »

only among certain classes of people, mainly the so called lower classes. Whenever I visit London proper and see the workers commuting home, those in the age group up to 40 seem normal and thin, well looked after. So is an age and class issue
User avatar
661-Pete
Posts: 10593
Joined: 22 Nov 2012, 8:45pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by 661-Pete »

Bicycler wrote:http://www.spectator.co.uk/features/9548142/the-big-fat-myths-of-our-obesity-epidemic/

Aha. Christopher Snowdon, denier par excellence! So:
...it’s longevity that really costs the NHS
is it? Fine! Get rid of all the oldies (myself plus a good proportion of members of this forum, all of whom no doubt cost the NHS £billions.... :roll: )

Actually, it looks as if Snowdon, born 1976, will be turning 40 next year. Already ten years overdue for the Carrousel! Off you trot, Chris my good chap!

Seriously, I endorse everything that's been said about the huge numbers of obese sufferers we see in our streets everyday. Not to mention the poor souls we don't see in our streets, because they're housebound. Of course it's a problem! I'm lucky in that I've been able to tackle my own problem (down nearly 11Kg since January). Those that can't, society needs to notice them and make things happen for them.

And the only 'Snowdon' the overweights need to trouble themselves about, is the big one in Wales. If they can leg it up there (not on the train), they're well on the way to getting sorted!
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Psamathe
Posts: 17650
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by Psamathe »

mercalia wrote:only among certain classes of people, mainly the so called lower classes. Whenever I visit London proper and see the workers commuting home, those in the age group up to 40 seem normal and thin, well looked after. So is an age and class issue

I don't know about "class" etc., but I use two supermarkets near each other (as they sell different stuff and I want stuff from both). Wander round Waitrose and you would not even think about people having weight problems. Then do the Morrisson's bit of the shop and "hits you like a stone" - UK has a weight problem.

Ian
User avatar
al_yrpal
Posts: 11537
Joined: 25 Jul 2007, 9:47pm
Location: Think Cheddar and Cider
Contact:

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by al_yrpal »

Psamathe wrote:
mercalia wrote:only among certain classes of people, mainly the so called lower classes. Whenever I visit London proper and see the workers commuting home, those in the age group up to 40 seem normal and thin, well looked after. So is an age and class issue

I don't know about "class" etc., but I use two supermarkets near each other (as they sell different stuff and I want stuff from both). Wander round Waitrose and you would not even think about people having weight problems. Then do the Morrisson's bit of the shop and "hits you like a stone" - UK has a weight problem.

Ian


The answer is then to stay out of Morrisons and stay slim! :mrgreen:

Al
Reuse, recycle, thus do your bit to save the planet.... Get stuff at auctions, Dump, Charity Shops, Facebook Marketplace, Ebay, Car Boots. Choose an Old House, and a Banger ..... And cycle as often as you can......
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Are we really facing an obesity 'epidemic'?

Post by Mick F »

Two chaps I know and see regularly have huge bellies. One in his 40s, the other in his late 60s.
Both have an excuse for why they're like that, but neither has a valid excuse IMO.

My advice:
STOP EATING THE WRONG FOODS AND STOP DRINKING SWEET FIZZY DRINKS.
GET SOME REGULAR EXERCISE.

Simple.
Mick F. Cornwall
Post Reply