Obesity who's fault?
I have noticed a lot of media coverage on obesity, however i personally think it depends on the individuals lifestyle choices. It seems that the UK poor seems to be facing this issue, compared to middle class. As i believe they tend to eat cheap ready meals, fast food and junk food. So is it economical to introduce a sugar tax? this will not stop the problem as cheap food with high sugar content will still be cheaper. Manufactures either reduce the size of the package or not pass on the tax to consumers. Healthy foods will still be high priced.
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Original post by Maker
Doorways in Job Centres should be made narrower so overweight people can't get in to claim benefits until they lose weight.
love this idea...
Mine because I am currently eating a greggs pizza and the steak bake is watching me.
Some people are probably genetically disposed to gaining weight but you don't become obese (excluding serious health conditions) without having a poor lifestyle. I have no problem with sugar tax if the proceeds are going to positive places which I think they are. I mean there is a lot more that needs to be done, kids and young people need to be more active, non-car transport needs to be encouraged, class etc... but why not have people pay a few pence towards making people healthier when you have a chocolate bar.
I don't think its any one person or organisations fault. I would say partly parents for not feeding their children both the right thing and the right amount- the right amount bit is important, and not letting them get enough exercise. However to a certain extent the government for not providing enough education about the right foods/right amount and cooking lessons through schools e.c.t and letting junk food become cheaper than healthier food.
Personally, I think its too expensive to be healthy.
If I go into a shop to buy a snack for the price of 5 chocolate bars I can buy 2 apples.
Being unhealthy unfortunatley is the easier and cheaper option.
If I go into a shop to buy a snack for the price of 5 chocolate bars I can buy 2 apples.
Being unhealthy unfortunatley is the easier and cheaper option.
You know a lot of it isnt anyones fault.
The individual is responsible for what they consume, but education isnt very good and food plus increasing portions have been marketed at them, Thats the food industry making money and the media for all the lifestyle stuff. Propserity.
The other thing is modern living and working in offices. people use cars, they sit at computers, they lounge about on beaches. People just arent as acive as they used to be.
The individual is responsible for what they consume, but education isnt very good and food plus increasing portions have been marketed at them, Thats the food industry making money and the media for all the lifestyle stuff. Propserity.
The other thing is modern living and working in offices. people use cars, they sit at computers, they lounge about on beaches. People just arent as acive as they used to be.
Not sure if I'm talking in the right context and hate to say this too, but it's deffo the parents.
I've had an overweight childhood and now a healthy weight, but I've developed mindsets towards food that were introduced by my parents. If I had a rough day at school, my parents would have a takeaway to cheer me up. If I had a bad exam, I'd have a KitKat waiting for me at home. Going to the cinema? Coolio, let's bring bags of sweets and popcorn. This was an often occurrence, and having been picked on in primary school loads for my weight anyway, plenty of days were 'rough' days.
I'm still an emotional eater and always will be. My relationship with food is messed up- I can go through days of eating salads and being healthy and one day I'll just get these mental cravings and once I start I really really cannot stop- my parents usually offer to go out ad get food as they agree they're feeling picky too. I've gone through restricting, bulimia, binge-eating, I really do hold my parents to blame for this.
In my strange world, food is either the enemy or the comfort I've needed. Never is it ever satisfying or a lifestyle necessity- it's one or the other.
Love the idea of this sugar tax! I've improved myself through sheer hard work and I hate thinking about all the other kids that are picked on and hated by society because "why can't they just, you know, say no?"
I've had an overweight childhood and now a healthy weight, but I've developed mindsets towards food that were introduced by my parents. If I had a rough day at school, my parents would have a takeaway to cheer me up. If I had a bad exam, I'd have a KitKat waiting for me at home. Going to the cinema? Coolio, let's bring bags of sweets and popcorn. This was an often occurrence, and having been picked on in primary school loads for my weight anyway, plenty of days were 'rough' days.
I'm still an emotional eater and always will be. My relationship with food is messed up- I can go through days of eating salads and being healthy and one day I'll just get these mental cravings and once I start I really really cannot stop- my parents usually offer to go out ad get food as they agree they're feeling picky too. I've gone through restricting, bulimia, binge-eating, I really do hold my parents to blame for this.
In my strange world, food is either the enemy or the comfort I've needed. Never is it ever satisfying or a lifestyle necessity- it's one or the other.
Love the idea of this sugar tax! I've improved myself through sheer hard work and I hate thinking about all the other kids that are picked on and hated by society because "why can't they just, you know, say no?"
Part of the problem are things like Alpen and Special K that are marketed as being healthy but are actually loaded with sugar.
Weight Watchers meals are another prime example, they're marketed as being healthy due to having no fat in them but are full of sugar for flavour so they're actually really unhealthy.
Weight Watchers meals are another prime example, they're marketed as being healthy due to having no fat in them but are full of sugar for flavour so they're actually really unhealthy.
Spoiler
Original post by Akpatel94
I have noticed a lot of media coverage on obesity, however i personally think it depends on the individuals lifestyle choices. It seems that the UK poor seems to be facing this issue, compared to middle class. As i believe they tend to eat cheap ready meals, fast food and junk food. So is it economical to introduce a sugar tax? this will not stop the problem as cheap food with high sugar content will still be cheaper. Manufactures either reduce the size of the package or not pass on the tax to consumers. Healthy foods will still be high priced.
The issue is simple if mental health services were funded properly and sugar, fat and salt content was regulated to be below certain amounts then it would be completely down to the individual.
As that isn't the case it's the fault of the individual and state
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An awful lot of people are obese in the UK, and even more are overweight. I doubt many of these at all are so unhealthy that they actually require NHS help, (I doubt anyone who's only overweight ever has weight related issues, it tends to be morbidly obese people, which is far different from 'fat'), so I doubt the NHS argument is valid, also many people go to the NHS because of smoking and alcohol, and we don't stigmatise them (especially people who drink and party, yet I see people go to A&E for getting too drunk and doing something stupid, but that's just cool apparently).
So onto the other point, not all fat people just started one day to eat loads, some of them (especially kids when you see it) were raised by overweight people themselves and just developed bad eating habits. Of course this should be dealt with and people should try to have healthier diets, but making young people (or anybody) feel horrible for how they choose to enjoy food will just make them feel like utter crap, and we shouldn't scare people into doing what's best for them because it seems unfair to make people feel terrible about themselves.
It has no bearing on you whether some random person is fat or not, so why fuss at them about it? If they want to eat themselves into unhealthiness, then making them feel like crap probably won't help, it'll just make them sad which, guess what!, will make them eat more! If it's someone you know/care about, the situation is different and should be handled delicately, but this question wasn't about that.
If you really think fat people don't know the health risks then that's far from true. Many fat people aren't nearly dying anyway, and the last think they want is everyone to just think of them for their weight, and fussing at them over and over to lose weight will just make them feel worse. If they go on a diet give them support, tell them how great they're doing, and they may keep it up longer, but making them feel bad in the first place won't make them feel any better and often won't drive them to lose weight.
So onto the other point, not all fat people just started one day to eat loads, some of them (especially kids when you see it) were raised by overweight people themselves and just developed bad eating habits. Of course this should be dealt with and people should try to have healthier diets, but making young people (or anybody) feel horrible for how they choose to enjoy food will just make them feel like utter crap, and we shouldn't scare people into doing what's best for them because it seems unfair to make people feel terrible about themselves.
It has no bearing on you whether some random person is fat or not, so why fuss at them about it? If they want to eat themselves into unhealthiness, then making them feel like crap probably won't help, it'll just make them sad which, guess what!, will make them eat more! If it's someone you know/care about, the situation is different and should be handled delicately, but this question wasn't about that.
If you really think fat people don't know the health risks then that's far from true. Many fat people aren't nearly dying anyway, and the last think they want is everyone to just think of them for their weight, and fussing at them over and over to lose weight will just make them feel worse. If they go on a diet give them support, tell them how great they're doing, and they may keep it up longer, but making them feel bad in the first place won't make them feel any better and often won't drive them to lose weight.
I blame the animals, they taste too good.
I think people need to stop with the ridiculous rhetoric of "healthy food is more expensive than calorie laden ready meals and convenience food" ...no it's not.
I mean sure if all you're eating in a day is 4 packets of instant noodles, then yes that is far cheaper than healthy food. But in my experience this is never what people are talking about when they say "healthy" food is more expensive than their ready meals that cost £3-4 each and their chocolate and crisps and other snacks that are probably each on par or more expensive than more nutritious options such as fruit.
It's just excuses and I simply don't respect excuses.
I often find whenever I point this out that someone will come back at me saying "oh but raspberries are like £3 for a punnet!! Crisps are only £1 for a six pack"...well then don't buy raspberries then. Buy the cheaper fruit that is in season or on offer. Pretty much all supermarkets now, not just aldi/ lidl do weekly fruit and veg specials that are under £1 so no excuses please.
It's simply a choice people make to not put the effort in to be healthier.
There are a wealth of resources out there to help people understand health and nutrition and tonnes of recipes out there if you "don't know" how to cook, you just have to be bothered enough to try to find it.
I will however say I think there needs to better education in schools, not just in the theory of nutrition and health but also in the practical work of making meals and costing of shopping and how to do it all effectively and on a budget....because clearly looking at the statistics a lot of kids are not getting this education at home. And it's better to educate early and prevent a problem before it starts than to fix one once it starts.
I will also note that this post of course is talking about general overweight/ obese people. I do understand that there are obviously people out there who have serious mental health issues such as binge eating disorder and serious food addictions who need help, and obviously saying "stop making excuses" will not work for those particular people. They need a better equipped mental health services.
I mean sure if all you're eating in a day is 4 packets of instant noodles, then yes that is far cheaper than healthy food. But in my experience this is never what people are talking about when they say "healthy" food is more expensive than their ready meals that cost £3-4 each and their chocolate and crisps and other snacks that are probably each on par or more expensive than more nutritious options such as fruit.
It's just excuses and I simply don't respect excuses.
I often find whenever I point this out that someone will come back at me saying "oh but raspberries are like £3 for a punnet!! Crisps are only £1 for a six pack"...well then don't buy raspberries then. Buy the cheaper fruit that is in season or on offer. Pretty much all supermarkets now, not just aldi/ lidl do weekly fruit and veg specials that are under £1 so no excuses please.
It's simply a choice people make to not put the effort in to be healthier.
There are a wealth of resources out there to help people understand health and nutrition and tonnes of recipes out there if you "don't know" how to cook, you just have to be bothered enough to try to find it.
I will however say I think there needs to better education in schools, not just in the theory of nutrition and health but also in the practical work of making meals and costing of shopping and how to do it all effectively and on a budget....because clearly looking at the statistics a lot of kids are not getting this education at home. And it's better to educate early and prevent a problem before it starts than to fix one once it starts.
I will also note that this post of course is talking about general overweight/ obese people. I do understand that there are obviously people out there who have serious mental health issues such as binge eating disorder and serious food addictions who need help, and obviously saying "stop making excuses" will not work for those particular people. They need a better equipped mental health services.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by SophieSmall
I think people need to stop with the ridiculous rhetoric of "healthy food is more expensive than calorie laden ready meals and convenience food" ...no it's not.
I mean sure if all you're eating in a day is 4 packets of instant noodles, then yes that is far cheaper than healthy food. But in my experience this is never what people are talking about when they say "healthy" food is more expensive than their ready meals that cost £3-4 each and their chocolate and crisps and other snacks that are probably each on par or more expensive than more nutritious options such as fruit.
It's just excuses and I simply don't respect excuses.
I often find whenever I point this out that someone will come back at me saying "oh but raspberries are like £3 for a punnet!! Crisps are only £1 for a six pack"...well then don't buy raspberries then. Buy the cheaper fruit that is in season or on offer. Pretty much all supermarkets now, not just aldi/ lidl do weekly fruit and veg specials that are under £1 so no excuses please.
It's simply a choice people make to not put the effort in to be healthier.
There are a wealth of resources out there to help people understand health and nutrition and tonnes of recipes out there if you "don't know" how to cook, you just have to be bothered enough to try to find it.
I will however say I think there needs to better education in schools, not just in the theory of nutrition and health but also in the practical work of making meals and costing of shopping and how to do it all effectively and on a budget....because clearly looking at the statistics a lot of kids are not getting this education at home. And it's better to educate early and prevent a problem before it starts than to fix one once it starts.
I will also note that this post of course is talking about general overweight/ obese people. I do understand that there are obviously people out there who have serious mental health issues such as binge eating disorder and serious food addictions who need help, and obviously saying "stop making excuses" will not work for those particular people. They need a better equipped mental health services.
I mean sure if all you're eating in a day is 4 packets of instant noodles, then yes that is far cheaper than healthy food. But in my experience this is never what people are talking about when they say "healthy" food is more expensive than their ready meals that cost £3-4 each and their chocolate and crisps and other snacks that are probably each on par or more expensive than more nutritious options such as fruit.
It's just excuses and I simply don't respect excuses.
I often find whenever I point this out that someone will come back at me saying "oh but raspberries are like £3 for a punnet!! Crisps are only £1 for a six pack"...well then don't buy raspberries then. Buy the cheaper fruit that is in season or on offer. Pretty much all supermarkets now, not just aldi/ lidl do weekly fruit and veg specials that are under £1 so no excuses please.
It's simply a choice people make to not put the effort in to be healthier.
There are a wealth of resources out there to help people understand health and nutrition and tonnes of recipes out there if you "don't know" how to cook, you just have to be bothered enough to try to find it.
I will however say I think there needs to better education in schools, not just in the theory of nutrition and health but also in the practical work of making meals and costing of shopping and how to do it all effectively and on a budget....because clearly looking at the statistics a lot of kids are not getting this education at home. And it's better to educate early and prevent a problem before it starts than to fix one once it starts.
I will also note that this post of course is talking about general overweight/ obese people. I do understand that there are obviously people out there who have serious mental health issues such as binge eating disorder and serious food addictions who need help, and obviously saying "stop making excuses" will not work for those particular people. They need a better equipped mental health services.
It's a retarded assumption that to not be obese you have to eat fruits and vegetables. Wtf? how many thin people eat plenty of fruits and vegetables everyday? you only need to eat less food (of whatever quality) and possibly move more to lose weight and keep it off. You don't have to eat "healthy" whatever the hell that means. Some foods are more filling but they're not necessarily "healthy" (again, w/e that means).
Original post by doodle_333
Some people are probably genetically disposed to gaining weight but you don't become obese (excluding serious health conditions) without having a poor lifestyle. I have no problem with sugar tax if the proceeds are going to positive places which I think they are. I mean there is a lot more that needs to be done, kids and young people need to be more active, non-car transport needs to be encouraged, class etc... but why not have people pay a few pence towards making people healthier when you have a chocolate bar.
Dont kid yourself taxes are spent properly or efficiently. There is absolutely nothing our government can do properly. Well I suppose its pretty handy at pissing people off, but certainly things like NHS and immigration policy leave room for improvements to say the least.
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