Obesity "not individuals' fault"

[Nibble]

Ok, All my ranting and rudeness aside I am trying to find some easily interpreted charts or at least comparison figures that I can post and will get them posted asap.

 

[Nibble]

http://www.sasi.group.shef.ac.uk/worldmapper/posters/worldmapper_map213_ver5.pdf

 

[Lady Whistledown]

<bleeeeeeeeeeep>
"The fingers you have used to dial, are too fat. To order a special dialling wand, please mash the keypad with your palm....now"

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Treble yum!

 

[Lokki 7]

 

[Simster]

http://www.sasi.group.shef.ac.uk/worldmapper/posters/worldmapper_map213_ver5.pdf

That's public health spending - not spending on health education. And anyway I see that Spain don't feature and you held them up as an example of high spending.

On the face of it, it seems that Bozza was right to question your "facts" I'm afraid.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

Fancy one of these?

 

[Nibble]

http://www.finfacts.ie/biz10/healthdata06_charts.pdf


I think Spain is the only country mentioned earlier that spends marginaly less on public health care than Uk

 

[Les Biehn]

Fancy one of these?

He is nice but I would prefer the burger.

 

[tip top]

 

[Nibble]

That's public health spending - not spending on health education. And anyway I see that Spain don't feature and you held them up as an example of high spending.

On the face of it, it seems that Bozza was right to question your "facts" I'm afraid.

I believe someone asked for a chart on Health spending but I will get you some charts on health education.

 

[DIFFBROOK]

I think the message is wrong. We do need to take responsibility for our lives. But Govt policies can help us make those choices. For example, both parents these days tend to work all the hours under the sun, and because of the lack of hours in the day simply serve up a supermarket ready meal or pizza. There was a time when the mother would have stayed at home to look after the kids, make sure they were ok, kept a responsible eye on them (i.e not mischief making) and preparing a home cooked meal (and knowing whats in it).

What we need are Govt policies (much better maternity/paternity leave for example) that will allow a parent (it could be a house husband) to spend more time at home. There should be better School classes on home economics and healthy eating, plus parenting classes on bringing kids (not just plonking them down with a playstation, but playing with them in parks, cycling etc)

Govt does need to improve cycling lanes, encourage kids to walk to school etc. But there is also a big big responsibilty on all of us too. Basically our generation and the one before that have simply absolved ourselves of any responsibility. Its always some other buggers fault. We are now reaping the rewards of unruly kids and obese ones. Probably 80% is our responsibility, with say 20% the Govt helping us to make the right choices

 

[Tooting Gull]

This thread would have been more interesting if the facts had been there to confirm/rubbish some prejudices.

For instance, I've always thought that in Italy the grannies may all be fat old mammas, but they live to a ripe old age because they eat better food using better ingredients and use only very good olive oil. Is this true, or have I just been watching too many mafia films.

 

[Bozza]

This thread would have been more interesting if the facts had been there to confirm/rubbish some prejudices.

For instance, I've always thought that in Italy the grannies may all be fat old mammas, but they live to a ripe old age because they eat better food using better ingredients and use only very good olive oil. Is this true, or have I just been watching too many mafia films.

Too many Olivio adverts possibly.

 

[Bozza]

Govt does need to improve cycling lanes, encourage kids to walk to school etc. But there is also a big big responsibilty on all of us too. Basically our generation and the one before that have simply absolved ourselves of any responsibility. Its always some other buggers fault. We are now reaping the rewards of unruly kids and obese ones. Probably 80% is our responsibility, with say 20% the Govt helping us to make the right choices

Can you remind me about who chooses the government?

(Some very good points, anyway)

 

[sten_super]

There are many on here (someone did mention it) about the concept of the 'Nanny State' (a lazy phrase, incidentally, created by a lazy media without a huge amount of meaning or value to it), and that some people don't like being told what to do.

The point is, we live in a society which, by and large, doesn't take responsibility for its actions and considerations - from food to health to smoking to alcoholism to re-cycling to dropping litter to clearing up dog shit. Some people look for a lead from the government about a whole range of issues, then complain when they are told stuff they don't like. 'It's a Nanny State...!':

I used the term as part of an explanation of my wider politics. It has nothing to do with this topic particularly; but I have a hatred of all interventionist policies. Governments are generally a waste of space in my opinion; there to correct market failures, yet all they do is create government failure. But really that's a debate for another time.

Certain individuals did try and take the lead with this obesity, education and health issue. Jamie Oliver springs to mind. Irritating git though he can be, I thought his programmes on improving children's nutrition were superb. And while he had a certain amount of success, you had mothers actively going against his and various nutritionists' adivce and passing fish & chips through the school gates etc. I was appalled by that - to me that is tantamount to child abuse.

My point is that there are people who just do not want to be educated, and point-blank refuse to take heed. Admittedly, many now have sugar and salt cravings on account of their awful diet. However, we ALL (government and individuals) must take responsibility.

Jamie Oliver led a campaign to bring healthier food into schools. This succeeded... but now take-up of school diners is down across the board, as children are taking packed lunches or finding other ways to get the food that they want.

 

[Lokki 7]

For instance, I've always thought that in Italy the grannies may all be fat old mammas, but they live to a ripe old age because they eat better food using better ingredients and use only very good olive oil. Is this true, or have I just been watching too many mafia films.

I always thought that in Sweden, good looking young ladies eat nothing but beaver to stay trim. Or have i just been watching too many specialist films?

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Homer: I'm looking for something loose and billowy, something comfortable for my first day of work.

Salesman: Work, huh? Let me guess. Computer programmer, computer magazine columnist, something with computers?

Homer: Well, I use a computer.

Salesman: [quietly, to self] Yeah, what's the connection? Must be the non-stop sitting and snacking.
[more audibly] Well, sir, many of our clients find pants confining, so we offer a range of alternatives for the ample gentleman: ponchos, muumuus, capes, jumpsuits, unisheets, muslim body rolls, academic and judicial robes --

Homer: I don't want to look like a weirdo. I'll just go with a muumuu.

 

[Tooting Gull]

I always thought that in Sweden, good looking young ladies eat nothing but beaver to stay trim. Or have i just been watching too many specialist films?

I see what you did there. Took it in a whole, different direction. Well played.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

I think the message is wrong. We do need to take responsibility for our lives. But Govt policies can help us make those choices. For example, both parents these days tend to work all the hours under the sun, and because of the lack of hours in the day simply serve up a supermarket ready meal or pizza. There was a time when the mother would have stayed at home to look after the kids, make sure they were ok, kept a responsible eye on them (i.e not mischief making) and preparing a home cooked meal (and knowing whats in it).

What we need are Govt policies (much better maternity/paternity leave for example) that will allow a parent (it could be a house husband) to spend more time at home. There should be better School classes on home economics and healthy eating, plus parenting classes on bringing kids (not just plonking them down with a playstation, but playing with them in parks, cycling etc)

Govt does need to improve cycling lanes, encourage kids to walk to school etc. But there is also a big big responsibilty on all of us too. Basically our generation and the one before that have simply absolved ourselves of any responsibility. Its always some other buggers fault. We are now reaping the rewards of unruly kids and obese ones. Probably 80% is our responsibility, with say 20% the Govt helping us to make the right choices

In the South East high house prices have not helped, this forces in a lot of cases both parents to be out working all day. Also people's aspirations have gone up, must have a new car, must go on holiday this is another reason why both parents have to work.
But we know it can take not much longer to cook a healthy meal as it does to cook an unhealthy ready meal.