Obesity

[NMH]

I don't think that is strictly true. I know of two old people whose doctors had them as clinically obese. One died at 94 and the other has their 95th birthday this November and still going strong. Most old people in an old people's home are overweight because they cannot walk around as well so therefore cannot exercise.

Well then, those are hardly good examples, since they probably weren't obese or unfit until the time they reached an age they could no longer exercise.
Most people would like to live a slim or at least fit life, until the point they can no longer do anything ....EXCEPT enjoy food!
Sounds good to me - be fit until I'm 95, then when I can no longer walk, feed me brilliant cakes and trifles, casseroles, wine, curry etc, then I can put on those pounds whilst having a great time. All I'll miss by booking out a little earlier, is a couple more years in a wheelchair having my nappies changed and a colostomy bag fitted.

 

[NMH]

We have the worst diet in the whole of Europe period.

The french are scoffing the souffle, creme broulee, camambert and goose-liver pate thinking that delicious stuff is good for them?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

What I really can't understand is why any very young child should be obese in the first place. Only in the first couple of years of their life it is so easy to keep them away from junk food. My son didn't know chocolate existed until he was nearly 2 and someone gave him an Easter egg! Likewise with crisps, cake and fizzy pop which simply didn't get bought in the first place.

Reminds me of an incident at the in-laws. My father-in-law fed my then 18-month old son chocolate - despite our protests ("it's only a bit of chocolate" "look at him - he loves it" etc). We were just about to head home when there was a Matilda style rumbling ................. and my son vomited this brown sludge all over their settee ........... I resisted the obvious comment - but my father-in-law then said "he must have had an upset tummy" ...........

 

[Les Biehn]

I had a veggie burger last. Was nice.

 

[tedebear]

The cheap deals in the supermarket are a problem, like a few people above I am gobsmacked when I nose about looking in other peoples shopping trolleys. We buy as little as possible from the supermarket - washing powder, loo roll, etc...and maybe the frozen veg (peas, beans etc.) but most else comes from the greengrocer in town and the butcher. It is harder work to buy better, and or grow our own, and it does require more work than just throwing something in the oven, but isn't it worth it for the sake of your own health (and our son)?

What confuses me - is what has happened to the human nature in that speed and ease of getting something from freezer to mouth, has over taken taste, quality and health in terms of importance?

 

[Bevendean Hillbilly]

The cheap deals in the supermarket are a problem, like a few people above I am gobsmacked when I nose about looking in other peoples shopping trolleys. We buy as little as possible from the supermarket - washing powder, loo roll, etc...and maybe the frozen veg (peas, beans etc.) but most else comes from the greengrocer in town and the butcher. It is harder work to buy better, and or grow our own, and it does require more work than just throwing something in the oven, but isn't it worth it for the sake of your own health (and our son)?

What confuses me - is what has happened to the human nature in that speed and ease of getting something from freezer to mouth, has over taken taste, quality and health in terms of importance?

I blame Thatcher.

 

[NMH]

I don't know, but another poster above suggested that ye olde natural fare is not tasty enough to fat thyself with, and that new taste-enhanced foods are the reason for fatnesses.

That battery meats and veg are hormonally enhanced to make them grow, may have a lot more to do with it than taste. Chickens that hold water-weight might have them weigh an extra 15%, and if an animal's fodder is doctored hormonally to make it grow to enormous size, then by consuming that same animal, we are asking for the same result. Hormone additives should be revealed for what they do, as cancer has been connected with hormone supplements before now.

I have little problem with recipes and pre-made sauces that contain ingredients of flavour, such as a little salt, butter, and garlic - but monosodium glutemate and other artificial sweeteners and flavour-enhancers are another kettle.
And why artificially colour my salmon pink? Am I stupid to need a psychedelic meat department so I'll look at the lovely bright colours before I select? Do I really need to consume carnauba wax on my every apple or pear, just so the supermarket can attract shiny happy morons who think better fruits shine like diamonds on shiny happy trees?

The thing is, we buy visually, but that's not one of the senses that gets much out of the actual consumption of food.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

It really is that simple - yet fatties make it sound so much harder.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Exactly.

My child went to a birthday party aged 5 and was given one of those mini boxes of smarties and had no idea they were for eating, they thought it was a marble style game.

That said, the young children now that are obese are the products of parents who have no idea about nutrition for all sorts of reasons - not taught properly in schools, raised in a family where mum/dad don't cook, lazy etc. It's really shocking talking to some people at baby yoga. Our babies are 8-15 months and one of them mums was going out for lunch, fine, and she said I haven't got anything for her (baby) I'll give her a few chips from my plate. Ugh.

it is easy to get really angry about this type of parenting but unfortunately some people just don't know any better... my sister had a birthday party for my 3 year old niece last month and of the 38 children there only 4 would eat any of the olives that the caterers had been asked to provide as snacks

 

[ozzygull]

I don't know weather I have been just lucky.

My self and my 5 year old have never been over weight. Since she was born she has been the perfect size for her age and height.

I don't subscribe to the no sweets or junk food at all.

She is given sweets crisps and chocolate and taken to Mc Donald’s. But she knows these are treats and she knows that having them to often is not good for her.
I prefer to teach her that she can have nice things, but not to access. Rather then give her no exposure.

She is a bit fussy but her meals are balanced. I never force her to finish, a good effort is fine, If she says she is hungry latter and she has not finished her dinner then she is offered fruit.

The other thing is exercise; we ride bikes, go swimming, go to the park and go for walks. She plays football and does ballet. But she does get to watch 40 Mins of TV a day, if there is time.

Everything comes right down Balance.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Everything comes right down Balance.

Is the key word.

Its amazing how much you hear people moan about being overweight when they go to Mcdonalds etc everyday.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

So I suppose you could re-open the debate about if pissed and enter a pub the barman could refuse if obese and enter McDonalds you are served food ?

I think this should happen, why should Tax money be paid to people that cant use self control?

Its the same with smokers and alcohol abuse.

 

[Lady Bracknell]

There comes a point when you have to let your children have some autonomy over what they eat and from school age onwards I found that the children whose parents banned ALL eating of sweets and the occasional burger at Macdonalds tended to become obsessed with the idea of getting their little hands on forbidden foods.

But the way round this was to have reasonable restrictions. So for my sons, sweets were allowed once a week and we took an occasional trip to Macdonalds in the school holidays. That way they didn't feel deprived of junk food but also had a comparison to go on. As it turned out, home cooked healthy grub was actually preferred!

There are significant cultural influences though. Because when we first started taking our holidays in France & Italy the boys were a bit baffled about why tobacconists and newsagents didn't stock bags of crisps and cans of pop. Then they realised that neither French nor Italian kids walk around all day armed with unnecessary snacks to stuff themselves with in between meals.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

it... my sister had a birthday party for my 3 year old niece last month and of the 38 children there only 4 would eat any of the olives that the caterers had been asked to provide as snacks

Caterers for a three year-olds party - and olives as snacks.

Sorry Moshe old boy - but that made me smile. Times have changed.

 

[tedebear]

There comes a point when you have to let your children have some autonomy over what they eat and from school age onwards I found that the children whose parents banned ALL eating of sweets and the occasional burger at Macdonalds tended to become obsessed with the idea of getting their little hands on forbidden foods.

But the way round this was to have reasonable restrictions. So for my sons, sweets were allowed once a week and we took an occasional trip to Macdonalds in the school holidays. That way they didn't feel deprived of junk food but also had a comparison to go on. As it turned out, home cooked healthy grub was actually preferred!

I hope that'll happen here too - Arthurs has a few treats, and he will ask someone for a crisp if we're out and about and someone has some, he hasn't had smarties or horrible fake juice though. He hasn't had McDonalds or that sort of fast food yet, we eat good home cooked food at home, and when we're out he sometimes get a little treat - like rice pudding - his favourite!!. I'm not going to adamantly enforce a zero tolerence on junk food, like you say he'll probably sneak out under cover of darkness to the 24 hr junk shop and gorge himself silly...

Same goes for alcohol, I often think if parents shared a responsibile glass with their teenage kids at home, whether we'd have less issues with drink in general? I wonder if they have the same problem in France with alcohol? I'd guess not but I don't know...

 

[Lady Bracknell]

I must confess to being amused by the Food Police Parents who would stand behind the chairs of their children at parties, firmly removing forbidden foods from their plates and attempting to interest them in the delights of what was to come when back home. The classic overheard underwhelming offer being "But we've got lovely brussel tops and mung beans for supper so you don't need those horrid biscuits".

Most people I knew managed to put on a party tea that struck a balance between truly unedifying (albeit healthy) nosh and plates of complete crap. However, a party tea isn't complete without SOME deliciously unhealthy snacks and I think you have to accept this as an occasional treat and leave the children to enjoy a party. My youngest (who was one of those children who get hyper on food colourings and too much sugar) knew the consequences and, when I picked him up from parties would solemnly announce "I'm going to be a proper little sod tonight, Mum". And he usually was...

 

[tedebear]

A party is a party rightly said Roz, a party is a party for a reason, treats a plenty!! Kind of loses its "speciality" when its served 24/7 at home....

 

[Starry]

it is easy to get really angry about this type of parenting but unfortunately some people just don't know any better... my sister had a birthday party for my 3 year old niece last month and of the 38 children there only 4 would eat any of the olives that the caterers had been asked to provide as snacks

I find it all quite sad.

My oldest two children are school aged and often have friends home for tea. I get my kids involved in the cooking as much as possible and one of their favourite things is to make their own nuggets. I given them chunks of breast and they smash up some cornflakes to use as coating. Then we make our own salad and sometimes own wedges/chips. We made this meal with one of my sons friends and I was mortified to learn that that dinner became the topic of discussion from him in Show and Tell at school and he was telling them how Cal's mum is the chicken nugget fairy and that chicken nuggets come from our house.

I agree with Roz, a party is a party and is the perfect time for that once in a while treat. My children have much excitement over parties because they know it's a chance for them to have squash, crisps, sweets etc that they don't have at home.

 

[The British National Party]

Yes, so why isn't she classed as obese then and social services put her in care ?

What would you say or do if your children were hideously fat and the social services said we're taking them into care. It’s got nothing to do with you what other people do. You should worry about your own family instead of preaching about others.

 

[Yorkie]

Well then, those are hardly good examples, since they probably weren't obese or unfit until the time they reached an age they could no longer exercise.

They're very good examples because Ned's Gran (the 94 yr old) and my StepMum (95 in Nov) have always been overweight.