Is enough being done to curb obesity?

Hecateh · Foundation Stone Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 2006

What should be done to turn around a possible epidemic and who is responsible? Can the tide be reversed?

The Health Secretary Alan Johnson has said that obesity in the UK is a "potential crisis on the scale of climate change".

A government study has emerged which says that half of the British population could be obese within 25 years.

Are you struggling with obesity? What would help? Should changes be made at home or would government action make a real difference?

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“You can complain because roses have thorns, or you can rejoice because thorns have roses.”
- Ziggy
Made my 1000 miles walking in 8 months rather than the year of my target. Woo Hoo.

Nannyp · Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:00 pm Post subject:

I am obese.
I am healthy and reasonably fit.
I can run up and down my stairs.
I walk a couple of miles a day.

I think that there are so many layers to this problem.
I think that there are cultural beliefs about obesity which create an obsession around weight and food, and in Western women these beliefs suggest they should be slim. In other cultures being big and having large bottoms is a sign of wealth, health and prosperity. Read a great book called, "The Obesity Myth" by Paul Campos....great stuff here about the diet industry and especially interesting stuff about Weightwatchers and their plan to attract black women who are incredibly under represented in their membership and who are under represented in anorexic circles.

Add to this the familial beliefs and practices around nourishment, food and weight. For instance, and anorexic (ish) mother who feeds her family fattening foods whilst worshiping thinness. Or the mother who overfeeds her family to show how much she loves them. Or the mother who has no idea about how much to feed her children and underfeeding them, so that they frequently remain hungry after eating. Or the mother who breastfeeds, but dislikes breastfeeding, so ends the session before the baby is satiated. The baby then ends up forever feeling there is never enough and as a consequence over eats.

The Obesity Myth

dragonfly · Pioneer Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 1507 Location: Wales

Some people are ment to be bigger than others arent they.

Why should the government be blamed cos i can not leave the chocolate and shreddies alone? Does gordon brown walk in my house this time of night and force feed me? NO.

Maybe they should take it all off the market... you know we could have black market dealings in sugar coated sweeties and chocolate fudge cake!!
(sorry that was my sarcasm for the day lol)