The UK has been declared the 'fattest' country in Europe by our ever expanding waistlines....what therefore

Question

can be done about this and what do you think has contributed to the unhealthy lifestyles of the British?

Answer 1

There should be more education about eating healthly and more available 'cheap' healthy foods. Its so easy to buy micro meals in a supermarket two for the price of one, when you are on a budget and short on time which most people are they are the attractive option. Rather than forking out a fortune on healthy food and not having a clue what to do with it.

Its also down to poor parenting the amount of obsese kids that have been in the media recently. And all but one of them has been because of food. One mother said that her 6 year old son turned to food after his parents divorced. No six year old shops for themselves, if his mother had thought to involve him in sports etc and feed him on fruit and vegetables as snacks rather than chocolate then he wouldnt be in that state.

I have always had a healthy appetite but have never had a problem with my weight because I never ate unhealthly and took part in a lot of sports and dancing.

Now I take the stance that a little of what you like does you good. People need more will power and better education rather than banning junk food off the face of the planet

Answer 2

What has contributed to UK being fat:

Well, ask any foreigner and they'll always describe England as "work crazy". That is, we all work like idiots over here, with scant time for ourselves. The more we work, the less time we have to exercise etc (since most jobs are desk-based) so this is major contributor to people being fat in my opinion.

Also, there is a huge amount of sensationalism over diets, etc. All are fads made to make money and sell magazines. That is it. We have a generation - and culture - of people too niave and insecure to know/realise any better, so most people think if they try some pointless diet, it will work, even though it wont. But then these same morons dont know that they need to exercise as well. So this lame "diet" does nothing, and then back it is to eating crap again...

People do not realise that to keep yourself at a healthy weight (and look good, rather than fat/skinny) you need to eat balanced foods and exercise. Its just, this is very dull, and people like "quick fixes" (which do not exist) so the REAL method to lose weight and get a good body are not broadcast in the media. So no one knows. This sounds ridiculous, but remember just how important the media is. If it didnt exist, we would only know as far as the bottom of our streets..

What can be done? Not a lot. If people want to be fat it is their choice. If they are intuitive enough to actually go out and research what to do about their weight - and then act on it - then good for them.

Perhaps, like in Japan, we should make it mandatory for all businesses to do half an hour exercise sessions for all employees in the morning. Or put a super tax on all foods (within reason) which contain over 8% fat, 20% sugar, 1% salt, or over a certain amount of calories. This will mean healthy foods should become cheaper, and crappy foods (like chocolate, crisps, sweets, pizza, fast food, etc) will become much more expensive.

There probably wont be a solution, because the main problem is difficult to resolve: how do you stop people from being lazy?

Answer 3

Sloppy lifestyle - TV dinners - junk food - lack of food education - the food industry jumping on the bandwagon promoting more and more 'convenience' food. Doesn't ANYONE cook well balanced meals anymore? Things won't improve until children are taught how to cook, not just prepare quick snacks, which is what's happening at the moment in the UK schools.

Answer 4

Nothing can be done, just get fat, die early, simple.
The percentage of the population that does eat healthy meals will survive, and hopefully will retain this healthier outlook. For those that are obese now, especially at a young age, there is probably nothing that can be done, the damage is already done.
A sad way to control your population. But at least, in twenty years time, you won't have an aged care problem.

People know the risks, they know what they feed their children, and they know what they should be feeding their children. More should be done to combat this blatant apathy and the obesity problem will cure itself.

Answer 5

no one knows how to cook . taking home economics off the circiculum has had a real bad effect on our eating habits. i can only cook the basics but the real reason that our eating habits have gone down the pan is lack of time. mums and dads are both working full time to provide and no time is the excuse they give for not cooking. perhaps free lessons in the evening on nutrition and cheap quick easy meals may be part of the answer i for one would be interested !. but also we all need to cut our cloth forget the new car every year and the foreign holidays and 1 parent stay at home to raise their children to provide for their wellbeing not just the latest computer game. after all that is what the working family tax credits and child tax credits is for in my eyes. i can do it WHY CAN'T YOU ?????

Answer 6

WOW! We are doing good, we can add that to the highest rate of heart disease, highest rate of teenage pregnancies, top of the league for binge drinking, highest tax rate (not sure on this one but it feels like it) etc etc...
I think the standards of education and parenting skills (or lack off should I say) are probably the major contributing factors.
Lets have a big round of applause for the British government for being top of so many tables that we shouldn't be proud of.

Answer 7

Burger King? Not enough walking and good sexual work-outs? I'm serious!

I am not trying to be insulting to the British! We have lots of fast food places in the USA, and 47 million Americans lack ANY health care because of the system and insurance/pharmaceutical companies. Many have bad teeth because of poor diets.

Answer 8

A pint of bitters at the bar and then home to the wife's stodgy English food. What is there to wonder? So get rid of all the English cooks, bring in Chinese chefs with their delicious vegetable and tofu dishes and wash it down with Perrier.

Answer 9

If the BNP ever got here to capability and started throwing human beings in another u . s . a . i could think of that many different international locations could throw out and ban human beings from the united kingdom for a initiate.

Answer 10

I thought you folks ate leaner than us Americans. But I guess not, just enjoy the horn o' plenty as others are not in the same situation.