Indeed, obesity is getting to be the biggest problem for the population, with its attendant problems of diabetes, lack of exercise and therefore imobility, over the long term. In fact, immobility/inactivity in the elderly has become the biggest killer over cardiac problems and cancers combined. This will only increase down the age scale as more and more people become less active at a younger age. The lack of nutrition in the working classes, with a diet of MacDonalds, etc.., and very little fresh food and vitamins, and excessive salts and sugars, may do wonders for branded companies profits, but it falls on the NHS and the taxpayers to fund these bad lifestyles. Now, if the recent [tory] governments took things seriously, and actually gave a ****, they would realise that it is actually cheaper to properly educate and inform, feed, clothe and employ those they, at present, practically seek to cordon off, which include the dregs of society, because we would end up with a more responsible, informed, educated, healthy, cared for and caring, and most importantly, from the Exchequer's point of view, a 'taxpaying' population. But of course, they only look three to six years down the line, and if there is no perceived benefit to them being re-elected they won't do it. What they see as beneficial is approving the takeover of companies by dodgy prospective owners or letting others go to the wall, or systematically, by the back door, dismantling the independent BBC, or making sure the Queen's palaces [sorry, the Nation's palaces, that's a laugh] are spick and span. Call me cynical.
Just want to check what you're arguing. Am I right in thinking that you're saying smoking doesn't cause lung cancer? Vin
Education about health has only a limited effect....everyone knows smoking, over eating, eating badly, over drinking, recreational drugs and lack of exercise are bad for your long term health, but people still go on doing it. We should still go on trying because some will be saved from themselves, but evidence suggests that the majority won't. Increased money aimed at making sport accessible to more young people would be a good start....also helps self esteem and gives them occupation. Like all things I suppose there are multiple answers but no one right answer.
Talking of weight, is it fair that a 75kg passenger with a suitcase weighing say 30kg has to pay excess baggage, whereas a 110kg passenger with 25kg case doesn't? Surely the fine is for the extra fuel on the plane?
I do believe that people above a certain girth should have to buy 2 tickets....seats are so narrow that any overflow causes problems for their neighbours. People who struggle in plane seats have spoken out in the past about being humiliated, but sometimes humiliation is what is needed. What concerns me is how young some of these people are. You generally put on weight slowly as you get older, so where are these massive twenty-year-olds going to end up. I looked at the pictures of race goers at the National in the press....I am a plump older woman and I would be ashamed to be their size. I'm hoping that they thought the same if they saw a copy.
I am with you 100% there Fran. The older you get the more difficult it is to keep weight off. Also, the older you get the more content with life you get etc, etc. What I find disturbing are the 20 somethings that aren't just a little over weight from enjoying life, but completely obese. The long term damage to their internal organs and joints will probably mean very few will reach retirement. For some there may be medical reasons, but for others it is all self inflicted. We shouldn't live in a 'nanny state' where we get stopped from eating what we want etc, but we need to do something to stop this. Education, sports programs or even making them pay for 2 seats on a plane may go some way towards that. Whilst I'm on my soap box, in about 15-20 years time, I think we will be a nation of deaf people. The years of the 'iPod generation' and constant loud headphone use will take affect. As a half deaf (less than 50% hearing on one ear, 100% in the other, caused by working in a bar) person who wears an aid, I cannot believe more is not being said about this. Invest in Phonak, Starkey, Siemens etc shares now, or if anyone is in their early 20s looking for a career, study to be an Audiologist! It's the future. I'll step down now
I note there is pressure to reduce sugar and fat content in chocolate bars....and probably ruin the flavour This is ridiculous....reduce both in foods where it may be hidden (such as yogurt, baked beans, fizzy drinks etc), but it's not exactly hidden in a Mars bar....everyone knows that isn't a health food. So the flavour is to be changed in a treat for responsible people in the vain hope that some fatty will lose weight if their 3 choccy bars per day have slightly less fat and sugar.
https://uk.yahoo.com/news/gun-store-owners-see-drop-021025603.html There has been a drop in gun sales since Trump was elected....apparently Americans were alarmed that their Second Amendment rights would be curtailed under Obama and they stockpiled guns. Most alarming was the bit at the end...there is usually a spike in gun sales at Xmas as they are given as gifts. Yep, nothing reflects the teachings of Jesus like an assault rifle.
I miss proper filled Easter eggs. You used to crack the egg open to find it filled with chocolates in either special trays or shredded paper. I know it's for production reasons and I am being illogical, but empty and identical eggs with Maltesers, Crunchies etc thrown into the box is not the same. It isn't, it isn't, it isn't.
I couldn't agree more. Get rid of the hidden fats and sugars before you start messing with our incredible shrinking chocolate bars. What I've never understood is why people say it's the poorer people who have a poor diet and eat junk food (takeaways/ready meals). It's cheaper to make your own meals. How can they afford it?
Laziness. That is all it is. Why spend a couple of hours making an amazing balanced meal when you can be 3 or 4 clicks from a pizza.
That's why I get cross about stories of kids coming to school without breakfast. No need for it. Takes a bit of careful shopping and a minimum of cooking to eat cheaply (and still healthily). A bag of porridge is about £1. Pint of milk is less than 50p. Cheap baked beans (an excellent food) cost pence. Takeaways are not the answer....unless you are in temporary B&B of course. Always comes down to bad parenting...not that that helps the poor kids of course.
There will also be a generation of people who walk with a stoop and have arthritic fingers and thumbs through the use of mobiles for texting or gaming, whilst walking around the streets.
Not as bad as sitting at a desk for 7 hours a day for 12 years at school, then 8 hours a day for 40 years at work.
Ooh - don't get me started on this one. Once had a stand-up row with Air France ground crew concerning just that ...................
And another one of my pet peeves - people with earpods in but whose music is still blaring out so I can hear it ......... I want to tap them on the shoulder and tell them they'll be deaf by the time they're 50 ............ Must get down off soapbox - but I could rail on and on about how young obese people are - it's actually frightening. Don't they care?
On a recent trip to the US we had to take an extra bag for my daughter (who lives there - it was full of her crap), but that 20kg cost me £79. the guy behind me in the queue was easily 30-40kg heavier than me, but as he had only one bag, didn't have to pay anything. Not really fair as me and my bags weighed less than him and his...
You're right, it is laziness. But why are we lazy when we know that if we labour and/or exercise or participate in a sport, we will be fitter, our brains better able to concentrate, and we will be healthier. Yet I'll bet that there is not one person reading this sentence who is under-weight. Being over-weight can lead to consequences of slacker brains, and being more and more over-weight with long term health issues. Perhaps we could do do a poll.? Btw, the country with one of the best and healthiest diets, yet were amongst the poorest in the 1st world are from the Mediterranean, and they invented pizza. So how does that compute.? Because real pizza isn't bad for you in a balanced mediterranean diet. A cheesed-out, gooey over stuffed American version of it is. And that's the version most think of as pizza today, and the one most people are 3-4 clicks away from.
Because they are generally the least informed and educated. And because they are the least educated they are least able to assimilate basic good advice which these days isn't forth coming unless you look for it. But why bother.? What is going to change when you are poor and have few options.? Besides, why step outside your sphere when you have more examples or people seemingly getting along well enough, sat on the sofa, watching SKY football, drinking cans of lager, eating MacDonalds. Hey, they seem to be having a good time. It's not my idea of fun, but I can certainly see how people [from all levels of income, incidentally] can be sucked into that lifestyle.
