BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

[Labarum]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7047244.stm

[LC_Dave]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

Of course not! LOL

Great to see some science backing up what I believe.

It's about time we take this seriously and stop beating up fatties emotionally.

I was at a brand new petrol station today. As I started pumping gas, a speaker was activation at my pump. It replayed commercials telling me to buy candy bars and pies at the shop.

I go into pay, I am surrounded everywhere by brightly coloured packets of chocolate bars. I am surrounded by 3 walls of chocolate bars. The pay counter comes up to my chest (I am 6 foot 3) and there are candy bars from the floor to my chest.


Knowing has strongly addictive carbs are - I wonder how much this stuff is affecting me?

Please tell me how it's all up to me the individual, when my society gets away scott free with any blame??

[CATBLUE]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

Ya, What he said!

[kate58]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

Yes, but......

Look at some of the suggestions they have for the government:
"a tax on fatty food"

Oh yeah, that'll solve it alright! And what about this?

"Industry was already working to put healthier products on the shelf, the report noted, while work was advanced in transforming the very make-up of food"

Transforming the makeup of food? Lovely!

It's all very well to recognise that the individual is not to blame, but if you fail to recognise the root cause and continue to push more of the same policies that caused the problem in the first place it's not progress.

[Hayden]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

A petrol station makes near to no profit on the petrol. After delivery costs, and tax. They make a sweet profit on the chocolate bars, though.

It's true though. They have chocolate bars in the supermarket checkout isles, that are set low to the floor. Just the exact, right height, for children in push chairs, and strollers to reach out and touch. I want one, Mummy! Pester power shopping, it's called.

Of course not! LOL

Great to see some science backing up what I believe.

It's about time we take this seriously and stop beating up fatties emotionally.

I was at a brand new petrol station today. As I started pumping gas, a speaker was activation at my pump. It replayed commercials telling me to buy candy bars and pies at the shop.

I go into pay, I am surrounded everywhere by brightly coloured packets of chocolate bars. I am surrounded by 3 walls of chocolate bars. The pay counter comes up to my chest (I am 6 foot 3) and there are candy bars from the floor to my chest.


Knowing has strongly addictive carbs are - I wonder how much this stuff is affecting me?

Please tell me how it's all up to me the individual, when my society gets away scott free with any blame??

[mothette]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

Some of the blame, well most of it actually, I willingly take onto myself but some of it belongs to the way things are in society. For example: The food industry is responsible in a way because of the cost of things. It's sad when sugar, carb, and filler laden foods are on sale for 99 cents and a head of broccoli is 2.49. Eating right isn't cost efficient anymore. I partly blame the FDA because of their balanced diet triangle. How is anyone supposed to maintain a healthy weight while eating what they recommend? I also blame doctors and some big weightloss companies. You pay for them to tell you to either eat like a rabbit or have them sell you their food products. Not that I don't like weight watchers, my sister lost mega weight on that but have you ever looked at their stuff in the frozen food section. Find one thing (except for their french bread pizza) without rice or pasta and it would be a miracle.

It's just sad.

[Checkers]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

True, the rest of society isn't helping me lose my booty, but I find my own self-sabotage to blame in my case, because I know better (re-starting today, again!). I think the only way to get rid of the garbage is to vote with your dollars. But I really don't think there's any way garbage food is going to go away. It's easy, sometimes tasty, and, not being 'real' food can travel in your pocket during the day. I do think that doctors and the USDA are serious culprets and are hurting those that haven't found 'the truth'. I do sometimes hear half-truths on tv when a news bit runs about how bad Atkins is and every one should eat fresh veggies, fruits and whole grains and I say HUH?(I've been a fruit and whole grain owler).

[Brook]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

I'm sorry, but I'm not one to subscribe to the belief that society is to blame for my fat It's not. The supermarkets that put the crap on the shelves aren't at fault, the manufacturers aren't at fault. The person that makes the choice to pick it up off the shelf and spend their hard earned money on it is the one at fault. If there's no market for it, there's no need to shelve it - but there is a market for it and the bigg and health problems continue as a result of people making those choices. To me it's no different than buying drugs. Just because they're available doesn't negate the choice people make to buy them vs not buy them.

They put it in birds eye view of kids- and it's still not an excuse. My kids know better than to ask/whine for that stuff. They get told 'no' every single time they do ask, and it's accompanied by a nasty snarl and a lecture from me on how if I wanted them to eat garbage, I'd have dug through the dumpster in the back for them. That's a parent's responsibility - and blaming the store for putting it there, to me, is silly. If parent's do what parents are supposed to do- which is parent- it's not going to matter what the stores put there. The kids either know they can get away with it or not.

It's true it's not cost efficient to eat healthy anymore. It's way easier to feed your family macaroni and cheese and ramen noodles when you're broke than to feed them a salad - but cost wise it is what it is. It *is* cheaper to produce ramen than it is to produce a head of broccoli. It *is* cheaper to produce a box of twinkies than it is a pound of strawberries.

And the truth is- way too many people would still choose to on the Twinkies and ramen over the broccoli and strawberries anyway- which lands the responsibility right back in the lap of the consumer.

[Hoping]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

I skimmed through the article. I think our cultures encourage eating out, because of its convenience and the economic factor. But as brook said, we have to take responsibilities for our own actions.
We make decisions whether their good or bad and we need to take responsibility for those.

[Alexa]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

I can see both points of view on this. Everyone know we have made bad food decisions in the past, but manufacturers and industrial production and marketing are to balme more now than previously, and I think this is why there has been such a change.

For example, in the book 'Fatland: How American Became the Fattest People in the World' by Greg Critser he writes about how changes to even simple foods like bread have meant people are eating far more sugar than previously. I.e. it was discovered in the 1970s that by putting corn syrup in bread it made it last longer and appear more attractive. If people don't know this but buy bread because it's a fairly healthy staple, then we can expect to see a rise in obesity.

Also, marketing is a massive industry with more ways to reach consumers than ever before. Yeah, they don't force us to pick up the chocolate or biscuits or whatever, but fruit and veg are not advertised in the same way because they are a basic product, with no brand image to pit against a rival product. There is rarely one producer of such goods, so again, no brand behind promotion. Also, they are spoilable and have a short shelf life, harvests are unpredictable - therefore they are a harder product to market and get a clear predictable profit from.

Sedentary lifestyle is also raised as a factor. Governments can do things to affect people's live in this way too. Not that I say they should burst into your house and forced you to do situps, but rather things can be done to make it easier to exercise. For example, more pavements, more street lighting meant people can and won't be afraid to walk. Protection for in town shops rather than ou of town malls could help people to drive less and walk more too. In the UK to ease NHS costs gym prescriptions to council run gyms are being given out - this is seen as cheaper than funding care for obesity related health problems.

[kit11764]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

I have to agree with Brooke. It's our choice as to what we want to put into "our" own bodies, not the grocery stores or where-ever they put the bad stuff at. As a nation I think today our socity likes to move to the blame and don't take it upon ourselves to regulate what goes in our body. I do however think that the way your raised and brought up on idea's about food has a bearing on the subject. But even if we got the "wrong" ideas from our parents/families, ie: clean your plate" those idea's can be changed. I know a lot of people love to play the blame game and do not take their own responisablity for the shape thier body is in but get real, my local grocery store did not "force" me to buy and eat the junk, I choose to and I choose wrong!! Now I am paying the cost for that but "I" did it not them. They just make it easier for you to screw up..Just my view on this.. hugs Cheryl~

[LuckyD]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

There are a lot of contributing factors to the rise in Americas weight. If it was just as simple as 'dont put it on your mouth' we wouldnt be the fattest nation. You must consider all the factors that come into play. Obesity in children is skyrocketing, in part because of bad food choices the parents make but also kids do not get enough exersize. How many kids walk to school these days if it is more than a few blocks? Parents are afraid to let their children go outside and play because there is a child molester around the corner. The generations have changed and this one now is the most sedentary. Kids are watching too much tv because they cant go outside and 'be kids', so they get brainwashed to eat crap food. Overworked two income families dont have time to prepare the proper food and feel guilty for staying away from little jr for so long they induldge them in junk food. Am I making excuses? No, this is a reality. Food companies dont give a rip if we become fat, they care about the bottom line and if that means bombarding us with images of fast cheap food and putting cheap fast food on every corner or telling the supermarket to put the cheesychocosugardoodles on the end-caps then that is what is going to happen. We are at war with this fast food/sedentary society and most of us are losing, especially the kids. We have to be strong to resist, but you know what, most people are not that strong....how many people on this board got it right the first time and never had to re-start induction again? Not many. We are committed here to do our best for ourselves and our loved ones, but if we fail it is not just about lack of will power, but the overwhelming obsticles that in our everyday lives our trying to derail us at every corner. There is so much shame and guilt in this whole battle of the bulge and there shouldnt be. We must be accountable for ourselves and use will power to overcome our bad urges, but also to realize that we are living in a society that does absolutley nothing to contribute to our well being, and everything to jeopardize it.

[ttdriver]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

I SO TOTALLY AGREE WITH BROOK!!!! Like it or not, its YOUR HAND that feeds YOUR MOUTH. Personal responsibility...DEAL WITH IT. And, for crying out loud, don't preach to your kids about good choices, BE AN EXAMPLE. You want them out there playing? Go play with them!!!! It will do both of you good! I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THE "its not my fault" mentality!!!



Betty

[LuckyD]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

My kids are all active. We are an active family. All of my 4 kids are in great shape. Not an overweight one in the bunch. I am not making excuses for myself I am talking about society in general. Its not that easy for MOST folks. If it was we wouldnt be at 1/3 of the population overweight or obese. As a society we have to look beyond the simplistic "dont put it in your mouth". I mean c'mon thats a no brainer -WE ALL KNOW THAT. Who said anything about preaching to our kids? I was referring to the times being different than a generation ago. Kids were more active.

[Brook]

Re: BBC: Obesity not our fault ???

If it were a no-brainer and if society didn't perpetuate and coddle *everyone* into the "it's not your fault" mentality, it wouldn't be an issue.

It really *is* as simple as "don't put it in your mouth". It really *is* as simple as being an example to your kids, just like Betty said. It really *is* as simple spending less time on the phone/puter/tv and an extra 15 minutes in the kitchen. It really *is* that simple and to say it's not is making excuses and allowing everyone and everything else to take the blame when that's not where it belongs.

Instead of using the electronic babysitter that will brainwash your kids- parent them. By this I mean if you know that they're learning crap by watching it - why are they watching it unsupervised??? This makes no sense to me.

Mom and dad feel guilty? That line is long, and it's still an excuse to take the easy route. Society has made the easy route all too available, - I'll give you that- but we still choose to take it, and our health and the health of our families have suffered.

I disagree. It really is that easy and it is ultimately a choice.