Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

Well I have 'middle-aged spread' and I'm keeping it,..at My age I just can't be 'arsed' dieting,but I try to eat healthily 80% of the time,and do some exercise most days...That's good enough for Me..hey,I don't want to live until I'm 90,another 10 good years will do Me fine...after that..just shoot Me ;~)

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

I used to run at least twenty miles every Sunday Linda, but I have to agree, it's a little too far to go to work and back every day.
However, the fact that the motor car was invented allowed us to consider accepting jobs further away from home.
In the village where I grew up, everyone worked in the local pit, and all the Dad's worked together, and all the children went to the local school. Mothers shopped in the same shops and were regularly seen stood together gossiping: Not much crime, you could leave your door unlocked all day without fear of being robbed: in fact, you were more likely to find some baking on the table left by the woman up the street who loved to make cakes.

But wind forward fifty years: People commute to the four corners of England, and beyond to their place of work. Kids attend the school they consider the best, not the nearest, thereby having to use transport [probably a car] to get there; blocking the roads and preventing the children from walking to school. Mothers shop in their preferred supermarket, regardless of distance, so most local shops have closed or turned into a charity shops. Local people hardly ever meet, they don't know the names of people who live two doors away, let alone the next street. Doors must always be kept locked, and CCTV is evident in quite a few houses in an attempt to stop the local burglar from clearing you out while you are out.
I say 'Local Burglar' but the invention of the motor car means he can travel from anywhere, and make off with larger items.

Yes I stand by my statement; The motor car is responsible for many things, including Obesity........

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

I do agree with you about the car, Robert. I went for a while a couple of years ago without a car, and I was two stone lighter . It does make you very lazy.

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

Catch them when they're young.
Teach about healthy eating, sugar and salt dangers, and for god's sake teach them how to cook!!!
An entire generation, maybe even two, has grown up with little idea about cooking easy healthy meals.
Jamie Oliver you still have lots to do!

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

No, it's not cars... it's far more than that. Maybe it's possible it slowly caused a problem over the last 100 or so years, but it goes beyond that type of convenience. And I think that's the key word here - convenience.

Besides being able to sit in a chair that rides on wheels that will take you from point A to point B, there is modern technology, which I feel is a huge part of the problem. It started with remote control televisions and progressed from there. You didn't have to get up off the couch to change the channel. Now you don't have to get out of your car to open the garage. You can even open blinds and drapes with the push of a button. These days pretty much everything is done for you.

Kids don't go outside and play anymore, they sit in their rooms on their computers and xboxes. And why walk a few blocks to a friend's house? Just text them, it's easier. Even adults sit on their computers instead of getting up and moving. Not just at home, but at work as well, since fewer and fewer jobs require physical labor. And since many families these days have 2 working parents, nobody wants to go home and cook a meal; it's more convenient to pick something up on the way home, which usually consists of sugar-laden/sodium-laden/fat-laden foods. And let's not forget how everything is super-sized these days.

Vehicles aside, which are essential for survival (if you can't get to work, you don't make money), I think people have just gotten lazy. Period. I'm guilty of it myself. If I can turn on a TV or a light or open a garage door with a remote, I'm going to do it.

I really don't think it's anymore complicated than this right here: people have gotten lazier, food has become unhealthier (and larger) and when you put those two things together, it becomes a dangerous combination.

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

Good post, Linda!

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

Thank you, my dear

It's really quite simple - if you're moving less (which we are) but still eating the same amount of calories, it's going to add up and pile on. And again, with food portions that have doubled and even tripled over the last 30 years, people are consuming WAY more calories than they need for their level of activity. Even those who claim they work out regularly can't keep the weight off. Well it's no wonder... you go work your butt off at the gym and burn 500 or so calories, then you leave the gym and go eat all of those calories back (and then some) and you've just completely undone everything you were trying to accomplish.

That and people get stuck in patterns. They feel comfortable stuffing their faces while doing nothing and it becomes habit. And habits are hard to break, once they become part of you.

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

Cars are not essential and they are expensive to run. I rode the 11 or 14 km to work on my bike for 30 years until I retired, it is good exercise and doesn't cause expensive road maintenance or congestion either.

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

Well, cars are essential for SOME of us, let me put it that way. I'm not going to walk to the grocery store and carry home a ton of groceries in a backpack, LOL

Re: Obesity to be a big problem soon.

For one thing we shouldn't be sat here now typing, we should be outside in the lovely sunshine taking a walk or gardening?In my opinion all children by law should have a program of activity throughout the week that they should take. I'm classed as obese on the BMI Chart. I've been up and down that chart all my life and can diet, i was dieting a few weeks ago as i had put 1.1/2 stone on since last summer. But something happens then you fall behind again.. I hate been big as i know i look nice slimmer.. so it's up to me to stick to the diet..
When i was at upper school i was a size 14 and then, that was classed as quite big back in the 60's. Now that's more like average?
Too much junk food, too many easy to get your hands on food, drinks sweets, crisps this is aimed especially at the younger one's in advert's and supermarket's...
Even the Dentist's are constantly telling parent's their childs teeth are deteriorating!
At least when we were younger we had wholesome food and played out...