Big birds in Britain

[AB Asks]

British women are the fattest women in Europe a report has revealed. 23 per cent of women are clinically obese and men don't fare much better with 22.3 per cent of them being clinically obese. Experts say unless obesity is tackled now an entire generation will face many obesity related ailments such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Obesity is a very current issue in Britain, not only among adults but also with children. Why is this issue most prominent in Britain?

[yolande]

Is it absolutely necessary in your post to refer to women as birds? It is a post about obesity - why is the title focussed on women?

[CT]

Ditto above. How old are you?
In answer to the question, we're a lazy nation. Everyone is beginning to realise this. Government, NHS, the public etc. Not just lazy however, the availability of easy fattening foods doesn't help.

[vehelpfulguy]

I have travelled a lot round Europe on business and many women in other European countries are slim and dress very well.

In Holland and Nordic countries many women ride push bikes and this helps to keep their bodies slim. When was the last time you saw a UK girl on a push bike ?

Other European countries also eat much better. Go to a staff restaurant in Sweden at lunchime and it is all salads, and open top sandwiches.

What do we have here, pie and chips, pizza, fried fish etc etc. Our lunches are the size of an evening meal.

A French man said to me once "The French live to eat, the English eat to live"

The French savour their food, we just stuff down as many chips as we can.

Also exercise is seen as "uncool" (unless you pay �50 a month to a gym).

I am afraid many UK women (and men) just gross out, with the increase in binge drinking we are also having binge eating.

As I walk round my local shopping centre I am amazed at the number of young women (and men) who are fat and badly dressed.

So many young British people have no pride in themselves any more.

(btw I realise this append generalizes and that there are plenty of young people who eat well, dress well and exercise)

[naomi24]

People are lazy, they don't walk anywhere, they watch too much television and many survive on junk food. The art of cooking even plain food from scratch has become obsolete in many households.

[kwicky]

Why do we insist on using obesity tables way out of date. We all know the population at large (no pun intended) have got taller, fatter and a larger body frame and all within 1 or 2 generations. If proof was needed just go back to the dickensian period when its almost impossible to get through the front door.

[fiesata]

Only because they had small doors

[yesmadam]

LMAO!!! love the title.... and there's me trailing the Animals and Nature topics looking for this question.

Schools have, it seems pretty much abandoned sport? I used to play hockey, netball, cross country running and all field sports. Have they stopped all that then?

The parent/s are responsible for their brats and what they put in their gobs. They quite clearly couldn't give a damn about their own health or whether their kids are sick.

A whole generation you say?

Take heed the next lot then. There will be a lot of undertakers needed and they will have to be fit to lift the fat b'stards to their graves!!!

[shaneystar2]

Too much convenience food ....no sport in schools ..well much less than there used to be .In my day you had to run round an area the size of three hockey pitches every day wether you liked it or not .
Lazy parents who cannot be bothered to cook nourishing food for their children and let them become couch potatoes.
As for Dickensians.. ..only those with plenty of money were fat and well fed...the majority of people were on the breadline not everyone looked like Mr.Pickwick
We were at our fittest during WW2 when we had rationing .
And ..it is not most prominent in Britain....look at the fat Americans ! Their fast food culture has crept over here.
We should be more like our continental cousins and eat to live ......not live to eat .

[shaneystar2]

Oh and PS .why pick on women ....I've seen a good few fat blokes about too !!

[jump79]

Well there are a lot of fat (maybe fatter) people in America too but its more prominent here I think because when fat people are crowded together on a small island (limited space and all that) they tend to attract a lot more attention and so stand out more and look fatter as a result?

[mibn2cweus]

I'm starfin'. This thread is makin' me hungry!

[Loosehead]

Trouble is they will insist on using the meaningless BMI to measure obesity. The true figure is much less alarming.

Sounds like you should live in France VHG.

[flip-flop]

The Q mentioned women because the report highlighted the fact that British women are the fattest in Europe (in fact, I think Maltese women were worse, but that is just a tiny island so can probably be discounted for statistical purposes).

This really isn't rocket science - ignore all the faddy diets and old trolley like that irritating fake doctor - eat less and exercise more. That's it. Job done. Now then, where's me millions for coming up with that little gem?

The fact of the matter is that we are, as a nation, a bunch of lardarses. You only have to visit the chav mecca that is Lakeside to see this - a very high percentage of women are not just overweight, they are circus fat - they are a disgrace to themselves and they are a bad example to their offspring - and show me a fat person who says they are happy with their size and I'll show you a liar.

Exercise for gawd's sake - its fun, I love cycling to work, scuba diving, football on Friday nights and Rugby on Saturday afternoons - I can't imagine life without these pursuits, which is why I find it amazing that so many people are content just to sit on their fat backsides chowing down on crisps and cakes all day.

I have been to pretty much every country in Europe, and unless I have just been extremely lucky, the women are always really nice - well dressed (no tracksuits here) and slim.

[BigDogsWang]

A little less time spent on the computer might help.

Bye!

[smudge]

Big Birds in Britain eh?

When we were in America, I'd never seen so many obese MEN & WOMEN, with squelchy rear ends walking along the road! It looked as though their 'bottoms' were chewing toffees!!!!

We sat in restaurants eating the usual, sensible amount of food we normally eat at home, whilst <I.some of the American, men, women & children, were stuffing their faces with copius amounts of food!

Anyway, I do believe we should not be selling off school sports grounds in England (let alone anywhere else), as this could lead to disaster for children in the future.

I & my school pals used to play netball & rounders twice a week & go swimming once a week, come rain or shine!

I remember shivering at the side of the pool, waiting for the teacher (well wrapped up) to blow her whistle for us to dive/jump in! It never did me any harm & I stll enjoy swimming & yoga, which keeps me in trim (albeit a dodgy right knee at the moment).

[smudge]

*some

[anotheoldgit]

Yes as already said, American's take some beating followed closely behind (pardon the pun) are the Germans. Mediterranean women seem to spread a little when they get old also.

Oh! dear I've fallen into the trap again, hope nobody wants me banned from the site for being racist.

[netibiza]

I think the Germans are generally big, but not out of shape, it's a different sort of "bigness", I have yet to see a fat German wobbling down the street - they certainly do not have the fat shapelessness of the Brits.

[smudge]

My friend just emailed this to me:

The Importance of Walking

Walking can add minutes to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at �5,000 per month!

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. Now she's 97 years old and we don't know where the hell she is.

The only reason I would take up exercising, is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

I joined a health club last year, spent about �300 - still haven't lost a pound yet! Apparently you have to go there.

I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing.

I like long walks, especially when they're taken by people who annoy me.

I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.

The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier.

If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.

And last but not least........

You could run this over to all your friends but why not just
e-mail it instead.....!