Hands off our comfort food

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Tue May 07, 2013 12:58 pm

:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

Ministers want to slash size of biscuits and cakes to tackle UK's obesity epidemic | Mail Online

Ministers want to slash size of biscuits and cakes to tackle UK's obesity epidemic

Isn't it good to know they are taking care of the really important things.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Tue May 07, 2013 2:40 pm

Reducing the size will do nothing.. just ridiculous:yh_rotfl

We have a Rep. trying to eliminate the extra large soft drinks...:yh_rotfl

One would think there were far more important issues.

I guess you better stock up - sounds like your PM may get his way by making companies comply..?

Patsy

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Tue May 07, 2013 2:58 pm

gmc;1426345 wrote: :yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

Ministers want to slash size of biscuits and cakes to tackle UK's obesity epidemic | Mail Online

Isn't it good to know they are taking care of the really important things.

Sometimes many small steps together make a big difference.

The truth Is, we are an obese nation that is a massive burden on the health service and people are dying from diabetes and heart failure.

Something has to be done and although this measure may sound ridiculous to you my little thistly one, other measures are also being put Into place such as curbing the BOGOF offers In supermarkets.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Tue May 07, 2013 3:59 pm

People will just buy two packs instead of one.

How about they start with the NHS staff. Have you noticed how many obese nurses there are? They've cracked down on staff smoking to set examples to the masses. What about sending all staff over a certain weight to weight watchers to set another good example :rolleyes:

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Tue May 07, 2013 4:12 pm

Betty Boop;1426372 wrote: People will just buy two packs instead of one.

How about they start with the NHS staff. Have you noticed how many obese nurses there are? They've cracked down on staff smoking to set examples to the masses. What about sending all staff over a certain weight to weight watchers to set another good example :rolleyes: That's ridiculous.

They haven't stopped nurses smoking to set an example. Hospitals have stopped all from smoking on the premises, staff, visitors, delivery drivers etc etc

People don't live In hospitals. Seeing a thin nurse Isn't going to make them eat less when they get home.

I've been In hospital 3 times last year and the majority of my nursing staff were not obese. When I did see an overweight nurse, the last thing I thought was ' oh, I'll have another biscuit'.

Post by **Betty Boop** » Tue May 07, 2013 4:17 pm

oscar;1426374 wrote: That's ridiculous.

They haven't stopped nurses smoking to set an example. Hospitals have stopped all from smoking on the premises, staff, visitors, delivery drivers etc etc

People don't live In hospitals. Seeing a thin nurse Isn't going to make them eat less when they get home.

I've been In hospital 3 times last year and the majority of my nursing staff were not obese. When I did see an overweight nurse, the last thing I thought was ' oh, I'll have another biscuit'.

It's called irony Oscar.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Tue May 07, 2013 4:20 pm

Betty Boop;1426376 wrote: It's called irony Oscar. Looked like discrimination to me.

Post by **LarsMac** » Tue May 07, 2013 4:33 pm

Next, they'll outlaw Jaffa Cakes

tude dog · Post by **tude dog** » Tue May 07, 2013 5:36 pm

Before you know it, we all will be required to drink

fuzzywuzzy · Post by **fuzzywuzzy** » Tue May 07, 2013 6:46 pm

tude dog

Re: Hands off our comfort food

Before you know it, we all will be required to drink

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-H.../Bud-Light.jpg

LarsMac

Re: Hands off our comfort food

Next, they'll outlaw Jaffa Cakes

NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

extract from "The "Nazis' War on Cancer"

that Nazi Germany was also decades ahead of other countries in promoting health reforms that we today regard as progressive and socially responsible. Most startling, Nazi scientists were the first to definitively link lung cancer and cigarette smoking. Proctor explores the controversial and troubling questions that such findings raise: Were the Nazis more complex morally than we thought? Can good science come from an evil regime? What might this reveal about health activism in our own society? Proctor argues that we must view Hitler's Germany more subtly than we have in the past. But he also concludes that the Nazis' forward-looking health activism ultimately came from the same twisted root as their medical crimes: the ideal of a sanitary racial utopia reserved exclusively for pure and healthy Germans.

Author of an earlier groundbreaking work on Nazi medical horrors, Proctor began this book after discovering documents showing that the Nazis conducted the most aggressive antismoking campaign in modern history. Further research revealed that Hitler's government passed a wide range of public health measures, including restrictions on asbestos, radiation, pesticides, and food dyes. Nazi health officials introduced strict occupational health and safety standards, and promoted such foods as whole-grain bread and soybeans. These policies went hand in hand with health propaganda that, for example, idealized the FÃ¼hrer's body and his nonsmoking, vegetarian lifestyle.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Wed May 08, 2013 1:01 am

Haven't you noticed because of the rise in commodity prices the sizes biscuits, packets of crisps and chocolate bars are already smaller than they used to be just to keep the prices down. It's farcical people will just buy twice as many of the smaller size if that's how much they want to eat.

posted by tube dog

Before you know it, we all will be required to drink

We are already introducing minimum pricing for alcohol and a ban on supermarket promotions. We do have a major drink problem in the UK but it's not as simple as the price of the stuff it's a cultural thing as much as anything. Drunks will buy the stuff no matter what the price.

AnneBoleyn · Post by **AnneBoleyn** » Wed May 08, 2013 10:57 am

Portions at home, restaurants, the early MacDonald's were much much smaller. People, especially kids, were much much thinner. I don't like seeing laws involved, but it's a fact that as a society we are eating & drinking much much more of less healthy foods with additives that were never contained before. Prices are so high I guess we like to get our money's worth by eating & drinking the whole thing.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Wed May 08, 2013 11:07 am

I think the thing with the biscuits could be of help In a small way. Providing they don't downsize them too much. If they make them a great deal smaller, then Yes, people will buy two packs but a fraction smaller may go unnoticed.

Same with Multi-packs. If they put 4 or 5 In a multipack Instead of 6, that might help.

Patsy Warnick · Post by **Patsy Warnick** » Wed May 08, 2013 1:09 pm

Anne

We have Buffets for a reason.

We entered a era where the convenience of bigger was better.

We eat alot of junk and move our body less.

Patsy

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Wed May 08, 2013 3:17 pm

AnneBoleyn;1426441 wrote: Portions at home, restaurants, the early MacDonald's were much much smaller. People, especially kids, were much much thinner. I don't like seeing laws involved, but it's a fact that as a society we are eating & drinking much much more of less healthy foods with additives that were never contained before. Prices are so high I guess we like to get our money's worth by eating & drinking the whole thing.

The answer has to be education rather than legislation. Cutting down pack sizes or banning store promotions will do nothing. Making an action or a product illegal only makes it more desirable. Teaching people why it is stupid works wonders.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu May 09, 2013 3:46 am

Bryn Mawr;1426470 wrote: The answer has to be education rather than legislation. Cutting down pack sizes or banning store promotions will do nothing. Making an action or a product illegal only makes it more desirable. Teaching people why it is stupid works wonders. Hasn't education or attempted education failed though Bryn ?

I seem to recall that food manufacturers were putting colour coding on foods and red was for high fat content.

I think that education has to start within schools when children are young but then what do you do when parents give their children fatty foods?

I also recall Gordon Brown of proposing some ridiculous scheme where parents would be paid more money If they walked their children to school.

Post by **LarsMac** » Thu May 09, 2013 8:43 pm

By the way.

Anybody want to send me some McVitie Jaffa Cakes?

The ones you can buy through Amazon aren't as good as McVitie's

Post by **Betty Boop** » Fri May 10, 2013 1:41 am

oscar;1426377 wrote: Looked like discrimination to me.

Are smokers not being discriminated against? It's a sack able offence to be caught smoking on NHS grounds nowadays. If these steps are NOT to set an example to wider society as you claim then what was the point of the rules being introduced?

And if we are going to be dictated to about food then why are the NHS not leading by example in those areas, it's a fair enough point. They could start with the provision of healthy diets for patients, stop the mass production of meals on one site and re open hospital kitchens and give them control of their own budgets

The Education of children regarding diet is an ongoing thing, children are being taught the better things to eat but this process will actually take a few years to work down through society. No one is going to achieve a huge change in body sizes in a short space of time.

Wonder if within the obesity studies we know whether it's the poorer members of society that are the most obese or not.

Post by **LarsMac** » Fri May 10, 2013 5:40 am

Betty Boop;1426589 wrote: Are smokers not being discriminated against? It's a sack able offence to be caught smoking on NHS grounds nowadays. If these steps are NOT to set an example to wider society as you claim then what was the point of the rules being introduced?

And if we are going to be dictated to about food then why are the NHS not leading by example in those areas, it's a fair enough point. They could start with the provision of healthy diets for patients, stop the mass production of meals on one site and re open hospital kitchens and give them control of their own budgets

The Education of children regarding diet is an ongoing thing, children are being taught the better things to eat but this process will actually take a few years to work down through society. No one is going to achieve a huge change in body sizes in a short space of time.

Wonder if within the obesity studies we know whether it's the poorer members of society that are the most obese or not.

There is a lot of indicators that suggest obesity is more common among the lower economic levels. Besides, it takes a lot of money and time to eat healthy and get proper exercise in today's society.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri May 10, 2013 5:41 am

LarsMac;1426586 wrote: By the way.

Anybody want to send me some McVitie Jaffa Cakes?

The ones you can buy through Amazon aren't as good as McVitie's

If you want to send me your address, I can get some for you and get them In the post.

How many packs do you want?

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri May 10, 2013 5:49 am

Betty Boop;1426589 wrote: Are smokers not being discriminated against? It's a sack able offence to be caught smoking on NHS grounds nowadays. If these steps are NOT to set an example to wider society as you claim then what was the point of the rules being introduced?

And if we are going to be dictated to about food then why are the NHS not leading by example in those areas, it's a fair enough point. They could start with the provision of healthy diets for patients, stop the mass production of meals on one site and re open hospital kitchens and give them control of their own budgets

The Education of children regarding diet is an ongoing thing, children are being taught the better things to eat but this process will actually take a few years to work down through society. No one is going to achieve a huge change in body sizes in a short space of time.

Wonder if within the obesity studies we know whether it's the poorer members of society that are the most obese or not. I don't know why you are honing In on hospitals. That's shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Obese people end up In hospital through bad diet, they don't live in hospitals.

Have you ever actually stayed In a NHS hospital long term? Unless you have relatives bringing you In hoards of food, you will lose weight. The meal portions are very small and low fat. I have always always lost weight In hospital.

Minister: poor families are likely to be obese - Telegraph

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:43 am

oscar;1426501 wrote: Hasn't education or attempted education failed though Bryn ?

I seem to recall that food manufacturers were putting colour coding on foods and red was for high fat content.

I think that education has to start within schools when children are young but then what do you do when parents give their children fatty foods?

I also recall Gordon Brown of proposing some ridiculous scheme where parents would be paid more money If they walked their children to school.

No, the manufacturers were putting details on the packaging but the government with typical contempt for the people wanted to dumb it down to traffic light colour codes so the we dumbarses could "understand" it.

Providing the data is, however, of no use without educating the people and treating the people as stupid will result in the expected result.

Education does not have to start in school. Adults are capable of learning as well as children. Obviously you want to staret early but that is no reason not to start at all.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:50 am

Bryn Mawr;1426733 wrote: No, the manufacturers were putting details on the packaging but the government with typical contempt for the people wanted to dumb it down to traffic light colour codes so the we dumbarses could "understand" it.

Providing the data is, however, of no use without educating the people and treating the people as stupid will result in the expected result.

Education does not have to start in school. Adults are capable of learning as well as children. Obviously you want to staret early but that is no reason not to start at all. I think the colour coding on labels really only helped those who wanted to know.

Do you think circumstances come Into this also and the fast pace that we all live In nowadays ?

I ask because I have noticed just within my friends and neighbours that the really obese children seem to come from homes where Mum is holding down two jobs to support them. It appears that they don't often sit down at the table to eat and ready meals, high In fat and salt are used simply because Mum doesn't have enough hours In the day to prepare a meal.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:52 am

LarsMac;1426599 wrote: There is a lot of indicators that suggest obesity is more common among the lower economic levels. Besides, it takes a lot of money and time to eat healthy and get proper exercise in today's society.

That I totally disagree with. Send out for a takeaway and it will set you back six pounds a head and take three quarters of an hour to arrive - I can cook a healthy meal in a quarter of an hour for one pound a head. It costs silly money to join a gym but nothing to walk / jog / run and very little to cycle.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Sat May 11, 2013 8:56 am

oscar;1426735 wrote: I think the colour coding on labels really only helped those who wanted to know.

Do you think circumstances come Into this also and the fast pace that we all live In nowadays ?

I ask because I have noticed just within my friends and neighbours that the really obese children seem to come from homes where Mum is holding down two jobs to support them. It appears that they don't often sit down at the table to eat and ready meals, high In fat and salt are used simply because Mum doesn't have enough hours In the day to prepare a meal.

Prepairing a meal takes as long as you want it to. If you don't have time for gourmet cooking then throw a quick meal together - that does not mean you have to eat unhealthily.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sat May 11, 2013 9:09 am

Bryn Mawr;1426737 wrote: Prepairing a meal takes as long as you want it to. If you don't have time for gourmet cooking then throw a quick meal together - that does not mean you have to eat unhealthily.

That's very true. So It must be lack of education or we have become lazy.

I have a friend who's a supervisor at the Co-OP and she says It's so sad to see young people paying ridiculous money for packs of cheesy mashed potato or a pasta bake, even roast potato's that have been par boiled.

I'm with you on this one. I don't care how tired I am or how late In the evening It Is, I will always cook and prefer the wait. Fortunately, my husband Is with me on that one also.

tabby · Post by **tabby** » Sat May 11, 2013 12:41 pm

Bryn Mawr;1426736 wrote: That I totally disagree with. Send out for a takeaway and it will set you back six pounds a head and take three quarters of an hour to arrive - I can cook a healthy meal in a quarter of an hour for one pound a head. It costs silly money to join a gym but nothing to walk / jog / run and very little to cycle.

The graphics in the article below show good cost comparisons of purchasing junk food v/s healthier ingredients.

$20 Food Showdown: Fast Food vs. Healthy Food | SparkPeople

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Sun May 12, 2013 6:42 am

Legislation isn't the answer - might be part of the answer perhaps. Smoking is a different case altogether, smokers force people close to them to share their cigarette to the detriment of their health - you don't see many people force-feeding a big mac to passers by do you.

Education does work, you now see more varieties of fruit in supermarkets and more home-grown apples (rather than imported) and the like rather than those nasty tasting but good looking things you used and there's more organic produce available. The recent scare about horsemeat in cheap burgers probably did more to make people look at what they eat than any legislation.

It just won't work with some people though. I have recently come in to contact with a few people that have diabetes. The number that still don't watch what they eat and drink is incredible. There was one guy whose parents had it - you'd think that would make him aware but no it was just something that happened to him and not connected to the bottles of sugary drinks he used to drink by the litre and actually still does. Another was worried because it meant he was about to lose his HGV licence at his next medical but up until then he wasn't worried and didn't see any need to change his eating habits.

OK I'm being slightly smug as I have never actually liked coke, irn bru or any carbonated drinks very much but you'd think the very real possibility going blind or dying from something that could be avoided would concentrate the mind

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sun May 12, 2013 9:27 am

I think legislation can help. It won't cure the obesity levels full stop but It could help. If it helps make food manufacturers more aware of what they are putting Into food and holds them accountable.

Some food manufacturers are unscrupulous gits who will shove In Monosodium glutamate and saturated fats to bulk out a product without thought of the consumers arteries. If legislation forces tighter controls, then It could help.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Sun May 12, 2013 11:13 am

The eat because I am unhappy cycle - YouTube:-3

tude dog · Post by **tude dog** » Sun May 12, 2013 12:15 pm

LarsMac;1426599 wrote: There is a lot of indicators that suggest obesity is more common among the lower economic levels. Besides, it takes a lot of money and time to eat healthy and get proper exercise in today's society.

I dunno about that. Cooking your own food does take some time, but is certainly cheaper than the local fast food joint or buying TV dinners in the frozen food section.

How much does it cost to take a walk, jog, find something heavy to lift or carry? A push up or two (I don't do push ups) is free.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Sun May 12, 2013 12:21 pm

gmc;1426836 wrote: The eat because I am unhappy cycle - YouTube:-3 It's true people do eat when they are unhappy. I am a grazer and If it's In the fridge or the cupboards I graze so I always shop on a full stomach and stick to my list. My husband on the other hand Is useless... he's the one who comes back with the Ice Cream, biscuits, multi packs of crisps and dips etc etc.

theia · Post by **theia** » Sun May 12, 2013 2:27 pm

I've recently finished reading a book about a woman's NDE...it made beautiful reading. There was a Q/A section at the end and one of the questions was about her diet. She responded that, before her NDE she was very careful about what she ate, she was a vegetarian, and she ate only those foods that are considered "healthy". What she realises now is that her diet was fear-led...she currently eats "healthily" some days and "unhealthily" on other days, all depending upon what she wants to eat. The only thing missing from her diet is fear.

That sounds really balanced to me, and it makes a lot os sense. And I wonder how much of our lives are lived in a fear based way...

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Mon May 13, 2013 8:10 am

theia;1426851 wrote: I've recently finished reading a book about a woman's NDE...it made beautiful reading. There was a Q/A section at the end and one of the questions was about her diet. She responded that, before her NDE she was very careful about what she ate, she was a vegetarian, and she ate only those foods that are considered "healthy". What she realises now is that her diet was fear-led...she currently eats "healthily" some days and "unhealthily" on other days, all depending upon what she wants to eat. The only thing missing from her diet is fear.

That sounds really balanced to me, and it makes a lot os sense. And I wonder how much of our lives are lived in a fear based way...

It does make a lot of sense Theia but It also shows that she Is very aware of what she Is eating and balances It well.

That's good sense. If you eat healthily then there Is nothing wrong with eating unhealthily sometimes. It's when It's all unhealthy that people end up obese and dying of stroke, heart failure and diabetes.

I found this Interesting.

10 gross ingredients you didn't know were in your food | Life and style | guardian.co.uk

Post by **LarsMac** » Mon May 13, 2013 3:15 pm

oscar;1426600 wrote: If you want to send me your address, I can get some for you and get them In the post.

How many packs do you want?

I just might take you up on that.