Obesity 'now a bigger threat than smoking'

[I am a Ghost]

From the London Independent..

By Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor


Tuesday, 5 January 2010




Obesity has overtaken smoking and is now a bigger threat to people's health, American scientists have warned.


Expanding waistlines now cause as much or more disease than tobacco, and do as much or more to shorten healthy lifespans, they say.

Researchers have predicted for years that as incidence of obesity increased and smoking fell, there would come a time when the damage caused by the first would outrank the second. Now it has happened.

Researchers from Columbia University and the City College of New York calculated the Quality-Adjusted Life Years (Qalys) lost due to both obesity and smoking. Qalys are an internationally recognised measure of health gain or loss associated with treatments, diseases or injuries.

The results are based on interviews with 3.5 million adults, the largest ongoing health study in the US. Between 1993 and 2008, the proportion of smokers fell by 18.5 per cent while the proportion who were obese rose by 85 per cent. Smoking was found to cause more deaths, but obesity caused more illness.

Experts on both sides of the Atlantic have warned that the rise in obesity could lead to the first decline in life expectancy in 200 years.

Haomiao Jia and Erica Lubetkin, who led the study which was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, said: "Although life expectancy has increased over time, the increase in Qalys lost from obesity may result in a decline in future life expectancy. Such data are essential in setting targets for reducing modifiable health risks and eliminating health disparities."

Measures proposed to deal with the obesity explosion have included a so-called "fat tax" and a charge on fizzy drinks and colas, which are major contributors among young people.

In the UK, the British Medical Association narrowly defeated a proposal for a chocolate tax in 2008. Gordon Brown vetoed a Downing Street proposal for a fat tax in 2004, on the grounds that it would fall disproportionately on the poor.

[lainey]

I work in a high school, Most of the kids have fizzy drinks and crisps for breakfast.

That c*** Jamie Olivier has caused damage by removing vegetarian food from the menus, as the kids need to eat their meat and fish with vegetables (even if they don't like that particular veg) so there is sometimes only baked potaoes for veggies with one topping when there used to be at least 4 meal choices.

There's also expensive fruit which they can't afford. The kids come to school with loads of banned foods, like chocolate and sweets in their bags and sell them for a lot of profit.
A fat tax would be ok if they made fruit and vegetables alot cheaper

[I am a Ghost]

I work in a high school, Most of the kids have fizzy drinks and crisps for breakfast.

That c*** Jamie Olivier has caused damage by removing vegetarian food from the menus, as the kids need to eat their meat and fish with vegetables (even if they don't like that particular veg) so there is sometimes only baked potaoes for veggies with one topping when there used to be at least 4 meal choices.

There's also expensive fruit which they can't afford. The kids come to school with loads of banned foods, like chocolate and sweets in their bags and sell them for a lot of profit.
A fat tax would be ok if they made fruit and vegetables alot cheaper

Should toffee apples be taxed? There's a conundrum. :lbf:

Do the kids at your school really have fizzy drinks and crisps for breakfast? :eek:

[lainey]

Should toffee apples be taxed? There's a conundrum. :lbf:

Do the kids at your school really have fizzy drinks and crisps for breakfast? :eek:

The toffee apple can be about 10p more expensive

Yes, mainly the less intelligent ones, the brighter ones have breakfast at home or at school. (white bread and bacon, it's not healthy):doh:

[jamescagney]

I work in a high school, Most of the kids have fizzy drinks and crisps for breakfast.

That c*** Jamie Olivier has caused damage by removing vegetarian food from the menus, as the kids need to eat their meat and fish with vegetables (even if they don't like that particular veg) so there is sometimes only baked potaoes for veggies with one topping when there used to be at least 4 meal choices.

It's the same here in the US. Public schools and the federal and state governments that run them make all sorts of condescending commercials, reports, letters home to parents, etc. suggesting that we're ruining our own lives by choosing bad foods. But the food they serve in schools is HORRIBLE health-wise. I could do it better.

You're right, potato (fries / chips etc.) is considered a vegetable here. The kids can have two sugary drinks, like chocolate milk and/or juice boxes (because, you know, juice is made of fruit, so it *has* to be healthy???). You could potentially have pizza with fries for lunch one day. A little cup of shredded lettuce is another vegetable choice.

And the breakfasts they serve is even worse. They serve donuts and honeybuns to kids as breakfast??? Waffles, pancakes, and wash it down with syrupy orange juice. What is wrong with them? I guess they're old-school and they think fat is the worst possible thing in a diet, not at all considering sugars and carbs.

[anon x]

Learn from Buster,kids

F6fQnTyEniM

[bored]

If people didn't quit smoking they wouldn't turn to food and get all fat ;)

Or...

Hey cool.. smoking is better for you than eating.. try the Camels ;)

[Cosmic Dancer]

why is it so difficult for people to stop eating? I go weeks without eating and don't even notice

[Cassius]

why is it so difficult for people to stop eating? I go weeks without eating and don't even notice

Not eating is just as bad for you as overeating.

[Danielledelu]

It hard to believe, but I believe it.
Did you know obesity is also at higher risk, and has killed more, than drunk driving accidents. Which happens a lot here in America.
I can't believe the way people are eating now a days. As if there body were merely a trashcan. :horny:

[j funk]

I'd like to blame it on the accessiblity of shit food to poor familes e.g. 100 burgers for £1 at Iceland but it's not that simple.

However, if I want to get a fresh salad knocked up at somewhere like Chop'd for lunch, that's a fiver, while a meal at Burger King is half that. Of course I can make my own salad, but with a nice bit of Feta, that's still a fiver.

It's the environmental impact as well. Overall though how would the government implement a way to even out the cost of good and bad food? Sounds pretty simple to me that subsidies on healthy food could be funded by taxes levied on the unhealthy. But that way, any savings made from the reduced strain on the National Health Service would be outweighed by the damage to the economy as will become evident with the forthcoming 'Bankers Tax'.

[emma1979]

fat people should stop eating go on a diet yous lazy sods no offence caused of course:thumb:

[anon x]

It's not that healthy food is expensive. it just seems that in these consumer times,people choose to spend their cash in other ways:
cds,dvds,big tvs,sky, and crap in general.

You pays your money,you make your choices!

[jamescagney]

fat people should stop eating go on a diet yous lazy sods no offence caused of course:thumb:

Diets don't work long term. It's proven. Studies showing otherwise usually only followed people for 2 years or less.

Diets might work if you're an idiot eating crap. Problem is, not everyone who's fat eats crap. The fat people who don't eat crap are just screwed.

I'm surprised no one pointed out the obvious difference that complicates these people who are trying to compare smoking with fat. Smoking is a cause (causes other symptoms), whereas fat is a symptom (of some other cause). Sometimes the cause is diet, sometimes it's something else.

[Iain Dowie]

It's not rocket science. Sit around on your arse all day and eat loads of food = you're going to be fat. My mate Big Mark lost loads of weight by dieting and exercise, and going to Slimming World - like I said, its not rocket science.

That programme on Channel 4 last night, Generation XXL. Fat kid on there, 10 year old, tipping the scales at 17 stone. Then his mother (also massive) tried to say all he ate was salads and then opened the fridge to display loads of unopened tomatoes, and other healthy gear. Obvious they'd just been round the shop before the cameras came in and bought all this healthy food, and hidden all of the pies, pasties and chips out of sight. Probably in his bedroom.

[lainey]

It's not that healthy food is expensive. it just seems that in these consumer times,people choose to spend their cash in other ways:
cds,dvds,big tvs,sky, and crap in general.

You pays your money,you make your choices!

asking someone (high school canteen) to pay 60p for an apple or orange is too much. A salad without pasta is £2, water 90p, already you have spent £3.50.
It may not be alot to you but to a kid and me it makes no sense.

It cheaper at eat the fatty food but more importantly they feel they're getting value for money. meat lasagne with free veg,(I can't have the veg at all even if I offered to pay! you need to get the meat, you see) plus a free drink is all part of the meal deal £1.90.

[jamescagney]

It's not rocket science. Sit around on your arse all day and eat loads of food = you're going to be fat. My mate Big Mark lost loads of weight by dieting and exercise, and going to Slimming World - like I said, its not rocket science.

Yes, of course, it worked for your mate, so logically it must work for everyone.

[M-in-Oz]

On the subject of schools I do worry though that the schools are becoming a bit obsessed with "healthy" eating. At my daughters school they take their own food (no canteens here) and they are not allowed to take anything that comes in a wrapper (so no chips, bars etc) which of course I am ok with - however it is quite common for the teachers to pick up a lunchbox and show it to the class pointing what that child has done right or wrong. To me that is just crazy - way to focus on eating.

[troubleluvsme]

On the subject of schools I do worry though that the schools are becoming a bit obsessed with "healthy" eating. At my daughters school they take their own food (no canteens here) and they are not allowed to take anything that comes in a wrapper (so no chips, bars etc) which of course I am ok with - however it is quite common for the teachers to pick up a lunchbox and show it to the class pointing what that child has done right or wrong. To me that is just crazy - way to focus on eating.

:eek: OMG....seriously?

[troubleluvsme]

If people didn't quit smoking they wouldn't turn to food and get all fat ;)

Or...

Hey cool.. smoking is better for you than eating.. try the Camels ;)


There were a lot of skinny people in my high school.
We actually had a "smoking lounge" for students.


I tried to start a few times; chewed nicotine gum, used the nicotine patch, but I just couldn't get work my way up to becoming a smoker. :(

[jamescagney]

On the subject of schools I do worry though that the schools are becoming a bit obsessed with "healthy" eating. At my daughters school they take their own food (no canteens here) and they are not allowed to take anything that comes in a wrapper (so no chips, bars etc) which of course I am ok with - however it is quite common for the teachers to pick up a lunchbox and show it to the class pointing what that child has done right or wrong. To me that is just crazy - way to focus on eating.

Shaming and blaming innocent children... That reminds me of this thread being posted here.

Not really sure that this article qualifies as "news"... considering they put out identically shrill articles about the dangers of fat every week or so, on a slow news day... always saying the same thing, adding little of factual value. OK, alright, we get it, eating right is important to health, people need air and water to live, and 2 + 2 = 4... there's really no need to tell anyone that ever, ever again.

[Dave]

It is not proven that diets don't work. That is a false statement. I believe that you mean to say something like "Many people lose weight by dieting but then regain it later".

[jamescagney]

It is not proven that diets don't work. That is a false statement. I believe that you mean to say something like "Many people lose weight by dieting but then regain it later".

Losing weight and then regaining it later is, I would say, diets not working. Worse yet, it stresses the heart and so dieting is arguably the cause of many famous fat people who have died.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45499-2005Jan3.html

A University of Pennsylvania study finds a high cost per pound lost and very limited evidence for long-term success of any of nine popular diet programs studied.

Backed in part by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, Wadden and Penn physician Adam Gilden Tsai reviewed 1,500 weight loss studies of adults and zeroed in on 10 commercial or self-help programs.

The team examined nine plans including Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig. "With the exception of one trial of Weight Watchers, the evidence to support the use of the major commercial and self-help weight loss programs is modest or nonexistent," the team concludes.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20070411/diets-dont-work-long-term

Most people who go on diets soon gain back any lost weight, a UCLA study suggests.

Traci Mann, PhD, associate professor of psychology at UCLA, was teaching a seminar on the psychology of eating when she noticed something odd about diet studies. Few of the studies followed up on dieters for more than six months. Even fewer followed dieters for a year or more.

Mann wondered what, in the long term, really happens when people go on diets. So she and her students tracked down 31 studies that, one way or another, had at least one year of follow-up data. They were interested in just one number: the percentage of dieters who, over time, gain back more weight than they lose.

"We found that the average percentage of people who gained back more weight than they lost on diets was 41%," Mann tells WebMD. "In each of the studies, a third to two-thirds of the subjects gained back more weight than they lost. "We have strong reasons to feel that (even) this number *underrepresents* the true number of participants who gained back more weight than they lost."

[Dave]

But it works for some people, as you say. Now, a "yo-yo dieter" has other issues than someone who's physical condition makes it difficult to lose weight, and probably could be helped by understanding these underlying issues. And some people are just lazy and would rather eat a bag of chips than go for a walk. That probably offends you but it's the truth. It doesn't mean that it applies to your situation, and if people think it does, is their opinion that important to you?

What I see is that so many parents are so permissive now and allow their children to sit and play videogames and eat junkfood, and there is a place for education. You shoot yourself in the foot by stating that no one needs to learn that 2+2=4. We aren't born knowing this. There is a place for nutritional awareness, and it's necessary to combat the combined efforts of Burger King, McDonalds and all the rest.

My advice would be to relax, stop taking this issue so personally, and enjoy your life with people that you care about.

[troubleluvsme]

It is not proven that diets don't work. That is a false statement. I believe that you mean to say something like "Many people lose weight by dieting but then regain it later".

That's what I believe too.
I know many people who have lost weight simply by dieting.
Some of those same people go back to their normal eating habits and then gain the weight back.

It's not that the diet doesn't work, it's the dieter not working at it.

I'm always on a "diet" because I know that eating foods like donuts, candy, and honeybuns will make me fat.

[Corrissey]

Stress is as deadly as smoking, as are other risks to your health like your sleep habits, oral health and marriage to name a few.

I (and my doctor) were surprised that a fairly recent test of my troponins (I went in with chest pain/high BP) found slightly elevated levels, which means there's been some damage to the heart :confused: :( no kidding. :rolleyes::tears: Morrissey, take me away....

Elders :p, think back to when we were kids... weren't we a lot more active than utes of today? I had Atari :o but still found time to play kick the can and ghost in the graveyard. *ages self* My step-Mom just sent me photocopies of 6 years in Jr High/High school of when my family kept track of our height and weight. At 14, I weighed what my 9 yr old does now. I was a bean pole tho, she's not that overweight, just dense. Must be from her Father's side. ;)

Lastly, I used to feel so stressed out, that I wanted a smoke. And I'm not a smoker.

[I am a Ghost]

It's not that the diet doesn't work, it's the dieter not working at it.




Very true.


but still found time to play kick the can and ghost in the graveyard.

I always excelled at the latter. :thumb:

[jamescagney]

But it works for some people, as you say. Now, a "yo-yo dieter" has other issues than someone who's physical condition makes it difficult to lose weight, and probably could be helped by understanding these underlying issues. And some people are just lazy and would rather eat a bag of chips than go for a walk. That probably offends you but it's the truth. It doesn't mean that it applies to your situation, and if people think it does, is their opinion that important to you?

What I see is that so many parents are so permissive now and allow their children to sit and play videogames and eat junkfood, and there is a place for education. You shoot yourself in the foot by stating that no one needs to learn that 2+2=4. We aren't born knowing this. There is a place for nutritional awareness, and it's necessary to combat the combined efforts of Burger King, McDonalds and all the rest.

Yes, I agree some people definitely are fat because they choose to eat poorly. I never denied that. It could even be most people. We'll never know, because the studies and public opinion are thoroughly tainted. Minds are made up.

What's troubling is that people assuming that it's OK to taunt and blame fat people for choosing to be fat. No one deserves to be taunted. You can never know if the people you're blaming are the 10%, 20%, 50%, whatever that don't deserve it.

These issues must be challenged. I strongly believe the medical communities are not seeking out the true causes for the increase in obesity, because they've already jumped to conclusions based on bad studies. Worldwide increases in obesity is a real threat to our health and happiness. But what I mainly see them doing is continuing the same erroneous campaign of telling people "don't get fat." That plan just doesn't work, this should be obvious by now. Especially when food in government-run schools is so unhealthy.

We need another plan. Most fat people want very badly to be thin. They cry about it, seek out therapy, diet and exercise repeatedly, get back pains, get lectured by doctors and strangers, and see fat jokes in movies and TV. This has nothing to do with me taking anything personally or getting all worked up about nothing. This is an important issue and there's a lot of misconceptions.

[jamescagney]

That's what I believe too.
I know many people who have lost weight simply by dieting.
Some of those same people go back to their normal eating habits and then gain the weight back.

It's not that the diet doesn't work, it's the dieter not working at it.

I'm always on a "diet" because I know that eating foods like donuts, candy, and honeybuns will make me fat.

Oh come on. Look at the figures. In 2000, 62% to 73% of Americans were classified as overweight. You're blaming 2/3 to 3/4 of the population for being fat due to lack of willpower. That just doesn't make sense, and doesn't jibe with the increase in gyms opening up, jogging, health food availability, etc.

Your explanation of lack of willpower also doesn't explain why these figures have increased 10% since 1990. Are you suggesting that in 10 years, people's willpower and diets have gotten that much worse? Does that make logical sense? People in the 1950s were eating everything fried and drowning in butter, sugar, carbs and meat. People in 2000 have much more healthy options and information available to them than in 1990.

[troubleluvsme]

Oh come on. Look at the figures. In 2000, 62% to 73% of Americans were classified as overweight. You're blaming 2/3 to 3/4 of the population for being fat due to lack of willpower. That just doesn't make sense, and doesn't jibe with the increase in gyms opening up, jogging, health food availability, etc.

Your explanation of lack of willpower also doesn't explain why these figures have increased 10% since 1990. Are you suggesting that in 10 years, people's willpower and diets have gotten that much worse? Does that make logical sense? People in the 1950s were eating everything fried and drowning in butter, sugar, carbs and meat. People in 2000 have much more healthy options and information available to them than in 1990.


A lack of willpower always makes sense, at least to me.

I think people generally live a more sendentary lifestyle than they used to; kids don't have to walk uphill both ways to school anymore. Sure, my grandmother kept a jar of lard under the sink to use for cooking, but playing outside and working on the farm kept the family in slightly better shape than even Wii Sports will do today.

There are a lot more crappy food choices these days than there were years ago. When I was a kid, we used to bake cookies, not buy them in a thirty pound bag at Sam's Club. After we ate raw cookie dough we'd go play outside, not play Animal Crossing on the XBox.

People have healthier choices today, but it doesn't mean they're making better decisions.

When I go to the grocery store, I often notice that overweight people have junk food in their carts while fit looking people have healthier food options in theirs.

It doesn't matter how many gyms open up; lazy people don't pay to join gyms.

NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT EVERY FAT PERSON; just the ones I casually observe and know personally.

I will reiterate... It doesn't matter how many healthy choices people have if they are stuck in the mindset that snacking on Dorritos and Pepsi are ok.

[I am a Ghost]

A lack of willpower always makes sense, at least to me.

I think people generally live a more sendentary lifestyle than they used to; kids don't have to walk uphill both ways to school anymore. Sure, my grandmother kept a jar of lard under the sink to use for cooking, but playing outside and working on the farm kept the family in slightly better shape than even Wii Sports will do today.

There are a lot more crappy food choices these days than there were years ago. When I was a kid, we used to bake cookies, not buy them in a thirty pound bag at Sam's Club. After we ate raw cookie dough we'd go play outside, not play Animal Crossing on the XBox.

People have healthier choices today, but it doesn't mean they're making better decisions.

When I go to the grocery store, I often notice that overweight people have junk food in their carts while fit looking people have healthier food options in theirs.

It doesn't matter how many gyms open up; lazy people don't pay to join gyms.

NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT EVERY FAT PERSON; just the ones I casually observe and know personally.

I will reiterate... It doesn't matter how many healthy choices people have if they are stuck in the mindset that snacking on Dorritos and Pepsi are ok.

^^^^^^^^^
This.

Willpower can conquer any addiction, be it to food, drugs or cigarettes. I once heard someone justify an addiction to food by saying that everyone has to eat, but every addict has to pass opportunities to indulge their addiction every day too, be it the bar, dealer, tobacconist et al.

[jamescagney]

A lack of willpower always makes sense, at least to me.

NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT EVERY FAT PERSON; just the ones I casually observe and know personally.

So we both agree that some people are fat due to bad choices and should eat healthier.

Where I'm coming from is that CDC, WHO, the medical community and the media are focusing almost exclusively on that one cause of fat. I'm saying is that there are other important medical causes of fat (in addition to this one, where we agree) that are being neglected. I believe these causes will continue to contribute to the dangerous increase in obesity until they are acknowledged and a solution found.

[troubleluvsme]

So we both agree that some people are fat due to bad choices and should eat healthier.

Where I'm coming from is that CDC, WHO, the medical community and the media are focusing almost exclusively on that one cause of fat. I'm saying is that there are other important medical causes of fat (in addition to this one, where we agree) that are being neglected. I believe these causes will continue to contribute to the dangerous increase in obesity until they are acknowledged and a solution found.

There are plenty of other causes, I know.

I guess if everyone focuses on fast food as the culprit, it will help the Government pass the "Fat Tax." :crazy:
I'm not even going to get started on how I feel about that tax.

[Oh my god, it's Robby!]

eating and smoking are basically the same problems for me :o
as in they are oral fixations http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/gulrober/evilgrin0010.gif
however, I have been able to cut back on both a whole bunch :)
this is not without other consequences though:
the return of my problem with talking too much or cutting people off when they are talking to me
(this is simply much easier to NOT do when you a have a ciggie to take a drag on instead http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/gulrober/1smoke.gif)
also, I have given up candy bars and since then I have noticed that I now chew so much on pens that not once, not twice, but 3 times! :eek:
in the last few months I have gotten ink on myself :crazy:
so yeah, eating and smoking will kill you
but for some of us the alternatives aint that great either http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y86/gulrober/10239.gif

[jamescagney]

There are plenty of other causes, I know.

I guess if everyone focuses on fast food as the culprit, it will help the Government pass the "Fat Tax." :crazy:
I'm not even going to get started on how I feel about that tax.

I guess we agree on that too. I'm against the fat tax. I'd rather have just income tax, no sales tax. It's more fair, more "progressive" as they say.

[bored]

I guess we agree on that too. I'm against the fat tax. I'd rather have just income tax, no sales tax. It's more fair, more "progressive" as they say.

I think it should be the other way around.

If there was no income tax but a national sales tax excluding essentials like food and clothing and the like then it would still be progressive.

Those with more disposable income will spend more money on the taxable items than those who spend mostly on their needs.

This would get rid of the IRS as we know it which would save massive amounts of money. The IRS is an incredibly expensive and complicated government entity. Businesses could even have a fairly simple tax plan and the IRS would mostly be auditors to ensure that the sales tax was being collected correctly.

[troubleluvsme]

I guess we agree on that too. I'm against the fat tax. I'd rather have just income tax, no sales tax. It's more fair, more "progressive" as they say.

I'd rather see no income tax and a higher sales tax.

See, we didn't agree for very long. :lbf:

[Cassius]

OK, alright, we get it, eating right is important to health, people need air and water to live, and 2 + 2 = 4... there's really no need to tell anyone that ever, ever again.

I agree that everyone knows that you need to eat healthy in order to be healthy. At the same time, many people, fat, thin, or average size people, don't know how to eat healthy because they don't know anything about nutrition.

[snowfallsoon]

Stress is as deadly as smoking, as are other risks to your health like your sleep habits, oral health and marriage to name a few.

I (and my doctor) were surprised that a fairly recent test of my troponins (I went in with chest pain/high BP) found slightly elevated levels, which means there's been some damage to the heart :confused: :( no kidding. :rolleyes::tears: Morrissey, take me away....

Elders :p, think back to when we were kids... weren't we a lot more active than utes of today? I had Atari :o but still found time to play kick the can and ghost in the graveyard. *ages self* My step-Mom just sent me photocopies of 6 years in Jr High/High school of when my family kept track of our height and weight. At 14, I weighed what my 9 yr old does now. I was a bean pole tho, she's not that overweight, just dense. Must be from her Father's side. ;)

Lastly, I used to feel so stressed out, that I wanted a smoke. And I'm not a smoker.


True, usually both parents didn't work, the moms were always around, and
not afraid to let their kids outside like they are today. Which really makes no sense, kids are safer today than they were when we were kids. Most of us wouldn't have thought twice about helping some guy find his puppy.

[snowfallsoon]

I agree that everyone knows that you need to eat healthy in order to be healthy. At the same time, many people, fat, thin, or average size people, don't know how to eat healthy because they don't know anything about nutrition.

At my kid's schools, they spend a lot of time learning about nutrition. Neither of mine will eat from McDonalds after being shown that documentary "Supersize it" I think it was called?
But they also take it a bit too far-weighing each child in front of the other
children, etc. They also sent notes hone to parets if their children are found to
be overwieght.

[zepfan1]

maybe I should have posted my shame here??
:lbf:

[Dave]

But they also take it a bit too far-weighing each child in front of the other children, etc.

That's purely humiliation and has no place at school. You could tell them your children won't be participating, that they are weighed by their doctor. Maybe you should talk to some other parents and get it stopped if it is affecting your children. Even if it's not I am sure that there are children you would be sparing from unnecessary and cruel embarrassment. That's totally fucked up and doesn't need to be tolerated.

[I am a Ghost]

I agree that everyone knows that you need to eat healthy in order to be healthy. At the same time, many people, fat, thin, or average size people, don't know how to eat healthy because they don't know anything about nutrition.

Or don't want to know.

[j funk]

There was a programme just on the TV which claimed that fattening food claiming health benefits e.g. chocolate bars advertisting that they are high in Calcium, are misleading.

Patronising pile of crap of a show, but it supports my theory on the link between class/education and obesity anyway... You'd have to be pretty fucking stupid to each a chocolate bar to get your Calcium.