Page 27 of this weeks Cornish Guardian (Weds 4th Nov 2009) Beverley Coumbe, the reporter, asks the question:
WHY ARE WE SO OVERWEIGHT?
You might want to read the article before you read my response. Oh and if you are easily offended by strong language then I suggest you dont read any further.
I’m shaking my head at the sad at the fact that Cornwall had got a bar iatric unit.
If you don’t know what that is let me tell you. That’s the hospital unit where people who don’t have enough self control to stop them from over eating processed high fat, high sugar foods and are too lazy to get off their backsides and do some sensible exercise go to be cut open and fitted with a gastric band so that they can lose some weight.
I actually can’t figure out whether these people are on the blame train or not. I’ve spoken to a lot of overweight people and most can’t seem to understand why they are over weight as they eat hardly anything. Until we discover the truth when I ask them to complete a food diary.
Mr Finley, the consultant in Upper Gi, laproscopic surgery at Treliske Hospital blames the Cornwall’s obesity problem on “social attitudes towards food”
He said that “We are training our children to eat everything on their plates regardless as to whether they are full or not. This came about as a result of rationing during the war when food was scarce.”
I think that this man is still living in the nineteen fifties. I’m forty years old with a 7 month old daughter. I was born in 1969. I don’t know anything about rationing. .My father is in his sixties and might remember rationing, just. (Sorry Dad) When he puts on a few pounds through eating a little too much cheese, he regulates his diet and starts doing some light exercise. He loses the weight that he has put on and goes back to his normal healthy weight. He doesn’t blame social attitudes towards food. He knows that he is responsible for the weight gain and no one else.
Mr Finley goes on to say that “We also use sugary foods as an inducement for good behaviour in our children”.
Is it me? I certainly would not feed my daughter anything sugary or processed or anything I wouldn’t eat myself. In fact I spend a lot of time reading about and then making, my own baby food. Which is both nutritious and by the look of Bonnie when she has eaten it, delicious. Ok she is only 7 months old but I would never even consider using sweets as a bribe for good behaviour. Maybe I just had a great upbringing myself.
This also doesn’t answer the question as to why adults are having gastric bypass operations. For an adult to blame social attitudes towards food is like me blaming the barmaid for my Sunday hangover.
It was reported in the Cornish Guardian this week that the unit was a welcome addition to the RCHT as previously these bone idle bastards….sorry obese patients had to be carted off to Taunton to receive specialist treatment. I’m sure that Somerset Heath Authority has the money to “treat” a basically self induced condition.
The treatment itself is not without risks. Patients could experience: blood clots, wound infections, hernias, sickness, burping and neurological problems such as tingling skin and feeling cold. Hell there is even a 1 in 200 risk of death in the riskier gastric bypass operation. Bloody hell I’d rather eat salad and go for a brisk walk. The things that some people will do to get out of eating properly and exercising is unbelievable.
Mr Finlay goes on to confidently say “ Diets don’t work once your body max index is more than 35” I’m training a lady who’s BMI is currently 37 she lost 5lbs last week as a result of diet and exercise.
Oh I thought Id check my BMI and it gave me a calculation of 30.4 now I admit I’ve put on a few pounds but I wouldn’t put myself in the obese category.
Also if you check out the last video on my website (www.mikemundsfitness.co.uk) you will see that Mark, 6ft 1inch and 228lbs which gives him a BMI of 30 and puts him in the obese category. Mark loses over 2 stone by employing a diet and exercise routine.
This blows Mr Finlays statement “For those already obese (that’s me and Mark) that diet and exercise programmes are ineffective in sustained weight loss”
Beverley Coumbe’s report asks the question – why are we so over weight? Then in a sub heading “We look at the facts behind our bulging waistlines and ask is enough being done to prevent people going under the knife”
She neither answers the original question nor offers any alternative options to gastric bypass surgery.
She interviews one woman who is about to go under the knife and who won’t be named, (quite rightly you should be ashamed of yourself.) This poor lady blames giving up smoking and having three children on her weight gain.
Nice.
Here is my advice: Stop eating so much and go play with your kids that will be good start.
Oh and well done on giving up smoking, but as you are in the “health caring” profession shouldn’t you know better than to have started smoking in the first place.
As for the question – why are we so over weight?
For a County that has got so much to offer in terms healthy outdoor activities, from miles of beaches to walk, surf and swim in to great leisure facilities, golf courses, horse riding and country walks. There are also a whole lot of local farm shops, fish mongers and restaurants offering healthy food.
PLUS even if you are a couch potato there are numerous government sponsored television adverts telling us to move our bodies more, eat healthy foods. Even the cookery programs aren’t getting the message over despite Mr Oliver’s best efforts. Does anyone even bother with Fit 4 Life?
I can only shake my head and say you are fat because you are bone idle. You won’t take any type of regular sensible exercise and ready meals are your saviour so that you can waste more of your time watching Jeremy Kyle than preparing nutritious food.
OK I might be getting a little carried away now but lets all start taking responsibility for our own health and stop burdening the overstretched NHS with problems which we can avoid.
See YOU in the gym
MM
Well quite a lot of you agreed with my previous post infact I've never had so many responses to one post so thank you all. Its a good job we are keeping ourselves fit and healthy and make a stand against the sedentry lifestyle eh?
As if by magic......
