There has been a lot in the press this week about the UK's obesity problem and poor nutrition. Despite growth in the economy we seem to be far less healthy than other (in many cases poorer) European nations. Some friends recently told me that after a holiday in the Alps they knew they were nearing Britannia when they saw the number of super-sized people at the Calais Eurotunnel terminal. Only the US of A seems to out-supersize us! Ugh!!!
Back in August, the Health Survey for England warned that 13 M adults and 1 M children would probably be obese by 2010 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5282446.stm. Yesterday a report indicated that UK obesity was the most prevalent in Europe http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/09_10_06_obesity.pdf, http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006470329,00.html. Today Dame Deirdre Hutton, chairman of the Food Standards Agency, placed the UK at the bottom of European countries on nutrition and warned that all parts of society were eating badly http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article1834351.ece.
There seem to be a few obvious reasons for this:
a) The prevalence of junk food (remember what it did to Morgan Spurlock)
b) US-style consumption of sugary (see the example of poor Darren Holmes from Penarth http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6038694.stm).
c) Lack of exercise. It makes me sad that I live next to a lovely park in my town. In my childhood kids from 5 to 15 would have sent a lot of time playing somewhere like that. Today it is empty apart from dog owners taking their pets for a walk (or a shit). Presumably today's kids are risking deep vein thrombosis in front of their TVs or video games.
d) Despite an excellent supply of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, etc so many people can't be bothered to cook proper meals.
Arrrggghhh!!!!
2006-10-11 @ 14:47