The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

Pardon the pun in the title.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3188062.stm
Should people have a right to be fat if they want to or are they a liability that NHS can't afford?

Any success with the quick fix diet?

Your opinions.

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

I'm 5` 10" and I weigh between 17 and 18 stone.
Now thats clincally obese, however as my doctor told me the chart does not take into account your build.
I admit I have a rather large pot belly but I have no fat anywhere else. My legs are extremely muscular as I'm an ex sprinter/rugby/america football and Ice Hockey player you would expect them to be.
My doctor says I should weigh 12.5 stone, now I think this target is simply ridiculous, to be that weight i'd be thinner than a matchstick and unfotunately my build would prevent me being that weight, I was 14 stone when i was 13/14 years old.

So I'd suggest rather than class people like me clincally obese the NHS should start to take into consideration that some people arent built like a matchstick and have large bones and a lot of powerfull muscle in thier bodies. Maybe then th epercentage of obese people would be realistic.

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

You're right, obesity should be on your fat % rather than your weight.

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

I too am 5' 10" and weigh 11st 5oz wet !! OK who said 'wimp' !!

Although 55 years old and therefore slowing down a bit !! I cycle to work everyday. So whilst I am not exactly muscular, I'm not 'flabby' either.

I think your docs target of 12.5st is a bit implausible, but 14/15st would be reasonable. I know well that muscle weighs a lot more than fat, but skeletal build has much less effect on weight than most people would wish ! (About 15% total body weight). Obesity is defined as a BMI >30 and IMO opinion the popular figure of 20% of the population is somewhat generous and getting worse especially amongst the young.

If you take USA as a foresight of what happens here in 10 years then we have a big problem ! As the article says it is killing more than cancer and the hidden costs include time off work and pressures on the Health Services such as GPs, clinics etc.

A lot of excuses abound such as 'my metabolism', I'm 'big built', I'm happy overweight, I eat nothing but still gain weight !! but IMO if calories consumed exceed calories used you will gain weight, so reduce one and increase the other !! Otherwise know as eat less, excecise more. :rolleyes:

I fully expect that if I did not cycle I would probably gain about 1/2 to 1 stone per year !!

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

Indeed I do agree, I have had a long lay off from sport (a touch of arthritis in my knees) I feel I have become lazy, and I know I have put a lot of weight on. However I never exceed 18 stones no matter how crappy my diet is, I also never seem to get below 17 stones even when I tried the weight watchers diet.
I dont do much exercise atm, I do want to work my way back into it though. I dont have the stamina to do long distance cycling or joggin for that matter. I tend to burn out quickly (possibly my sprinting background) and I find that recovery times now are lonmger than I would like.

I need to do something, I did join a gym, but I had very very little success there. I guess its time I started daily walks, make sure my knees are up to rigorous exercise.

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

Atkins?

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

No, the best way to lose weight is to eat healthily and exercise.
Just losing weight by not eating without any exercise makes people (especially women) look horrible, a fit figure looks so much better.

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

That's what atkins suggests, reducing carbs which in excess get converted to fat, and excercise to burn off calaries

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

Totally agree!

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

i agree roger i dont think the atkins diet should be a diet without further medical research in to it

a balanced diet regular excercise is all you need

i dont think the NHS should be paying for people's inability to control there eating habits

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

I'm about to start atkins, if its dangerous your all invited to my funeral......please no black.

I'm shocked people think that way, is it because its like no other diet? is it because you get to eat mostly what the hell you like? All you do is cut out the carbohydrates, you feel ****ty from the come down for a few days then you slowly re-introduce them. You may or may not consume more protein doing this, if you think you are drink plenty of water. Make sure you dont de-hydrate.

I guess the atkins diet isnt intented for people that are bloody stupid.
You dont live permanently on the Atkins diet, you get some weight off first because exercising whilst over weight can be deadly, lkets face it if I am clincially obese then it would be far too dangerous to start a demanding exercise program. I will do atkins for a few weeks, loose a fair few pounds then start more and more exercise. Once I am exercising I will stop the Atkins diet and start to be carefull of my carbo intake.

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

Indeed the bad press of atkins covers the first 2 week carb detox.

Atkins diet is really designed to find your carb limit. We eat so much more carb these days that the body finds it harder to process, we also eat it every meal so your digestion always has a backlog of carb processing.

In the same way people will cut wheat or gluten or orange foods atkins cuts carbs then reintroduces them until weight gain occurs. This is your carb limit.

And to think he takes 180pp to say that.

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

[color=black]

Yay, someone else her who shares my view that the Atkins diet is ****.



I've said it before and I'll say it again, the Atkins diet is no way to loose weight, and what ever you have read is most likely wrong. They tell you all about ketosis etc but what they don't tell you is that most of the weight lost is from Glycogen (stored in your liver and muscles) and as soon as you eat (any) carbs you put it back on again.



Glycogen is there to give your body a quick burst of energy and it is essential to keep you healthy, if you remove this you become very ill (like in the first two weeks of Atkins). It is a huge myth that doctors and scientists like the Atkins diet (told to you by the promoters of the diet). In fact most are horrified and only recommend a balanced calorie controlled diet and EXCERSISE!!



I have put on weight since Christmas because of some medication the doctor gave me, I've now come off it and need to loose this excess weight. The Atkins diet would be wonderful, if it worked like they say but it doesnââ‚ƚ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t and all you are doing is storing up trouble for the future. So back to the exercise bike it is :(





As an aside, I think itâ₠¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢s a wonderful piece of marketing by the company that sell the books, they have managed to gloss over all the professional advice and negative publicity

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

Its not exactly new, been plenty of time for people to take a look at it

Dr Atkins, a graduate of Cornell University's medical school, first tried a low-carb diet in 1963 after reading about one in the Journal of the American Medical Association
link

Re: The 'growing' problem of obesity
 

We didn't really address downquark1's initial question though did we ??

Do we think people have a right to be fat or are they a liability on the NHS ??

Well in much the same way smokers (yes I am one ! :smokin: ) aren't yet penalised by the NHS then neither should the overweight.

BUT......maybe that should change ? Perhaps with a 'no claims rebate' or some such ?? Unfortunately the way our national institutions work it would probably cost millions to administer !!!!