Obesity in UK

[sundial]

This kind of response is what I was expecting. All obesity results from overeating . If you eat more than you need it becomes fat and waste. There were few(er) fat people during the war and rationing. There were no fat people in concentration camps.
We are a society that makes excuses for gluttony in all forms.
Two similar people with similar lifestyles will not necessarily respond to food intake and excercise in the same way, that's a given. But unless they adjust intake to suit their physiology one will gain weight more than the other.

Minority hardly needs defining - it’s the lesser part and obese generally considered to be with a BMI of >30.
As for those fat families, fat (obviously) comes from the food they consume so the’re over-eating - maybe not compared to others with a more normal weight but more than they personally need.

You are both assuming far too much and are unaware of all of the causes of obesity ... Neither of you and some other TZ UK members have likely tuned into the ZOE podcasts ... and from what you've posted are unlikely to ... Suffice to mention ... again and again ... there are various causes of obesity . The ZOE nutritionists and epidemiologists have studied obesity for many years and are professionally / medically / academically / scientifically qualified to comment and publish their findings ... findings you and others choose to ignore and will likely continue to ignore .. because you have too many preconceived ideas ... and are oblivious to proven scientific fact.

Introduction to ZOE : https://joinzoe.com/learn/difficulty-losing-weight. ... but maybe a waste of time trying to ask you to consider reading ... will take just a few minutes ... but risks more negative comments from the complacent 'too stuck their ways' / 'outdated ideas' / 'brainwashed' fraternity.

[Kingstepper]

You are both assuming far too much and are unaware of all of the causes of obesity ... Neither of you and some other TZ UK members have likely tuned into the ZOE podcasts ... and from what you've posted are unlikely to ... Suffice to mention ... again and again ... there are various causes of obesity . The ZOE nutritionists and epidemiologists have studied obesity for many years and are professionally / medically / academically / scientifically qualified to comment and publish their findings ... findings you and others choose to ignore and will likely continue to ignore .. because you have too many preconceived ideas ... and are oblivious to proven scientific fact.

Introduction to ZOE : https://joinzoe.com/learn/difficulty-losing-weight. ... but maybe a waste of time trying to ask you to consider reading ... will take just a few minutes ... but risks more negative comments from the complacent 'too stuck their ways' / 'outdated ideas' / 'brainwashed' fraternity.

Not sure what I am assuming too much of and doesn’t really matter that there are various causes of obesity - surely excess weight is due to food not being properly metabolised, it isn’t coming from anywhere else. Eat less and that will be less of an issue.

[sundial]

Not sure what I am assuming too much of and doesn’t really matter that there are various causes of obesity - surely excess weight is due to food not being properly metabolised, it isn’t coming from anywhere else. Eat less and that will be less of an issue.

Common sense suggests that your opinion is correct ... but it's not borne out in practise ... Please consider accessing and reading the ZOE link ... https://joinzoe.com/learn/difficulty-losing-weight. ... Do you have more qualifications and experience than the two scientists mentioned in the header ? Are you trying to say that all their findings after years of study are wrong? Do you have firm evidence and peer studied/approved published papers / books / journals to prove their peer approved published papers wrong? I doubt you have.

[Harry Smith]

Clinically and morbidly obese people do not need to hear more reasons why it is "ok to be fat". They need to know how to lose it and still maintain a reasonable and healthy lifestyle.
Everything in life is about balance. Too much (or too little) of anything and your life goes out of kilter.
There are people such as sportsman who need to be really lithe and lightweight like roadbikers, jockeys, racing drivers etc. Yet some sports and activities require a bit of 'timber' like professional sumo, rugby, power-lifters.
But I guarantee their weight is distributed differently to your average overnourished couch dweller, certainly not clustered around internal organs which does the most damage.

[Harry Smith]

Common sense suggests that your opinion is correct ... but it's not borne out in practise ... Please consider accessing and reading the ZOE link ... https://joinzoe.com/learn/difficulty-losing-weight. ... Do you have more qualifications and experience than the two scientists mentioned in the header ? Are you trying to say that all their findings after years of study are wrong? Do you have firm evidence and peer studied/approved published papers / books / journals to prove their peer approved published papers wrong? I doubt you have.

I've just had a quick scan of the ZOE link. It's a sales site as far as I can see. Just like weightwatchers or any other program.
I was gaining a bit of flab a few years ago and my Mrs said to go along to a WW meeting. My lasting impression was of a room full of fat people obsessing about food, calorie counting, successes but mostly faiures and mild disapproval.

[Kingstepper]

Common sense suggests that your opinion is correct ... but it's not borne out in practise ... Please consider accessing and reading the ZOE link ... https://joinzoe.com/learn/difficulty-losing-weight. ... Do you have more qualifications and experience than the two scientists mentioned in the header ? Are you trying to say that all their findings after years of study are wrong? Do you have firm evidence and peer studied/approved published papers / books / journals to prove their peer approved published papers wrong? I doubt you have.

I've read that link (admittedly w/o following further links) and nothing contradicts what I have said.

I don't have any expertise in the area but neither am I selling anything.

[sundial]

Clinically and morbidly obese people do not need to hear more reasons why it is "ok to be fat". They need to know how to lose it and still maintain a reasonable and healthy lifestyle.
Everything in life is about balance. Too much (or too little) of anything and your life goes out of kilter.
There are people such as sportsman who need to be really lithe and lightweight like roadbikers, jockeys, racing drivers etc. Yet some sports and activities require a bit of 'timber' like professional sumo, rugby, power-lifters.
But I guarantee their weight is distributed differently to your average overnourished couch dweller, certainly not clustered around internal organs which does the most damage.

Are you academically qualified in nutrition / sports science / medicine and thus able to offer such a guarantee? Everyone is aware of 'couch dweller / couch potato syndrome' but not everyone who is overweight has a 'couch dweller' life style ... and they do not deserve to categorised as such and put into 'that slot'.

You might think you know how overweight people should lose weight but you're likely unaware of all the reasons for the causes of obesity ... The ZOE link explains weight loss.

[RobDad]

I recently had a wake-up call in regard to my general health and weight . I’m in my early 50’s, tall and broad (classic rugby player physique according to my GP) in (I thought) good health but have always had borderline high blood pressure. All my relatives died in their 80’’s/90’s, father still healthy and fit at 79 so never gave it much thought and the doctors have always just kept an eye on it. Following a move to rural Norfolk from London, followed by the lockdown, I’ve ended up moving less and eating more. I’ve never smoked, barely drink - so recently having been put on blood pressure meds and told to lose 3-4 Stone (I’m 17 stone at present) was a shock. Also discovered all my close relatives are on the same meds but tbh I’ve had a proper scare/wake up call. So I’m now living on salads, fruit, much smaller meals, no added salt, no caffeine, lots of water, and absolutely zero chocolate/sweets/crisps. I’m also walking everywhere, getting more sleep and once my meds are all balanced and I’ve my next check-up I’ll get to the gym.
I work in an office full of women who are constantly on diets and they’ve given me so much conflicting and complicated advice it’s frankly ridiculous. Most of what I need to do is just plain common sense. The crazy thing is, even after just 2 weeks on a much ‘cleaner’ smaller diet I feel so much better. I‘ve not even weighed myself - and I’m sure it’s mostly water retention I’ve dropped - but I’m wearing my trouser belt a notch in, my clothes feel a bit looser and I’ve just spent an hour taking all my watch bracelets in 1 or 2 micro adjustments. I know it’s early days but the obvious solution to losing weight is to eat considerably less and exercise some self control. The kids had fish and chips earlier this week, I was happy with my green salad, a small pitta bread and a blob of hummus, and a pint of water followed by a big bowl of fresh berries. Apart from a minor headache the first three days (that’ll be the caffeine withdrawal I reckon) I’ve felt great.
So why didn’t I do it before? - frankly I just lacked motivation. And I think that’s the problem. When a doctor effectively says ‘you’re fat and it’s making you sick’ you have to take action - not kid yourself that being overweight is somehow normal, and part of getting older.
I know I’ve got a long slog ahead but I really think there’s so much BS around diets and weight loss - sure, if you eat considerably less, start exercising, wait 6 months and you don’t lose a single pound - that’s not right and see your doctor. But for the vast majority that’s the solution. It just needs self control and application. And you’ll save a lot of money and temptation just by not buying bad food - if it’s not in the cupboard or the fridge you can’t eat it!


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[sundial]

I've just had a quick scan of the ZOE link. It's a sales site as far as I can see. Just like weightwatchers or any other program.
I was gaining a bit of flab a few years ago and my Mrs said to go along to a WW meeting. My lasting impression was of a room full of fat people obsessing about food, calorie counting, successes but mostly faiures and mild disapproval.

It is not a sales site ... There is an optional programme which charges a fee if you want to participate and discover as much as possible about personal nutrition tailored to your own metabolism and microbiome ... but it's light years away from WW and does not involve calorie counting

You appear to be dismissing ZOE because you think it's a 'sales site'.

ZOE podcasts are totally free of charge ... and all previous podcasts can be accessed FOC.,... and they offer a wealth of knowledge and advice from professional nutritionists / scientists / academics to improve diet and maintain a healthy life style .

[Harry Smith]

Are you academically qualified in nutrition / sports science / medicine and thus able to offer such a guarantee? Everyone is aware of 'couch dweller / couch potato syndrome' but not everyone who is overweight has a 'couch dweller' life style ... and they do not deserve to categorised as such and put into 'that slot'.

You might think you know how overweight people should lose weight but you're likely unaware of all the reasons for the causes of obesity ... The ZOE link explains weight loss.

I'm sorry but you seem to be selling something here. If you are going to reference a study please use one which does not require 'signing up' or subscriptions.
My 'academic' qualification is of someone in their sixth decade on this planet who has fought a lifelong battle with a tendency to gain weight very easily and quickly. Of course what works for me will not work for others. But there are irrefutable facts/tenets
Don't eat or drink too much of the wrong stuff.
Keep active.
Monitor your health but don't obsess.

Buy a Fitbit or similar and find a sport or activity which you can maintain easily without huge cost or overinvolvement.

I have no more to say as I don't wish to get into pointless dispute and we will never agree.

[sundial]

I recently had a wake-up call in regard to my general health and weight . I’m in my early 50’s, tall and broad (classic rugby player physique according to my GP) in (I thought) good health but have always had borderline high blood pressure. All my relatives died in their 80’’s/90’s, father still healthy and fit at 79 so never gave it much thought and the doctors have always just kept an eye on it. Following a move to rural Norfolk from London, followed by the lockdown, I’ve ended up moving less and eating more. I’ve never smoked, barely drink - so recently having been put on blood pressure meds and told to lose 3-4 Stone (I’m 17 stone at present) was a shock. Also discovered all my close relatives are on the same meds but tbh I’ve had a proper scare/wake up call. So I’m now living on salads, fruit, much smaller meals, no added salt, no caffeine, lots of water, and absolutely zero chocolate/sweets/crisps. I’m also walking everywhere, getting more sleep and once my meds are all balanced and I’ve my next check-up I’ll get to the gym.
I work in an office full of women who are constantly on diets and they’ve given me so much conflicting and complicated advice it’s frankly ridiculous. Most of what I need to do is just plain common sense. The crazy thing is, even after just 2 weeks on a much ‘cleaner’ smaller diet I feel so much better. I‘ve not even weighed myself - and I’m sure it’s mostly water retention I’ve dropped - but I’m wearing my trouser belt a notch in, my clothes feel a bit looser and I’ve just spent an hour taking all my watch bracelets in 1 or 2 micro adjustments. I know it’s early days but the obvious solution to losing weight is to eat considerably less and exercise some self control. The kids had fish and chips earlier this week, I was happy with my green salad, a small pitta bread and a blob of hummus, and a pint of water followed by a big bowl of fresh berries. Apart from a minor headache the first three days (that’ll be the caffeine withdrawal I reckon) I’ve felt great.
So why didn’t I do it before? - frankly I just lacked motivation. And I think that’s the problem. When a doctor effectively says ‘you’re fat and it’s making you sick’ you have to take action - not kid yourself that being overweight is somehow normal, and part of getting older.
I know I’ve got a long slog ahead but I really think there’s so much BS around diets and weight loss - sure, if you eat considerably less, start exercising, wait 6 months and you don’t lose a single pound - that’s not right and see your doctor. But for the vast majority that’s the solution. It just needs self control and application. And you’ll save a lot of money and temptation just by not buying bad food - if it’s not in the cupboard or the fridge you can’t eat it!


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You are doing well and your revised diet with a good variety of fruit / salad / veg will likely work wonders for your microbiome and thus your immune system .. as per much of the advice given in ZOE podcasts.

And contrary to Harry Smith's suspicion / assertion, I am not selling anything ... I have not signed up to the ZOE 'personal diet plan' and have no intention of doing so ... but I tune into their FREE podcasts ... broadcast by professional nutritionists / scientists / academics who know far more about nutrition and the microbiome than the majority of TZ UK forum members.

I first commenced 'improving' my microbiome over 3 years ago and can vouch for the fact that the decision has helped me to not only lose weight, but to also remedy respiratory allergies 'coped with' for many many years.

EDIT: You mention 'caffeine withdrawal' ... contrary to popular opinion caffeine does not cause health problems and sleeplessness unless consumed in large quantities ... And furthermore , coffee is an excellent source of fibre.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0zJy67sdj8. ... it's that man Prof. Tim Spector again putting the record straight about coffee ... following recent / latest scientific research/studies which contradict non-scientific 'findings' of yesteryear !!

[Saint-Just]

[Passenger]

There's gotta be better sources of fibre around than coffee...just eat the whole everything...wholegrain bread, brown rice, wholewheat pasta, leave the skins on your potatoes/ sweet potatoes, likewise almonds, go for porridge over processed cereals, plus your 6 or 7 a day...

I find even a single coffee after about 4 pm does cause me to stay awake longer, a couple of coffee's in a single day would tear through me, can't see multiple coffee's really as a sensible alternative to the eating habits outlined above, though everyone's different.

[100thmonkey]

I blend bananas with the skins on

[Montello]

I first commenced 'improving' my microbiome over 3 years ago and can vouch for the fact that the decision has helped me to not only lose weight, but to also remedy respiratory allergies 'coped with' for many many years.

Tell us about your journey following this programme.

[Saint-Just]

I find even a single coffee after about 4 pm does cause me to stay awake longer, a couple of coffee's in a single day would tear through me, can't see multiple coffee's really as a sensible alternative to the eating habits outlined above, though everyone's different.

Totally unrelated to the topic but if you struggle to sleep because you had an afternoon coffee, just get out of bed and make yourself another small cup. Seriously.

[RobDad]

I must admit I’m surprised how easily I’ve dropped coffee - not had a single cup of tea or coffee now for 2 weeks and I’m just not bothered at all. As a child - even up to my late teens - I never drank a hot drink, and I guess I convinced myself I liked coffee, it’s just something I was endlessly supplied with at work, then the uk coffee boom with Starbucks and Costa on every corner…….
Another upside is financial savings - since when was a cup of coffee in Costa £3.75!!?? Finally, I’ve also noticed it’s a bowel irritant - nothing dreadful, but let’s just say I feel a whole lot better without drinking caffeine!


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[sundial]

There's gotta be better sources of fibre around than coffee...just eat the whole everything...wholegrain bread, brown rice, wholewheat pasta, leave the skins on your potatoes/ sweet potatoes, likewise almonds, go for porridge over processed cereals, plus your 6 or 7 a day...

I find even a single coffee after about 4 pm does cause me to stay awake longer, a couple of coffee's in a single day would tear through me, can't see multiple coffee's really as a sensible alternative to the eating habits outlined above, though everyone's different.

Coffee is just one of many fibre sources ... the greater the fibre varieties (all are classified as 'prebiotics'), the greater the variety of gut microbes cultivated / sustained in the digestive system ... thus promoting a more diverse and efficient microbiome ... which promotes an efficient immune system. Different types of gut microbes 'feed' off different types of fibre.

[sundial]

I blend bananas with the skins on

Banana skins are very nutritious ... more so when ripe. I add sliced banana skin and any available citrus peel plus mixed nuts and mixed seed to the morning's fortified porridge mix ... all goes into the 'chopper' before cooking ... 2 teaspoons of cocoa added before cooking ... Different mix every day depending on which fruit skins available ... if it's edible i use it ... including mango and avocado kernels ... None of my veg are peeled ... Banana skins are not on everyone's radars 'cos mother never used them .. but are delicious microwaved for a minute or so . However, i end up composting skins too ... cannot eat too many ... all eaten in moderation i.e. small-ish quantities .. and they contribute to the 20 or so (and sometimes more) daily prebiotics ... easily achieved if includes 5 different mixed nuts plus veg and fruit and cereal ... and brown rice

[Passenger]

Totally unrelated to the topic but if you struggle to sleep because you had an afternoon coffee, just get out of bed and make yourself another small cup. Seriously.

Thanks SJ I´ll take it under advisement, though nowadays I´m usually, mostly, savvy enough not to make the mistake, for me- my system, in the first place.

[Mj2k]

We were always Sainsbury shoppers a few years back until we found Aldi. I reckon we have saved hundreds there.
A lot of people as you said are supermarket snobs that shop at Waitrose/Sainsbury wasting money. Still, it's their choice but in these times one has to be prudent with costs rocketing.

I fully buy into the quality and price of the German discounters. I struggle with the distance to get there and have to drive past 3 other supermarkets and navigate a town centre / visit the worst estate in the area to get there.

Once there, the size of queue always present takes up too much of my time and you still cannot do a full shop if you want less mainstream ingredients / flavours.

I enjoy shopping there when I have a week off, as time is not as important to me as it usually is. However on a weekly basis I just don’t want to spend my little down time shopping there.

I save £170 a week not commuting to London daily so am in a fortunate position with regards to cost saving.

To the £40 a week family dinners, well done. With alcohol we are usually £100 for the two of us plus then meals out.

The last 2 years have not been kind with me working from home and not moving enough. I need to shift 10kg of basically fat. Chicken and salad will be my main meals for the future and limited good carbs. I have also purchased a punchbag as found it helped me last time with it.

5 days in NYC walking 40k steps a day and must Ben the only place I can walk like that and not lose weight due to the portion sizes!

[100thmonkey]

Eating is a requirement not a pass time

Eat for function over taste.

Really easy. I myself am genetically a fatty but if the calories in don't exceed the calories out I remain lean. If I understand that my lean muscle is wasting away and do something to compensate then ill remain in credit.

I coach / train a few people and all are winners for listening to basic advise, one of them now down 27kg and entering the next phase of transformation with a renewed vigour, fresh wardrobe and outlook/attitude. So satisfying for him and me.

If they wont listen then its either remain large slowly killing yourself or a trip to Turkey for a sleeve/band

[Passenger]

I get what you're saying but sharing good, delicious food with family and friends is also beneficial, does us another kind of good...I think it's entirely possible, maybe better in the long term to strike a balance...looking at eating just as requirement, without consideration for taste, seems a bit ascetic, might be to miss out on one of life's great pleasures and it is possible to stay fit and healthy whilst enjoying your food if you're active and enjoy exercise...Different if you're a professional athlete, sports person. Just my take.

[Mj2k]

Agree completely. I love dining with of cooking for friends and family. Be that indulgent festive roasts and daft amounts of trimmings or low & slow bbq.

We all eat and drink far more than we need or should but enjoy the company over a prolonged session. As long as it is not the norm on a daily or weekly basis then it is good.

I need to break the cycle of my Friday night curry at the local restaurant. For me it signals the end of the week and I look forward to it tremendously. Usually walk up with my wife, pop into the local for a bottle of bubbles and a pint or two and then for the curry. A few beers there and a bottle of wine at home after. Lovely evening but not my healthiest by any means.

My mid week chest is a chicken kebab from the local van. No pitta so just chicken and salad. Yes can do it at home but cannot replicate the kebab van sauce despite years of trying recipes. It cannot be that hard but simply eludes me.

[Montello]

I get what you're saying but sharing good, delicious food with family and friends is also beneficial, does us another kind of good...I think it's entirely possible, maybe better in the long term to strike a balance...looking at eating just as requirement, without consideration for taste, seems a bit ascetic, might be to miss out on one of life's great pleasures and it is possible to stay fit and healthy whilst enjoying your food if you're active and enjoy exercise...Different if you're a professional athlete, sports person. Just my take.

It does not have to be either / or ... I enjoy every meal I have and take great pleasure from eating out in nice places every now and then plus I'm prone to a nice snack / chocolate ... but as long as nothing is excessive there is no reason why you can not be a healthy weight and enjoy food ... just give it some thought.

Also a bit of exercise helps but diet is the main issue in the obesity equation.

[guinea]

As said and reiterated many times, there are a minority of people with genuine reasons why they gain weight or can't seem to lose it.

Just to be clear, this is absolute bollocks.

I know it's common sense, and I know it's what you'd like to be true, but it's bollocks.

For the vast majority of people, once you become overweight you stay over weight. There's plenty of science out there you can ready, but in short:

Losing weight screw with your metabolism and you perception of hunger. People who lose more than 3 stones permanently need far fewer calories to maintain weight. They also need to eat a significant amount more food to feed full. This means a guy who would normally need 2500 to get through a normal day will now need only 2000 calories, but will be hungry for about 3500 calories. It's this simple equation that means pretty much ever diet an obese person starts will eventually fail. It is hugely tiring and ultimately unsustainable to be hungry for double the amount of calories than you need for the rest of your life.

The most important thing is to stop people getting fat in the first place. Education, support, and ultimately spending a lot more money on healthy eating for those with little cash.

[Montello]

The most important thing is to stop people getting fat in the first place.

This is the key point ... I fear we may have a lost generation of obese people much like lots of people had a smoking addiction that started on the 60s & 70s ... but what we are not seeing is any action to stop the rot ... actually seems quite the opposite, we are normalising obesity ...

[Saint-Just]

Smoking was prevalent long before the 60s, and making smoking "uncool" is very recent. And it had to go through massive warnings on the packs, banning smoking in public places, etc. before it finally lost its attraction.
More than one generation was lost to smoking...

[Montello]

Smoking was prevalent long before the 60s, ...

True it has been around for about 120 years but pretty much peaked in 1960 and is the relevant period for readers of this forum; but food has been around much longer and obesity is a relatively modern issue.

I think we can all agree that there needs to be action and whilst our government drag their feet nothing wrong with people taking a bit of personal responsibility and not making their kids fat ... what they do to themselves is up to them as adults (noting the burden they create on the NHS).

[Passenger]

It does not have to be either / or ... I enjoy every meal I have and take great pleasure from eating out in nice places every now and then plus I'm prone to a nice snack / chocolate ... but as long as nothing is excessive there is no reason why you can not be a healthy weight and enjoy food ... just give it some thought.

Also a bit of exercise helps but diet is the main issue in the obesity equation.

Sorry I was attempting in my post too emphasise the middle ground, strike a balance... be active and exercise whilst still enjoying your food, use moderation and don't snack/overindulge in the unhealthy stuff. maybe I didn't make my point well enough.
I think the point about viewing food as sustenance, eating for function over taste runs the risk, like a lotta diets, of not being sustainable over the long term for most folks...

I think also with increasingly busy, stressful lives, perhaps poor work/life balance, it's a darn sight easier to succumb to treats and tougher to find the time/ energy to put together nice and healthy food instead of ordering in or grabbing a ready meal... so these factors are at play too...given the emphasis on shifting to a higher wage/ higher productivity economy in the UK, I do wonder what that might do for obesity levels...

[Omegamanic]

Sorry I was attempting in my post too emphasise the middle ground, strike a balance... be active and exercise whilst still enjoying your food, use moderation and don't snack/overindulge in the unhealthy stuff. maybe I didn't make my point well enough.
I think the point about viewing food as sustenance, eating for function over taste runs the risk, like a lotta diets, of not being sustainable over the long term for most folks...

I think also with increasingly busy, stressful lives, perhaps poor work/life balance, it's a darn sight easier to succumb to treats and tougher to find the time/ energy to put together nice and healthy food instead of ordering in or grabbing a ready meal... so these factors are at play too...given the emphasis on shifting to a higher wage/ higher productivity economy in the UK, I do wonder what that might do for obesity levels...

Some very interesting points, and most valid for an increasingly busy lifestyle - we tend to want a quicker solution and preparing food can be time consuming. Most cookery programs make very high calorie dense foods - as they are simply more appealing.

Personally, I need to be quite structured with my food prep to get significant benefits - but if I’m busy at work, I don’t get to the gym, and if I’m not going to the gym then I don’t prepare food. Similarly if I have an injury or anything else going on, then fitness and diet take a bit of a back seat.

I don’t think the government interfering with taxes, like adding a sugar tax etc. is going to make a damn bit of difference. Education at an early stage is what’s needed. Packs for new parents, and giving them the tools to prepare their kids properly to grow and thrive, instead of a McDonald’s culture might help a little.

[Passenger]

Some very interesting points, and most valid for an increasingly busy lifestyle - we tend to want a quicker solution and preparing food can be time consuming. Most cookery programs make very high calorie dense foods - as they are simply more appealing.

Personally, I need to be quite structured with my food prep to get significant benefits - but if I’m busy at work, I don’t get to the gym, and if I’m not going to the gym then I don’t prepare food. Similarly if I have an injury or anything else going on, then fitness and diet take a bit of a back seat.

I don’t think the government interfering with taxes, like adding a sugar tax etc. is going to make a damn bit of difference. Education at an early stage is what’s needed. Packs for new parents, and giving them the tools to prepare their kids properly to grow and thrive, instead of a McDonald’s culture might help a little.

Agree with you education on food prep and nutrition and get them started early as it´s a lifelong task. And as you note the importance of´time´, we´ve got the sense of quicker is better and fast food working against us...food shouldn´t be fast, something´s usually been lost or added, but then ´quicker is better´ so we´re pulled in two ways at once, plus pernicious mc D´s their deliberate use of pester power, sponsorship`.
And add books like Fast Food Nation to the syllabus, nearly as relevant to the UK as the US.