Being overweight increases incidence of cancer

Processed food is full of sugar which makes you fat. I ate some pasta my SIL made using a jar of pasta sauce. I could taste the sweetness from the added sugar, it really was awful. What processed food doesn't have large amounts of sugar in it.

Three of my friends have died of cancer in the last few years. All very slim and health conscious.

New headline:

'Being Alive Increases Risk of Cancer'

Why are they knocking "processed foods" again? How can 'processed' foods in particular make you fat? For one thing, a ready-meal is likely to have fewer calories than a meal you cook yourself because it is, quite simply, smaller. And that's what makes you fat - excess calories.

Is this another obese people bashing thread? Perhaps because it makes us, probably the luckier ones, feel good about ourselves?

I relate so much to your post teetime thank you .

As I've said I battle with my weight constantly part vanity part health related and I'm sick of it!! It would be so nice just to eat normally. What is that you all cry in unison? Well I'd like to be able to do what we are told French women do - good food, well cooked in moderate quantities- its seems I am only capable of feasting or fasting. I wonder how many people are like me trapped in self perpetuating spiral.

Yesterdays food intake ( average for me)

Fruit n fiber cereal with semi skimmed milk, cup of tea
Ham sandwich on brown bread with flora spread, cup of coffee
Tea with semi skimmed milk two digestive biscuits
Grilled gammon steak, a few oven chips and peas

Am I fat ? Yes !

Not all overweight people stuff junk all day.

Different ethnic groups have a greater, probably genetic, propensity for putting on weight, developing diabetes, strokes and a number of other such conditions, but I am sure that "grazing" and over large portion sizes makes the problems of being overweight worse.

As Mamie says the food industry really adds to this problem supermarkets are always advertising food stuffs as "ideal for snacking".

We really did not see so many very overweight people in the 50s and 60s.

I doubt if the food industry would appreciate any legislation on reducing portion size, or controlingg their heavy promotion of snack foods.

Oh and portion size. Maybe I have got used to French portion sizes, but I am shocked by how people heap their plates when eating out in the UK.

Constant "grazing", fast food, processed food, hidden sugars in food and drinks.
Have to say I am quite shocked by the number of hugely overweight and obese people I see when I visit the UK now.

When I was growing up in the 1950s I can hardly ever remember seeing any fat people. We never went hungry and we were on the go most of the time.

Today everywhere you look there is food and drink. When I go to have a Costa coffee I notice people are ordering coffee with added calorie laden syrups, whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate flakes. Treats like this are no longer treats they have become the 'norm' for some folks.

I can't see how the Government or NHS are going to stem the tide of gluttony and over indulgence.

Walking up Baker Street I was behind three girls, aged about 15, in school uniform with very short skirts and fat legs.

All three were at least a couple of stone overweight - goodness knows what future health problems lie in store.

I was interested to see that they were black, white & Asian respectively, in appearance. So potentially they are from different backgrounds but with something in common, maybe just too-large portions or fast food?