Michael Buerk. Is obesity a disease?

Alexa, Nonnie informed us that there was nobody fat that came out of a concentration camp. Then it was her endocrinologist who told her this.

This forum is not the place for such disrespectful, ignorant comment.

nanoftwo you misunderstand, I am not 'comparing' anything with the holocaust, of course not. I am simply trying to show those who don't understand that reducing what you eat, as those poor people had to do, will make you thin. It is a fact which some seem to want to deny. Surely making people remember the holocaust is a good thing?

Disgusting, Nonnie. I can't believe you're still insisting you are right and it's perfectly fine to discuss the Holocaust within a forum such as this.

Outrageous comment about me being a denier as well. I politely suggest that maybe you're the denier.

You need to learn a lesson here.

You won't find many agreeing with you. Anywhere

And it was a typo. Just try and work it out. It's not hard.

There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that should be compared to the Holocaust. Please disconting

Well thats not true. There are LOTS of comparable events. Both past and present. Many less revered as the victims looked less like westerners... but agree that this is not an appropriate context

Researchers from the UK scanned thousands of brains and realized that people with higher body-fat levels showed differences in their brain structure when compared with those who were thin. The differences included a reduced volume of gray matter in the brain.

Check out the entire story.

www.myhealthyclick.com/obesity-may-shrink-your-brain-finds-study/

Nonnie- I am stunned and saddened by your post. I wish I could convey all that is wrong with your analaogy. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that should be compared to the Holocaust. Please discontin

Alexa there was nothing trivial about my post, I was talking about the starvation, if anyone thinks that is trivial or wrong then I would like them to explain why.

Rowan it was me and now I'm being attacked for referring to it as if we should not talk about how awful it was.

Can't see any post about the Holocaust. Where is it?

Referring to the Holocaust in any trivial way or for any trivial purpose is wrong, because the Holocaust is now sacred to the memory of people who have been victims of intense evil.

The Holocaust has mythological status as the paradigm case of intense evil.

I suspect there are people who are eating things they have been told are good for them without realising how many calories are in them. Have you ever looked on a packet of cereal about how many calories in a portion? If you weigh your portion you may well find it is bigger than you thought.

Nuts are good for you but they are very calorific. Fruit is good for you but if you eat a bunch of grapes you are eating a lot of sugar. If you drink a large glass of fruit juice you are drinking a lot of calories.

I love ice cream and chocolate so it is best to not have them in the house then I don't have to resist them! I am just as guilty as some others so I struggle. We are not all as fortunate as minnie which might be why some of us understand the struggle but are honest enough to know we have to deal with it ourselves.

minniemoo may I suggest you think? You haven't offered me a better analogy, you just disagree with me on principal. What makes your opinion more valid than mine?

Yes, I do need you to explain what is wrong with referring to the holocaust? Are you a holocaust denier? I am showing respect, why do you think I'm not? What is disrespectful about saying people in the camps were underfed?

I don't understand what "Which K am well aware causes most of the obesity we see." means

Yes of course they would have died, just as those with other illnesses would. Why do you need to repeat that?

Good for you Alexa However a generation have grown up and are now raising other genetations who do not know how to gauge a healthy portion, or when they feel satisfied rather than "stuffed" or undeed when they feel hungry in the first place!

I am not into eliminating or villifying particular foods so say you want a treat, you could eat some crisps if you fancied without "over indulging" if you had a regular portion/bag. however shops like WHS only sell massive "grab bags". The only way to buy "normal portion" size crisp packets these days is to buy a multipack!

Yes crisps arent "healthy" but my point is that portion control is being lost to whole generations.

It also applies to "healthy" foods. Too much too often. Everything is bigger faster more readily available.

Same for clothes. They are so cheap now that its not as big a deal to pick up a few looser/bigger sizes. "Disposable fashion". In my teens you had one favorite pair of jeans which you wore for years, you would notice if they got snug.

If I had any influence for someone who was damaging their health in any way including over eating I'd use my influence. But I have no influence on anyone, so I just shut up,

I tend to agree with notanan. Some people have conditions which do not actually put on weight, as has been suggested, but they do mean you get less exercise or you crave certain foods. Being hypothyroid probably means you need to eat less rather than sit back and blame a gland. I reiterate if you put in more than you use you will gain weight, whatever your problem is.

Why don't we tell people they would feel so much better if they lost weight. No one makes excuses for people who smoke and damage their health. Surely we should be encouraging people to live healthier lives whatever their issue?

Think I've said enough now. Peace, health and happiness to all.

"But Alexa there is also social pressure to over eat.

Its not seen as polite to push away a half full plate etc"

I am out of touch with some polite behaviours. I'd protest gently to the host if he/she put too much on my plate. My son sometimes does this and I remove the too much and put it on his plate before we start eating.

It is so damaging that the very conditions that can only really be helped by diet and exercise are instead quoted as reasons not to do so

"Please explain why referring to the Holocaust is wrong? I think we should all remember it and referring to the harm it did reminds people.'

You actually need that explaining to you? A daft thread on some obscure site discussing obesity and over eating?

Which K am well aware causes most of the obesity we see.

But not all.

But to suggest mentioning the Holocaust proves your point shows ignorance and a lack of respect

And it's totally wrong. Anyone with a UAT would have died long before they starved to death.

Try and think before you post.

People now aim to feel "stuffed" rather than satisfied.

Children are fed the instant they crave anything

People are used to being sedate, and then wonder why theyre getting headaches/back aches etc

Society has lost touch of what healthy looks like, feels like and means.

Misadventure it's good to hear that you wouldn't tell anyone that they had gained weight because THAT would be rude. Of course a sensible discussion is fine. If it was my partner or adult child who was smoking or drinking too.much. I would first ascertain and tackle the cause rather than the behaviour because you want to help them, not give your uninformed opinion and leave them to it.
Notanan2 if you are distracted with life events, the last thing you need is someone telling you that you have put on weight. Society is changing, full stop. Yes people are trying to live their life in a positive way, would you rather them live their life full of angst and negatively, so you can continue to beat them with the skinny stick.

All those people in the restraunt, all trying to finish enormous plates of food. All quite a bit bigger than the previous generation....
....

Thats not all genes/thyroids/depression!

But Alexa there is also social pressure to over eat.

Its not seen as polite to push away a half full plate etc

Society has lost track of what normal eating is

Sue Donim:
" If you're of a certain age, too, you'll have been raised not to leave anything on your plate and it's really, really hard to throw off that habit."

It's either stupidity or a sign of depression, to cling to any bad habit without at least trying to do better for oneself.

But minnie it is as simple as 'eat less and move more'. Yes their are probably lots of other things that can be done like medication but it should be obvious that if you put in more than you use you will add weight!

Please explain why referring to the Holocaust is wrong? I think we should all remember it and referring to the harm it did reminds people.

Yes these conditions make it harder to exercise and eat well, but if you dont exercise and eat well that makes your condition worse...

So it still comes back to exercise and diet.