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Obesity linked to poverty

(525 Posts)
Scissordolly Sat 25-Jul-20 21:12:57

During lockdown I have been looking through my boxes of photographs. I found one of my primary school class taken in 1945. Guess what? Not a single overweight child in a reception class of 40 + children! 2/3 rd of the parents of these chn were poor as church mice! Don't tell me that healthy food like potatoes, meat and two veg or an omelette are more expensive than Kentucky Fried Chicken or Mac Donald's. Children need to be taught to cook again in secondary school. They need to be taught why we need to eat fruit and vegetables - not just told it is healthy.

growstuff Mon 27-Jul-20 19:08:24

People really need to read the 2007 "Foresight Report". There is no magic solution. It needs a change of attitude and planning at society level.

Chewbacca Mon 27-Jul-20 19:06:47

Jamie Oliver. That's one.

growstuff Mon 27-Jul-20 19:06:39

Grammaretto

Learning to cook from a book is not as easy as it sounds. My DM thought she could learn from a book and "boiled" an egg without water in the pan.
TV or video is a better idea. Bring back Delia!

Alexa That's great news. I remember the build up to the smoking ban on buses and in pubs. I was sceptical that it could happen, especially here in Scotland where so many smoke. But it did! smile

Well, I didn't find it difficult. All you need to be able to do is follow instructions. If you're really stuck, there are loads of "how to" videos on the internet.

growstuff Mon 27-Jul-20 19:04:52

I stand by what I wrote. Go into a secondary school and see what they learn in home economics. And count how many males and females there are in home economics, textiles, electronics and DT classes.

growstuff Mon 27-Jul-20 19:01:56

Chewbacca

^I disagree that school should be about churning out girls with housewife skills^

This is nonsense! How do you think that all the male chefs started cooking? There are more male chefs than females! I'm surprised at your overt sexism growstuff.

How many of today's chefs do you think learnt about cooking at school? Jamie Oliver learnt how to cook because his parents run a pub, not at school.

Shandy57 Mon 27-Jul-20 18:59:17

I thought it interesting that this has been raised after the NHS amendment ensuring it cannot be sold was rejected.

Grammaretto Mon 27-Jul-20 18:47:55

Learning to cook from a book is not as easy as it sounds. My DM thought she could learn from a book and "boiled" an egg without water in the pan.
TV or video is a better idea. Bring back Delia!

Alexa That's great news. I remember the build up to the smoking ban on buses and in pubs. I was sceptical that it could happen, especially here in Scotland where so many smoke. But it did! smile

MissAdventure Mon 27-Jul-20 18:46:11

I suppose you can say "fat chance" of those days coming back smile

Amry64 Mon 27-Jul-20 18:46:07

I wasn't advocating bread and dripping as a good thing! Just saying that was all we had to eat and yes, we were thin, but we were often hungry. They were BAD old days. I contracted TB when I was 7 years old - was that good? But it did mean I was entitled to the free orange juice and medicines! Horrible cod liver oil. Should children be hungry in today's world if that stops them being obese? I was just pointing out how much society has changed.

Alexa Mon 27-Jul-20 18:25:18

There is going to be a ban on junk food ads , I think before 9PM. The campaign against smoking was really successful, so this sort of thing might work.

Fennel Mon 27-Jul-20 18:09:25

Saggi - my view too. Those days have the answer to keeping thin, but we're not going to bring them back.

granbabies123 Mon 27-Jul-20 17:58:44

Having worked in a school for 20+years I have heard the talk of grow your own the PFA have provided funds for raised beds polytunnels fruit trees all equipment and everyone gets excited that the children will learn about good nutrition and then what happens. The curiculem leaves no time for outdoor gardening, ofsted results become more important and the garden and cooking classes get lost in targets and results lists. It's such a shame.

MissAdventure Mon 27-Jul-20 17:56:01

Given a choice between willpower or empathy, I know which I'd rather have, although it would be nice to have both. smile

Aepgirl Mon 27-Jul-20 17:51:34

I quite agree Scissordolly. It's all just an excuse for not having any willpower.
A lady on TV this morning said she knew she was overweight, and hated it, but then showed a bag packed full of crisps and other calorie-laden treats.

Chewbacca Mon 27-Jul-20 17:20:39

I disagree that school should be about churning out girls with housewife skills

This is nonsense! How do you think that all the male chefs started cooking? There are more male chefs than females! I'm surprised at your overt sexism growstuff.

MissAdventure Mon 27-Jul-20 17:13:36

I'm surprised that all these fit young active relatives didn't do sports science at school.

That teaches nutrition, reasons for obesity and its effects, both physically and emotionally, also about carbs, fats, and all that jazz.

GagaJo Mon 27-Jul-20 17:12:05

Coco51

Nor did many mothers have to work - there was time to make the most of cheap ingredients

Plus healthy foods were cheaper. My mum oftens says that fish made a cheap meal when I was a child.

PamelaJ1 Mon 27-Jul-20 17:03:42

hicaz46- now they can learn from utube etc. With a filmed demonstration on how to do it.
Of course you have to have a device.

welbeck Mon 27-Jul-20 17:03:31

i wondered about that too.
i think where it is/was taught, for the last 40+ yrs it has been co-ed.
it is a useful skill for life. not to make girls into housewives.

there is a lot of judgmentalism on here.
twas ever thus, i suppose...

hicaz46 Mon 27-Jul-20 16:57:05

Grecian girl cookery/ budgeting should be taught to both girls and boys- why assume it should be just girls. Not everyone can learn from books.

Coco51 Mon 27-Jul-20 16:55:18

Nor did many mothers have to work - there was time to make the most of cheap ingredients

welbeck Mon 27-Jul-20 16:47:38

eat more of your protein early.
it's the get up and go element.
have less protein in evening, aiding restful zzzzzzzzzzzzz

welbeck Mon 27-Jul-20 16:45:01

Callistemon

Breakfast: yogurt and fruit
Lunch: a hard boiled egg or cottage cheese and salad, drizzle of olive oil
Dinner: protein, lots of veg and potato.

10 days later put on 1lb.

I suppose I could cut out the potato.

when did you last have your personal weighing scales calibrated, and against what standard.
most will not be reliably accurate to 1 lb.
but your diet sounds upside down to me.
why don't you eat more in the morning, say porridge, real oats not that wallpaper paste stuff. make it with water only, no salt or sugar. add a little milk to taste when cooked, or some unsweetened yogurt, greek is tasty. throw on the top a few blueberries, and nuts/seeds.
slice of thick wholemeal toast. tea/coffee. maybe an egg.
eat dinner in the middle of the day.
and a light supper in the evening.

Bazza Mon 27-Jul-20 16:44:22

I wish there were more people out there like you Growstuff, who took the time to learn about nutrition and how to cook. I think there is very much a can’t cook/won’t cook mentality out there. Would things have been different if they had been taught at school? At least they may have had some idea of what they’re putting in their mouths.

Saggi Mon 27-Jul-20 16:41:16

Obesity linked to poverty ... my eyeballs. I was brought up in a ‘poor’ household.... mum worked three cleaning jobs a day... dad was always working ( 7 days a week) and a week off every 7th week....when he was able to pick up casual work for that ‘free week’ he would, otherwise he worked on his allotment!! Meat/fish every day with two veg on our table ....no takeaways....no cakes , only what mum made, no puddings only on Sunday after a roast ( which then went on to . for another days meal). Women knew how to cook then and men knew how to work. What we’ve got today is a shambolic lack of educating children how to cook s basic roast dinner or s steak pie. Simple, when taught at an early age. I could , like many if you gransnetters put a roast on the table by the time I was 12. Obesity linked to poverty ....excuses, excuses, excuses!!!