Fat bastards sign in

[mynameis]

Why should the government waste money on trying to educate fatties, surely self discipline is the best deterrant for getting to be a fat bastard.

How else will it be addressed?

Why shouldn't the government?

Educating and making people aware is inarguably one of the best methods of change, surely it also depends on people, basic family units ect ect but there are far too many people who simply don't know better and your post below here says it all about portion control and size of meal.

Its a waste of money, my body tells me when I have eaten enought,k I don't ahve to clear a plate jsut cause its sitting there, over eating is a pure sign of low self esteem.

Common trend here and in many other countries like USA. Meal sizes are betting bigger and bigger, drinks, burgers, meals ect. Companies put a marketing spin on it and people get carried away. Most fatties don't actually know when to stop or if they are full or not. They will eat that extra fires that comes with the meal and stuff themselves till they can't breath, I've seen em at MacD's and BK.

Join a club of some sort preferably a group sport that involves swinging the limbs a little quicker that normal.. Social engagement with fitness is a winner all the time, that way you can eat wht you want after wards without feeling bad about it.

100% agree with you, nothing worse and demotivating than jumping on that same treadmill day in day out with a mundane routine much like a goldfish.

Healthy thinnking mind = healthy body..............my god NZ has so much to get out there and see,, either by walking it, running it tramping it, breathing it, riding it, I cant see what there are so many fatties over here.

This is from a Briwi who can't get enough of what NZ has to offer outdoors, you guys don't know you are born.

Kiwi's listen in.......look after your bodies all by yourselves.....its not f..king hard for gods sake.

Here endeth the lesson.

Woodybee

and if there are any fat kids, get off your arse, let go of that computer game, and go and walk in that beautiful outdoors. Parents of fat kids you ought to be ashamed of yourselves, exercise some imagination in the kitchen and go out walking with your fat kids, lead by example.......otherwise, you will coat your poor heart in so much shit it will be unable to perform the perfect job its there for to beat purely, and you'll drop dead as you don't care for your heart, so why the hell shoudl it care for you.................

[mynameis]

Good argument so far, and a few hints of looking at the bigger picture.

Personal responsibility is all good - however, in recent times there are other forces at work on the other end of the see-saw...

Problems: Too much readily available, energy dense - nutrient-poor food.

Too little physical activity.

Is this ALL down to personal responsibility?

No one so far has mentioned the role of the marketers in all this, or the expense of fruit and veg (the latter has been hinted at)

Go back 20 years* - there were not the sheer numbers of fast-food outlets EVERYWHERE. There were not the range of prepackaged shit on the shelves at the supermarket. People could and did cook and eat together. There were not the extensive range of sedentary entertainment - computer and console games, DVDs etc.

In terms of fast/pre-packaged processed food and sedentary entertainment products - these are hammered 24/7 by marketers.

20 odd years ago marketers were only just starting to wake up to the idea of product placement (Reeces pieces in ET was an accidental success). Now it's in all forms of media - weather brought to you by 'X', article in association with 'Y'; 'Z' drinks this in electronic game...

There are a lot of foods that are touted as being 'just fine' by infotainment - those "eating well" segments selling food for the kids' lunches; the Sarah Ulmers of the world fronting McDonalds. The "99% fat free" products (never mind the carbs). So many things we are 'told' are just fine, but are not.

Too few people go past the claims on the front of the package saying that the food is 'fine' to the nutrition info panel in tiny print on the back, failing to realise that marketers are never going to give you good info on what to eat (duh! They SELL things)

Advertising targeting kids to nag their parents during childrens' TV? These factors are EVERYWHERE if you open your eyes to them. Not that long ago I had an ad stuck on the lid of my takeaway coffee. 20 years ago the marketing machine was not so sophisticated and was not striving to influence 'free choice' and 'personal responsibility'

I think this is what the Green Party is getting at more so than saying it's not about personal responsibility - trying to counter the marketing machine that DOESN'T CARE whether the food we eat is healthy.

Sure, 20 years ago there were pies, donuts and fizzy. And maccas. But they were not everywhere, and they were not PUSHED by the marketers through an omnipresent electronic media.

As to the latter point - I'm well enough educated in science to have a ready grasp of the whys and wherefores of good nutrition; I can cook well and I'm vegetarian. Unfortunately I am also rather poor at present. I find it difficult to eat all the fruits and veg I'd like. It's farking expensive to eat a varied diet of quality produce...

Personal responsibility in the age of marketing is more of an uphill battle that it once was...

Don't get me wrong: Personal responsibility is still THE critical factor, just a little harder to exercise in the mire of availability and 'market-speak'

(*20 years is an arbitrary figure on my part as I can remember it a little)

+1 Explained properly

[Phurrball]

(snippity)
Common trend here and in many other countries like USA. Meal sizes are betting bigger and bigger, drinks, burgers, meals ect. Companies put a marketing spin on it and people get carried away. Most fatties don't actually know when to stop or if they are full or not. They will eat that extra fires that comes with the meal and stuff themselves till they can't breath, I've seen em at MacD's and BK.(snip)

(Apart from those cadbury chocolate bars eh? I'm sure they make up the calorific value with the added palm oil though...)

Oh yes, I forgot about that. Thanks. Must spread rep etc...

Studies have proven that normal people WILL eat more when given a larger serve. The one I recall involved macaroni cheese. Participants could eat as much or as little as they liked. When serving size increased, so did the amount consumed - significantly. I'm sure the participants were chosen with scientific rigour, and weren't biased towards 'fatties' either.

(Could dig out a ref, but can't be arsed. Possibly referred to in Eric Schlosser's book 'Fast Food Nation' a scary and enlightening read)

Mom has the right attitude to takeaways and treats - they ARE fine OCCASIONALLY. Too few do. And I'd hazard a guess that the least informed would be gen X and Yers. (Pure conjecture on my part) It is an attitude that's hard to maintain in the face of unprecedented availability, marketing and the normalising of 'treats' as 'everyday'. Especially if you haven't had the benefit of education/information to counter the marketspeak.

+ 1 on growing veg as TGW suggests. (Though I'm a bit slack) Great way to use old tyres too! Keep those old rears and be reminded of the good times and epic corners as you grow your potatoes in a stack of them!