Fat kids

Romantic Rose

_Brian wrote: »

Lots of evidence.
My OH is A healthcare professional and works in this field.

Serious increase in consumption of processed sugars, minerals, caffeine drinks etc.

I'm middle aged and when we were young a fizzy mineral was occasional, maybe once a week a 750ml bottle between 5 kids and two adults.
Now kids are having regular 330ml drinks daily and often "sports drinks" because Johnny plays 30mimutes once a week.

She's had mothers in talking about giving chickatees to babies under six months "coz he loves them"

It's not that long ago I saw a kid maybe four with a 1.5litre of Coke to keep it quiet, drinking from the neck.

Kids are eating way way more processed sugars than say 20 years ago that's why 20% are overweight or obese.


It's also becoming a class divide with a way higher % of obesity among kids from the lower socioeconomic groups than kids of say households where both parents have college education. To put that as bluntly as I can, fat lazy unemployed parents are breeding fat lazy kids with way shorter lifespans than their parents, the parents blame the gubberment, but it's the parents to blame.

Nail on the head!

A cousin of my partner has a baby a week younger than our son. She weaned him on chips! OVEN CHIPS!! His first taste of food was chips. Now if she tries to feed him anything with any kind of nutritional value, which isn't very often, he won't have any of it but he's the fussy eater and he's not even 1 years old yet. Feel so sorry for the poor darling.

Another one is filling babies up with Farley Rusks. Each one has 3 teaspoons of sugar. I'm at war with the in laws about them. They won't be passing my babies' lips!

AllForIt

I can't believe the ignorance of some of the posters here when we live in the Information Age, I.e the Internet at our disposal.

Lets me put it in real world terms if one doesn't understand the concept of calories.

If one drank only one full can of full sugar Coke, how much energy do you think that would give one to run as far as one could before you would run out of energy and stop running?

If one were to run for an hour there would be more than enough fuel in one single can of Coke to sustain your energy requirements for that hour.

In other words the energy used up by exercise is tiny in comparison to the energy consumed by even one can of Coke.

And that is the problem. The huge difference as never seen before, between the amount of calories going in versus the amount of calories going out.

Even if kids were as active as they were 20/30 years ago that added activity still wouldn't be enough to avoid this obesity crisis.

riemann

AllForIt wrote: »

I can't believe the ignorance of some of the posters here when we live in the Information Age, I.e the Internet at our disposal.

Lets me put it in real world terms if one doesn't understand the concept of calories.

If one drank only one full can of full sugar Coke, how much energy do you think that would give one to run as far as one could before you would run out of energy and stop running?

If one were to run for an hour there would be more than enough fuel in one single can of Coke to sustain your energy requirements for that hour.

In other words the energy used up by exercise is tiny in comparison to the energy consumed by even one can of Coke.

And that is the problem. The huge discrepancy as never seen before, between the amount of calories going in versus the amount of calories going out.

Completely false, it's a combination of bad generics and a thyroid problem. You see my metabolism doesn't break down my double quarter pounder meal as quickly as everyone else. I'm special.

Romantic Rose

riemann wrote: »

Completely false, it's a combination of bad generics and a thyroid problem. You see my metabolism doesn't break down my double quarter pounder meal as quickly as everyone else. I'm special.

I keep my genetics in my fridge.

Roger Hassenforder

riemann wrote: »

Completely false, it's a combination of bad generics and a thyroid problem. You see my metabolism doesn't break down my double quarter pounder meal as quickly as everyone else. I'm special.

you're the real victim in all this!:D

Ann_Landers

AllForIt wrote: »

I can't believe the ignorance of some of the posters here when we live in the Information Age, I.e the Internet at our disposal.

Lets me put it in real world terms if one doesn't understand the concept of calories.

If one drank only one full can of full sugar Coke, how much energy do you think that would give one to run as far as one could before you would run out of energy and stop running?

If one were to run for an hour there would be more than enough fuel in one single can of Coke to sustain your energy requirements for that hour.

In other words the energy used up by exercise is tiny in comparison to the energy consumed by even one can of Coke.

A can of coke has 139 kcals. You would easily burn off more than that in an hour of running. I've made the point that exercise doesn't burn as much calories as people think but you've gone to the other extreme here. 139 cals isn't that much in terms of exercise. I meant more that people do a workout and think they have burned off 500, 700, 900 calories. But 139 kcals? That's not hard to burn off at all.

If you ate nothing all day and only had a can of coke, I would expect you would not last the hour. Most people who go running have way more fuel at their disposable in the food they have eaten that day or late the night before.

JupiterKid

Too much calorie laced food and not enough time outdoors and excercise.

That said, there was a lot of junk food in my day as a kid (1980s) but we played outdoors all day long. Parents these days are too paranoid and brainwashed by the panic loving media. They don't let their kids out to play now and it's coming home to roost.

It's shocking at how many morbidly obese children are around these days.

On an aside, has anyone noticed that children of immigrant parents tend to be fitter and less fat than native Irish children? Just an observation.

LordSutch

Definitely ID cards for fat kids, set up to stop excessive calorie & carbohydrate purchases!

People should be urged to name & shame the parents of fat kids (if they're seen to be present) while the fat kid is buying fizzy drinks & crisps.

Fat kids (heavy) should also have to pay an extra tariff on public transport for their seats, due to their larger than average carbon footprint on the environment.

And finally, fat kids should not be served fish & chips (high cholesterol) or artery clogging ice cream, seeing as none of this can be considered without a very large pinch of salt.

Ann_Landers

LordSutch wrote: »

Definitely ID cards for fat kids, set up to stop excessive calorie & carbohydrate purchases!

Yep, on top of being failed by their parents, let's stigmatise overweight and obese children and add to their problems. Great idea.

Oh, as per your last sentence, the post isn't to be taken seriously? Carry on.

_Brian

Ronaldinho wrote: »

Obvious - Yes. Useless - hardly.

I didn't say that !

Roger Hassenforder

LordSutch wrote: »

And finally, fat kids should not be served fish & chips (high cholesterol) or artery clogging ice cream, seeing as none of this can be considered without a very large pinch of salt.

IMO ice cream vans arent doing enough, they should asses the kid for whom the ice cream is being bought, and if its a lard ars3, he gets a small one with no flake or topping.
We run the risk of skinny kids going (possibly even being forced) to buy for fat lads, hiding behind a tree, a large 99 with sprinkles and sauce.

quickbeam

I think there's plenty of education and knowledge out there in relation to what causes weight gain and the effects of being fat. I think the trouble is that a lot of people just have their head in the sand about it and assume 'it won't happen to me' (or my kids in the case of parents). It's the same denial that means people still drive over the alcohol limit, over the speed limit, and why people still take up smoking.

I speak from personal experience here - it really is as simple as balancing calories consumed and calories used. But you have to want to be healthy for it to work. Some people literally do want their cake and eat it too. And that requires effort. Effort to cook a meal from scratch instead of ordering a takeaway. Effort to get up and move instead of sitting in front of the TV. Some people aren't prepared to make that effort which is fine, that's their perogative. But then they complain about being fat and blame everyone else but themselves. I know this because that used to be me and I let myself get to a very very bad place before doing something about it.

It wasnt me123

When I see grossly overweight children I actually think its child abuse. There is no doubt those children are being made fun of; find it hard to have clothes fit in the "style" of the day so they can't conform with their peers; are ridiculed by other children if their parents are overweight; have serious long term health implications with diabetes, heart disease etc, it really is a serious problem.

But you can't call someone fat as its not PC (and you shouldn't call children names anyway), but when the parents say they are "big boned", how many people would be able to turn around and say well actually, they are morbidly obese and you need to get your head out of the sand.

I think GP's have a role to play here - most children would go to the dr at least once a year - the GP is not blind and should haul the parents over the coals.

Maximus Alexander

The worst part is that all the pension money that we won't be getting will be going to pay for their heart bypasses at 40 instead.

RandomName2

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

I've just been noticing tonnes of fat kids around lately. Like really fat. I find them rather unsightly.

Dr Crayfish? More like Montgomery Burns

nice_guy80

why do the Department of Ed fund breakfast clubs in disadvantaged schools and then feed the kids sausages, cereal and toast?

white bread sandwiches supplied to DEIS schools for lunchtime
along with white fruit scones

the fruit supplied usually goes to waste - teachers usually end up with a lot of it
the state is complicit in fueling the obesity

crèches supply meals to kids when requested - usually cheap food

it is cheaper to buy crap food and easier for parents as it's ususlly less hassle and already prepared
good food costs more and needs more prep time

home economics should be compulsory

nice_guy80

also, schools get no funding for bicycle sheds or racks!
ridiculous

children are not allowed to run in a lot of schools - wtf?

why isn't PE compulsory in schools? - you should have to reach a certain level of competency to pass

teachers have to spend needless hours in meetings after school when they could be providing extra sport, dance, gymnastics etc but the department of ed won't recognise that time towards the 'croke park hours'

nice_guy80

there are calories

and then there are sugar (or fructose or sucrose or whatever) laced calories

Wanderer2010

The issue of being overweight is far more complex than "You are fat, eat less and move more". Yes, there is a science to losing weight and picking low calorie, nutritionally dense food and keeping active generally keeps you at a stable weight. I'm not for a second doubting the science behind weight loss but there is another side to it that may be keeping people heavy. Hell, we see it every day with people who lose5,10 even 20 stone.

However, some people are emotional eaters, they turn to food when they are depressed, anxious, lonely, sad or even happy. They eat too much and inappropriately, gain weight, feel the distaste of others, and start the cycle all over again. And many people, despite having intentions of changing their ways, get hopelessly trapped in this cycle and cannot afford professional help. These people could be otherwise extremely successful, ambitious and hard working but have a personal crutch when it comes to food.
There are more angles to this issue than is being discussed.

Spanish Eyes

In fairness most kids these days are on the fruit and veg, wholemeal bread and water diet with a few raisins thrown in for good measure. Well that's at school anyway.

I suppose it is when they get back from school that things can happen.

But I don't actually see a lot of overweight children anymore.

But adults..... that's another story.

Roger Hassenforder

nice_guy80 wrote: »

a

why isn't PE compulsory in schools? - you should have to reach a certain level of competency to pass
'

Because religion is so much more useful to the kids.

nice_guy80

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

In fairness most kids these days are on the fruit and veg, wholemeal bread and water diet with a few raisins thrown in for good measure. Well that's at school anyway.

I suppose it is when they get back from school that things can happen.

But I don't actually see a lot of overweight children anymore.

But adults..... that's another story.

what utopian school is this

you cannot force parents to give kids a certain lunch
they give them whatever is easiest - popcorn, biscuits, fruit drinks

pedigree 6

Brilliant thread.
How ever the statement that fat people also breed fat children, may be truer than ye think and not just down to the food being consumed by said youngsters.
There is a thing called your gut flora or gut microbiome (gut bacteria) that you inherit from your mother when you are born naturally through the birth canal (i.e not by C-section). Your gut microbiome has a big impact on your life and can have wide ranging effects from obesity to adhd, autism, depression. The food you consume then also has a big effect on your gut bacteria and can either help your gut flora or damage it.

University College Cork has been doing great work researching this in the last while.
Here's a very good TED talk from Ruairi Robertson PhD on the subject.

tupenny

Can someone tell me why a dehydrated vascular Bernard Brogan is all over giant billboards advertising King crisps? Not exactly sending the right message is he?

Autochange

tupenny wrote: »

Can someone tell me why a dehydrated vascular Bernard Brogan is all over giant billboards advertising King crisps? Not exactly sending the right message is he?

Becaue they are paying him for it?