Looking at the user-comments section to the BBC story about the study which suggests we’re drinking way too much…

Brits drinking way too much…

And the comments seem to be dominated by the ‘I’ll do what I like to myself, keep your nose out’ brigade. It’s usually the same with obesity stories as well.

Is this just a self-selecting audience? ie: the people who value their health don’t bother posting, or is this country hell-bent on self-destruction for some reason? The results of this study and the figures on obesity certainly seem to suggest so…

At 40 I’m about the only one of my friends and family who does any significant amount of exercise and watches my diet properly and also about the only one who’s not bulging in the wrong places…

It’s going to wreck our wealth if we carry on like this – massive impact on productivity (therefore GPD growth) and NHS costs…

A French guy in my road club put it quite directly ‘the British are just complete idiots about their health’…

Hmm….strokes chin and wonders how to word this politely….. 😉

DrP

A French guy in my road club put it quite directly ‘the British are just complete idiots about their health’…

That’s all the evidence I need.

It is self culling of a sub-species …

Which means there will be good future prospect for those who want to have a career in medical or health sector. Your career is secured!! Even a Russian doctor I know have to come to the North East to research liver disease due to high alcohol related problem here …

I know have to come to the North East to research liver problems due to high alcohol related problem …

Not because it’s one of the largest liver transplant units then?

It is quite scary. Admittedly I am no athlete, but I am bothered by it and am attempting to do something about it…I’ve pretty much given up drinking (I only have the odd pint now and don’t miss it at all) and exercise a reasonable amonut and will be running my first half marathon on Sunday.

People in this country just don’t seem fussed but at school PE and games seem to be getting squeezed out, outside of sschool kids would rather play Xbox or whatever but if their parents are inactive it’s a viscous circle. Factor in binge drinking and a poor diet and the country is ****.

I live in Tamworth which is supposed to be the fattest town in the country now, which doesn’t surprise me given some of the sights you see!

A French guy in my road club put it quite directly ‘the British are just complete idiots about their health’…

The French are going the same way…

problem is though if you do want to get off your ass it costs… i have an xbox crazy son, i do all i can to get him away, swimming is one of the main things but at 6quid a time for both of us i have it restrict it to once a week. that really frustrates me.

It is all about the type of lifestyles and the way that people socialize theses days.

If I had had the option of 24hr TV ,DVDs,Xbox,Playstation,fast food and the interweb,I don’t know if I would have left the house much as a kid.
I would like to think that I would have,but there is no doubt that the available distractions must be horrible for the weak willed.

Another bit of black propaganda from those who have a neo-maoist obsession with controlling the lives of others, and don’t forget that if they had their way there would be further punitive alcohol taxes to enforce sullen compliance with what they see is the ‘right’ way to live. Last week it was a call to tax fizzy drinks, next week no doubt it will be a revival of the Fat Tax. Hmmm… rationing by price, which is what these proposals are in effect, would bear down most on those on lower incomes… so that’s the rationale! The professional, judgemental, middle classes in concert with a an increasing dirrigiste govenment out to to kick the poor again!

The commenters have it right. It is way past time that these interfering busybodies were told to butt out and b****r off!

problem is though if you do want to get off your ass it costs… i have an xbox crazy son,

Sell his X-box… Two birds with one stone. 😀

Isn’t the easy solution, dr says lose weight/stop smoking/drink less or whatever that can be done reasonably by the client – client does not heed dr’s advice, client pays for treatment directly related to the non heeded advice?

I’m going to have a glass of wine and think about it.

problem is though if you do want to get off your ass it costs

The last time I checked it cost virtually nothing to walk, run, do some press ups, kick a ball around in the park etc

Isn’t the easy solution, dr says lose weight/stop smoking/drink less or whatever that can be done reasonably by the client – client does not heed dr’s advice, client pays for treatment directly related to the non heeded advice?

No….
Don’t ride bicycles or walk up mountains or anything that could potentially damage you…
Very difficult to draw lines.

If you go through classical greek texts plenty of references to life only being tolerable with the aid of alcohol.

Nothing really changes does it.

problem is though if you do want to get off your ass it costs… i have an xbox crazy son

hmm xbox360 + say 4 games = what? £300’ish. That’s a reasonable amount to spend on a bike
nah, blame the xbox, it’s easier.

i work odd shifts, rarely do the same thing 2 days running, and always come home from work totally exhausted mentally.
its not easy to exercise after that.
obv, im not the only person in this type of situation, hence the ‘epidemic’ of fatties.
its shit like.

problem is though if you do want to get off your ass it costs… i have an xbox crazy son, i do all i can to get him away, swimming is one of the main things but at 6quid a time for both of us i have it restrict it to once a week. that really frustrates me.

How much did the X-box+games cost?

How much does walking cost?

If we were all a bit poorer it wouldnt be a problem.

the British are just complete idiots about their health’.

That’s rich coming from someone whose major national problem is over-prescribing!

Drac – Moderator
Not because it’s one of the largest liver transplant units then?

Yes, but you still need the sample population to probe …

Long ago and far away,I was rescued from more and more visits to the pub,by a mate who got me in to doing martial arts twice a week.
We would still meet the rest of our mates in the pub later for a couple of beers,but they had been there all night.
Then one of the guys at the karate mentioned cycling to work (I had only just started working ) as a way of getting fit and saving a few quid. That was what started me on the the way to having some sort of regular fitness plan.

Fast forward to now,and the best thing about having had a decent basic level of fitness through my years,is the choice that it has given me.
I have never had to worry if I suddenly felt like doing some new sport or activity ,and it certainly helped when kids came along 🙂

From what I witnessed from my time in Germany, the German’s drink just as much as us, it was normal to see them having their cold-meat brekkies with a bier or wein. Same with the suits in Frankfurt, not unusual to see them waiting for the train/bus/tram with a cold tinny in-hand.

Which leads me to….Is it because of the binge-drinking divs that go out on a weekend and end up trying to boot the door of the meat-wagon in when they end up arrested?

If you go through classical greek texts plenty of references to life only being tolerable with the aid of alcohol.

Nothing really changes does it.

This.

Yes, it takes the pain of existence away for a while!

Love it when people generalise about such stuff they seem to skip over the point about individual freedom and line themselves up with the nanny state and righteous. Then extrapolate to ruin of country. How much fitness is enough? One persons exercise regime is anothers warm down.

The commenters have it right. It is way past time that these interfering busybodies were told to butt out and b****r off!

+1

How much does walking cost?

Good boots £100, pole, £20, gaiters £20, rucksac £60, waterproofs £150, Maps and map holder £40….

How much did the X-box+games cost?

How much does walking cos

These comments are well and good but what if the kid just isn’t into outdoors activities?

Missus was recently diagnosed as diabetic so started a food diary to show the nutritionist/dietician.

Either she lied through her teath in the diary or I didn’t get the whole story (apparently everything’s fine) as she’s come back from Costco on Monday with a tray of iced dainish pastries for breakfast! I’m not the diabetic one and even I feel light headed eating one of those on an empty stomach!

These comments are well and good but what if the kid just isn’t into outdoors activities?

then buy it an xbox, a couple of pies and some massive value bags of crisps and moan about what a pia it is when your 15 year old is obese and needs regular treatment for type 2 diabetes.

These comments are well and good but what if the kid just isn’t into outdoors activities?

When I was a kid I was dragged out for family days out/walks/park etc whether I wanted to or not. It frequently pissed me off at the time, although now I can see that obviously it was for the best! I guess you would call it “parenting”.

How much does walking cost?

Good boots £100, pole, £20, gaiters £20, rucksac £60, waterproofs £150, Maps and map holder £40….

Existing pair of trainers is all you need to get up and down Snowdon safely. Unless you’re going on an expedition all that’s a bit OTT. You could do 5 miles in the average city park without any of that, and that’s all most people need.

I’m an outdoorsy type and I’ve not got half the stuff you’ve listed!
Boots – £40
Pole – no ta, got legs that work
Gaiters – nope (do have waterproof overtrousers though)
Rucksac – £20 for a 20ltr berghaus in the blacks sale
Waterproofs – £50 RF Atlas jacket, and a hat
Maps – £7 for an OS map

Good boots £100, pole, £20, gaiters £20, rucksac £60, waterproofs £150, Maps and map holder £40….

Really?

Not sure how we coped but took my Daughter with me on Sunday for a walk, she had her wellies on and a light winter coat. It was touch and go for awhile and we contemplated turning back as it got rough, would have been easier with all that gear but after 2 hours we got back safely from our walk through the local fields.

Oh no wait sorry it was a nice easy walk which she loved and I did too as got me some time with her.

How much does walking cost?

Good boots £100, pole, £20, gaiters £20, rucksac £60, waterproofs £150, Maps and map holder £40….
I was going to post why that is total guff, but it looks to me like you just want an excuse not a reason, so there really isn’t any point

These comments are well and good but what if the kid just isn’t into outdoors activities?

So it’s better to encourage a lazy, sedentary lifestyle instead?

One of the big problems with exercise in this country is that people associate anything active with needing to buy specific equipment, join up to a gym, etc. Shows just how successful the ‘leisure industry’ is at marketing the idea. What we used to ‘just do’, people now think has to be part of a ‘lifestyle’, which comes with the associated image and culture. Which puts many people off.

Good boots £100, pole, £20, gaiters £20, rucksac £60, waterproofs £150, Maps and map holder £40….

My point exactly. What happened to ‘just going for a walk’? Which is free, in comparison to the hundreds spent on an X-box etc.

Plus we live in an affluent society with loads of labour saving devices and modes of motorised transport, so we seldom really ‘need’ to make much effort. If you have to walk/cycle several miles to work/school etc, then you’ll do it. If there’s an easy option, most people will take that. And it’s all about instant gratification; you can get that with a computer game or a Danish pastry; you can’t see such immediate benefits with regular exercise.

is this country utterly going/gone to the dogs?

Based on some of the responses on this forum from ‘active’ people; in particular this on

problem is though if you do want to get off your ass it costs.

I would say yes

this country utterly gone to the dogs health-wise

One of the big problems with exercise in this country is that people associate anything active with needing to buy specific equipment, join up to a gym

A few not everyone at all and not really one of the biggest problems.

I was going to post why that is total guff, but it looks to me like you just want an excuse not a reason, so there really isn’t any point

The point being is that an XBox + 4 games doesn’t have to cost £300+ either. Just saw one sell on Ebay for £84.

These comments are well and good but what if the kid just isn’t into outdoors activities?

The wife of my best mate hated exercise of any kind. Refused to do it at all. However, a month or so ago she started to diet, and then did a little bit of exercise, bought a cheapo exercise bike, and now she’s doing that for an hour a day, going to zumba classes, etc etc and she can’t get enough of exercise.

Perhaps they just need to try it and see how it makes them feel.