A sad sign of the times.

[kreativebargains]

Got a leaflet from the school for next years school uniforms. it is for the Tesco uniform service, Nothing unusual about that until I had a read of it. The school uniforms are available in sizes 2/3 up to XXXL. The XXXL is an adult size, the kids are all given as ages up to 15/16. Now I know there are instances where there are medical problems that cause kids to put on weight, but what I see at school and the supermarket also points out to a diet of crisps, chocolate , ready meals and carbonated drinks. Do some parents not realise not only the health implications but also the bullying that overweight children can suffer from.

[zaranvalesasterix]

Sadly, a lot of children are only growing up to be like their mothers. I am going to boot sales most weekends, yesterday I sold a skirt to a lady for her daughter which she tried on and it did fit. The girl was about 12 years old and the skirt was a 34" waist. (I might add, that it wasn't my skirt, I can still get in to the shorts I used to wear at school 45 years ago, I still have them, I'm a bit sad like that!!)
I never fail to be amazed at the size of some of the people and most of them are walking along eating a ham burger or saying that they will get fish and chips or a take away on the way home, which says it all I suppose

[tonyreddevil]

Sadly, a lot of children are only growing up to be like their mothers. I am going to boot sales most weekends, yesterday I sold a skirt to a lady for her daughter which she tried on and it did fit. The girl was about 12 years old and the skirt was a 34" waist. (I might add, that it wasn't my skirt, I can still get in to the shorts I used to wear at school 45 years ago, I still have them, I'm a bit sad like that!!)
I never fail to be amazed at the size of some of the people and most of them are walking along eating a ham burger or saying that they will get fish and chips or a take away on the way home, which says it all I suppose

we sometimes take the 2 young grand-daughters to ronald mcdonald(25 % are obese of the diners)

[melodies]

I think the whole situation is far more complicated than crisps and pop, although it is a serious issue.

We live in a fast moving society with both parents out all day trying to earn a living wage, even this is questionable in the current climate, we have hard pushed parents trying to make their lives easier, yes i know they shouldn't, but they do.
We have a Government that allows are food to be tainted with cheap ingredients, sugar, salt and hydro 'whatever its called' veggi fat, we need to act to get it out of even the most basic of foods, bread is soft for a reason, it's loaded with fat and other junk.

Society has become a place were families eat their meals from a range of processed foods, these foods could be more healthy if the Government didn't allow the loading of carp ingredients.
Everyone needs to change, from the government downwards.

Now i'll go finish my cardboard salad lol.

[tonyreddevil]

I think the whole situation is far more complicated than crisps and pop, although it is a serious issue.

We live in a fast moving society with both parents out all day trying to earn a living wage, even this is questionable in the current climate, we have hard pushed parents trying to make their lives easier, yes i know they shouldn't, but they do.
We have a Government that allows are food to be tainted with cheap ingredients, sugar, salt and hydro 'whatever its called' veggi fat, we need to act to get it out of even the most basic of foods, bread is soft for a reason, it's loaded with fat and other junk.

Society has become a place were families eat their meals from a range of processed foods, these foods could be more healthy if the Government didn't allow the loading of carp ingredients.
Everyone needs to change, from the government downwards.

Now i'll go finish my cardboard salad lol.

Wish all ingredients on packets or cans had large writing mentioning Salts,Sugars and Saturated fat ETC

[countryfeedback87]

Wish all ingredients on packets or cans had large writing mentioning Salts,Sugars and Saturated fat ETC

True.

It's too easy to blame other people.

If you're a bit peckish and want a snack. Will you have the apple or the packet of crisps?

[tonyreddevil]

my fiancee Bernie lost 5 stones by eating the correct food

[Tropical_Trish]

my fiancee Bernie lost 5 stones by eating the correct food

Wow, Tony that is a lot of weight lost, well done to Bernie.
I guess I'm lucky, I'm roughly the same weight as I was in my teens.
Obviously, after having 5 children my weight has fluctuated from 8 and a half stone (I'm only little, maybe 5'2" at a stretch!) to over 11 stones when full term pregnant, but I like to be around 8.5 - 9 stones, no more.
I eat what I like, never diet, but I guess what I eat is sort of relevant.
I am quite active, totally abhor fat on meat, don't eat much meat anyway, love fruit and veg, and most of my veggies are consumed raw, dipped in mayo! Yum!
I was rather shocked when we were on our last holiday, the hotel restaurant served very fine food - and I was amazed to see the amounts of food piled up on some peoples plates. (Especially at breakfast time - huge piles of bacon, sausages and fried eggs)

Most of the over-indulgents were already clinically obese, so I guess they were used to eating such huge amounts.
The sad thing was - the overweight/obese parents with kiddies/children also had overweight children.
I do realise that some people cannot help their size or weight problems, I have a sister who has a thyroid problem and is very overweight, and tries to control her weight gain. She has also had breast cancer, and fought that successfully.

I also have two son in laws who eat for England, are forever hungry, and consume huge meals, and eat lots of what I would consider as highly fattening foods - yet they are both very fit and slim (Lovely 6 packs though! )
One is a PE teacher, the other is an electrician - fighting to get into the top ten in the motorbike superbike championships.
I definitely think that weight and size can be hereditary, but healthy eating and exercise is essential, especially so for the youngsters of today.

[kreativebargains]

While I totally agree that manufacturers have a lot to answer for with the ingredients, it is still down to the parents for much of the current obesity in children. Parents do not have to buy or allow their children to eat rubbish continually. my kids get chocolate, but not too much, their Easter eggs have only just been finished because they were not allowed to sit there and finish them in a couple of sittings. We never have carbonated drinks in the house. It is a quick and easy to make pasta as processed food. I frequently see shopping trolleys loaded with what is basically garbage, with not a trace of fruit or vegetables.

Some of the problem may be education, I cannot remember the exact figure but it was a high percentage (10%+) of parents who thought that cherry cola counted as one of the 5 a day. But parents in the majority of cases must take some of the blame, my parents both worked and they still managed to do everything, and that was without the dishwasher, automatic washing machine etc.

And as Tony says, eating the correct food is a large part of the problem. My best friend has a liking for crisps, takeaways and beer. But every now and again he looks at the scales and thinks 'enough'. Gives up the rubbish and gets the weight off. I think that at times people are far too eager to put the blame on somebody else, we all have a choice, at times it might not be easy, but it is up to individuals more than manufacturers and fast food chains.

[melodies]

Well i guess i must be wrong then, society isn't to blame at all?

When i posted the comment it was to be taken as an extra part of the OPs original post, just adding to the debate, not putting blame on any one thing.
I can pick through your posts and find comments to twist what was originally meant by them, for instance:

''I take my 2 young grand daughters to ron macs, 25% of the diners are obese'
i guess that is a lesson in itself.

''5% or what ever percentage it was of people thought that cherry coke was one of their 5 a day'', that tells me that either those people or their parents have been failed by our society, educated poorly.

It is a society problem.

Change starts from the top down, yes you can say that people can make those changes, but in a society where greed and glutony are a way of life, it is very hard.