Britains obesity issue

[SuitsBlue]

I just caught yet another 'special' on tv (bbc two newsnight actually) regarding childhood obesity.

Is it fair to say that consumerism at its basest level means food, and that the most impressionable sector of society is ill-educated and naive youth?

The so called nanny state in britain relativley recently banned certain adverts from being aired whilst 'childrens tv' was broadcast. Is this an admission of the facts or a knee jerk reaction?

(lazyboy - underwear goes inside the pants) (audio)

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Make people pay for their own healthcare. That might encourage people to take better care of themselves.

 

[micknick]

Make people pay for their own healthcare. That might encourage people to take better care of themselves.

Im really surprised you say that Bruce- you seem an educated guy that is pretty switched on. That statement is ridiculous- do you want us to become like the states and people not have emergency proceedures because they are too poor to have cover.

That is a joke, when I was 15 I was in hospital for 3 months with a serious head operation. The doctors told me that my medicine alone was £750 a day times that by three months and my parents would have had to sell their house just so I could live.

Obesity is a problem and one that only parents/carers can remedy. Proper food isnt hard to cook and can be inexpensive- people are just too lazy to do it.

 

[foreverblue]

Make people pay for their own healthcare. That might encourage people to take better care of themselves.[/QUOTE


Do you work in McDonalds mate?

I thought we did pay for our health care any way, N Ins its called or at least thats what goes out of my pay packet each week.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I don't know about anyone else but my NI payments are based on what I earn not what risk I pose to requiring the health service (not once yet).

Mick, what is so ridiculous about requiring people to stand on their own two feet? There are many better solutions that give people choice as opposed to having money taken from you by force to be spent on things you have no say over. There is more than enough information out there about diet, nutrition, exercise etc. If people are too lazy to bother, as you say, then why should those that do take care of themselves have to foot the bill? Why should the healthy pay for those that smoke 40 a day? Why should the healthy pay for those that binge drink every weekend?

You mention America, I believe it's illegal there to turn anyone away from the emergency room so this notion that people would be turned away is little but scaremongering.

We seem wedded to state provision in this country as though they can be trusted to run things properly.

 

[Rob]

The NHS is a superb thing, we should support it and be proud of it, as someone who was born with certain things that made me a hospital regular I appreciate it so much.

Bruce, you are speaking as a healthy person, thats obvious and you point the finger at drinkers and smokers, but what about people like me or mick, who over the years would have made paupers out of our parents for no other reason than to be alive.

There has been a new movie released in the states called Sicko, you should watch it.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I sympathise with both yourself and Mick for having had health problems in the past. My niece has had quite major health issues as a child as well. The truth is though that someone has to pay for everything. Under the NHS style system you're essentially forcing other people to cover your costs. Philisophically and ethically that's hard to stomach.

I believe in Japan the government provide certain services and the rest is provided via health insurance? Obviously you know more about the health system out there so feel free to elaborate more. I believe Japan does have the highest life expectancy in the developed world and I suspect one of the lowest obesity rates as well. Now I'm not going to pin all of that on the health system in Japan but it wouldn't surprise me if the Japanese as a nation don't take significantly more pride in themselves than perhaps we do in Britain, that there is less of an entitlement/blame culture and people take responsibility for their own lives more. Would that be fair Rob?

 

[micknick]

Bruce I agree with you to a certain extent, but what you are saying is that everyone is painted with the same brush. Fact is if what you are saying came to fruition I would be dead, my mother would be dead and my neice would be dead. The fact is I am not from a rich family, my family could not afford the expense of the treatment we have needed.

Im not a sponger- i pay my taxes, national insurance and council tax. I earn a decent wage for my age and I am proud of the NHS sytem we have in this country. We are actually the envy of much of teh world due to the NHS and long may it continue.

Ive got to say I am extremely surprised by your posts Bruce, in fact slightly disappointed.

 

[foreverblue]

I don't know about anyone else but my NI payments are based on what I earn not what risk I pose to requiring the health service (not once yet).

Mick, what is so ridiculous about requiring people to stand on their own two feet? There are many better solutions that give people choice as opposed to having money taken from you by force to be spent on things you have no say over. There is more than enough information out there about diet, nutrition, exercise etc. If people are too lazy to bother, as you say, then why should those that do take care of themselves have to foot the bill? Why should the healthy pay for those that smoke 40 a day? Why should the healthy pay for those that binge drink every weekend?

You mention America, I believe it's illegal there to turn anyone away from the emergency room so this notion that people would be turned away is little but scaremongering.

We seem wedded to state provision in this country as though they can be trusted to run things properly.

So you have never needed the health service, who's a lucky boy then. I assume that your mum had you in a private ward, your wife and parents have no need either and although I don't know you I'm certain that you are either not married or if you are you have no kids. What is life like in your ivory tower, consider yourself lucky pal thousands aren't as fortunate. I suppose you could alsu sell health insurance!

 

[atrottel]

Philisophically and ethically that's hard to stomach.

Not at all, it is the basis of the social democratic system which is still the pride of many countries in Europe. It's the belief that I grew up with although I accept that during my life we seem to have turned into a society where everyone is in it for themselves and devil screw anyone who is disadvantaged. Suits calls it the nanny state as if it is something to be ashamed of. I am proud of it, in fact it is one of the few things that I would look at with pride from my heritage.

Bruce, according to your beliefs, should everyone get the education that their families can pay for, or should there be equal education opportunities for all? Would seem equally hard for your ethical and philosophical stomach to demand that health care should be paid and not match that in education.

Why should the healthy pay for those that smoke 40 a day?

Actually the smokers pay for the social care of the healthy, because they are far more likely to need less medical and social care in their life through dying from serious diseases at a relatively early age. Still a disgusting habit, mind you.

In answer to the original point, yes, the UK is getting morbidly overweight - which is visually apparent to anyone who lives outside the country and only visits every now and again.

Because people eat [Poor language removed], unbridled capitalism and lack of state intervention allows companies to up the amounts of fats, sugar and salt in food to appeal to people's palates, and the trickle-down economic illiteratati don't seem to have replaced the playing fields that were sold off when education authorities got turned into profit centres.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I should really learn that suggesting alternatives to the NHS is akin to suggesting Liverpool are the greatest team to walk the Earth. I do believe there are perfectly valid alternatives out there that do provide greater freedom to the individual.

In my town for instance there's a hospice that is run as a non-profit charity. It gets no government funding and relies purely on donations to survive. When both of my grandparents used it the service was exceptional and because it is so valued in the local community a great deal of fund-raising is done on its behalf thus enabling it to be free at the point of care. If you want to donate having used it you can but there is no obligation. Maybe I'm just an optimist regarding human nature but I believe we are quite capable of looking after our own without requiring a government to act on our behalf. I'm sure most of us know someone, if we havn't even done so ourselves, that has raised funds for a health related cause by running a marathon or whatever. Altruism is something natural within us all, why do we need a government to force it out of us?

To me a democracy involves giving voluntarily and a system that jails pensioners for not keeping pace with ever increasing council tax charges is a far cry from that ideal.

 

[chicoazul]

Funny that. I watched the Democratic debate on CNN last night. A huge part of it revolved around how the health insurance companies are not doing their job and the fact that too many Americans have not got health insurance. The system doesnt seem to be working there mate.

But the NHS has its [Poor language removed] points too, as anyone on a waiting list can vouch for.

For us and for Bruce its probably better the devil you know, both have their benefits and I agree with different points of view on the subject.

Now before Rob alienates more posters, lets just leave it at that.

 

[Gazdalf]

Funny that. I watched the Democratic debate on CNN last night. A huge part of it revolved around how the health insurance companies are not doing their job and the fact that too many Americans have not got health insurance. The system doesnt seem to be working there mate.

But the NHS has its [Poor language removed] points too, as anyone on a waiting list can vouch for.

For us and for Bruce its probably better the devil you know, both have their benefits and I agree with different points of view on the subject.

Now before Rob alienates more posters, lets just leave it at that.

Incoming bite? hahahahahahahahaha

 

[Latch]

I blame todays technology to some extent for the obesity levels in this country, most kids these days have everything they need in their bedrooms, ( my own children are no exception ) in my day me and my friends were out every day in all weather's, swimming, footy, fishing, even climbing trees, the only time you'll see a kid up a tree now is if the cops are chasing them.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Bang on Latch. My feelings the same. I stayed on the sideline until your remark was made. The latter generations will struggle due to being either catered to or the ease of entertainment now a days thats requires little if any physical activity. Fast food is slowly killing us as well.