Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall tonight 9pm

[spotofbother]

Phew Furry Whipping Stool - Chicken Out

Hey there guys....I have signed up to the campaign and fully agree with Mr.FW.
I do not want to appear mean BUT.....is it only me that noticed in relation to both Hugh's and Jamie Olivers programming on banishing battery farm chickens from our tables, that in each case, both the women that complained about the cost of food and planning for family budgets were both obesely overweight. Now,either they spend their money on the wrong kind of food because its cheap in alternative, or they over eat enormously, and this would have to be true in the case on both counts. I am sure I could not have been the only person with these thoughts, I hasten to add....do you think they may have been smokers too? Now I am no skinny minny, and do over indulge on the occasion, but really, they have to consume twice the amount anyone should thus costing the multiple too.

[johnty greentoes]

The problem with obesity and weight in the west is of course the exact opposite of that in the developing world. But the causes of obesity amongst the poor are many and complex and a lot more difficult to analyse than just saying "that fat cow is thick" - or politely put words to that effect.

Howsabout mentioning;

• depression
• TV advertising
• low educational attainment
• lack of time
• lack of cookery skills
• unavailability of fresh food without having a car to get it
• etc...etc...

I'm know that the majority of you will want to accuse me of just making excuses - it's just that life is never as simple as the Daily Mail would have you believe - it really isn't.

Maybe there are reasons.

Have a heart.

[spotofbother]

Thank you Paul for the social insight, and though I wish not to argue with you please let me explain the following; I was born in SE London on an estate, I have struggled with my weight all of my life, at present I am a plump 12st, a far cry from my previous 19st, and been a sufferer of depression at differing periods throughout my life having been abused as a child. I work my butt off working to pay a mortgage and have little spare cash each month to live off of. Though I understand your own empathising point of view entirely , I do feel that people have choices. Certainly in todays climate of media hype, government intervention because of the strain on the NHS, it is more so now than ever about lifestyle choice. Though I do feel slightly sheepish after my ticking off from yourself, I am not ignorant and believe that those who I had been referring to, most likely are. By the way, if you can tell me the causes of obesity in the 'developing world' I should very much like to know!?

[Snadger]

Have to agree with you on this one Johnty. Or as I have mentioned on another thread 'There's always TWO sides to an argument'

[Nicos]

Hello spotofbother- and welcome to the Vine!!
I can understand where you are coming from on this...I look forward to your future posts.
( ps - just to change the subject a bit- do you have a veg plot?)

[spotofbother]

Hey Nicos......phew, pleased that I wasn't entirely pooh-poohed on my first post! :-) I do have a plot, though with nought in it right now, it is in France, Manche (50). I noticed that you are sometimes close, is that in Orne (61)? I wont be able to get over there to start sowing until mid-late March and hope to get a couple of weeners on there to break the back of the plot before planting out. I am very new to this, how about yourself, what is your story?

[Nicos]

I've pm'd you
( click 'private messages' top right of this page, just under the main banner and under where it says Welcome spotofbother)

[Polly Fouracre]

Spotofbother,for depression try honeysuckle flowers(in season) bergamot(ditto) or a bit of grated nutmeg on your grub,once a day.Works for my son.

[Tracey]

Hi Polly

I have a family member that suffers from depression. I've not heard of Bergamot before, I looked it up on the internet and they said it is: a balancing, clarifying, anti-depressant.

Thanks for the info.

Kind regards
Tracey

[pigletwillie]

it's just that life is never as simple as the Daily Mail would have you believe - it really isn't.

Or perhaps as involved as the Guardian would have you believe either.

[smallblueplanet]

.... But the causes of obesity amongst the poor are many and complex and a lot more difficult to analyse than just saying "that fat cow is thick" - or politely put words to that effect....

Indeed, from what I've seen on the media many are just exercising (sic) their rights to eat junk food, or in the case of those infamous parents taking kids lunch orders outside of a school, enabling kids have their right to eat junk food.

[pigletwillie]

Quality Manda.

[smallblueplanet]

Have to say piggie I do wonder what schools teach regarding cooking & nutrition nowadays, but I can't imagine its given very high regard in the curriculum? (Apparently there was a bit on the radio the OH heard - so must have been R4 - where some mother was saying something along the lines of 'she hadn't realised lots of crisps wasn't the healthiest of diets for her child'. (Or was it she didn't know that crisps didn't count towards one of the 5 fruit & veg? - I made that bit up! )

[Shortie]

Oooo here's timing...

Compulsory cooking class for pupils - Yahoo! News UK

[The Doctor]

My wife (who is a primary teacher) and I were chatting about this. Neither of us can believe how poorly educated (I would just say thick!) some people are regarding diet.

Frankly, all the excuses under the sun don't make up for anyone thinking a diet of junk food, crisps, coke etc etc is good for you! even more so if your feeding your kids this as a staple diet! Anyone who wants to adopt a child (or even a dog!) has to go through checks galore, yet it seems that if you can make your own, you can then proliferate your bad example to them as much and as often as you like!

Similary, the excuses about those same people not being able to afford 'proper' food are just as pathetic, as has been proven time and again in the media lately. Have you noticed how the people who always say they can't afford to feed their family properly (and I don't include those that do try despite the genuine difficulties they have in doing so) are always overweight? They just refuse to accept that what matters is quality rather than quantitiy? Feed them decent food in portions smaller than an elephant's needs, cut out all the crisps, biscuits, coke etc and they will be healthier, and you might even save money!

What seems to have disappeared is the mindset of a lot of people regarding actual, proper cooking rather than microwave reheating. They just stick a plate of microwave chips in front of them on the sofa while they're watching TV, rather than get them involved in the preparation and sitting down as a family at a TABLE!!

We have a busy schedule and it's not easy but we make time to do this because we feel it's important. Others obvious don't. Which boils down to attitude and laziness in my book!