Obesity: Sending the Wrong Message is Becoming a Big FAT Problem

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Let’s play ‘What’s wrong with this picture’... I’m going to list a few recent news headlines and you need to spot what’s wrong...

1. Mum's fury as healthy girl branded 'Fat'

2. FSA recommends thicker chips to combat obese Britain

3. Government to beat obesity epidemic by PAYING fat people to lose weight

4. Obese patients 'encouraged to put on weight to qualify for surgery'

5. Boys aged 14 get gastric bands on NHS after ballooning to 18st

Can you see what I see?

Wrong end of the stick

It’s hardly surprising, given the above examples, that we’re no closer to resolving the problem of ‘Obese Britain’.

Let’s take the first headline: Five-year-old Lucy Davies is a picture of good health - she is 3ft 9in tall and weighs 3st 9lb which is within the recommended healthy range for her age. Yet her mother, Susan Davies, 38, was stunned when she received a letter saying Lucy was "overweight and unhealthy" following a height and weight measurement check at school, especially given the fact that she eats healthily and is a very active little girl. During the tests her body mass index (BMI) was 92 per cent – just one per cent over the 91 per cent classed as ‘healthy’ – and because of this Lucy is also considered being vulnerable to conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer...

So, you are five and in perfect health, yet based on a standardised interpretation of a simple test you are told that you are fat and have a life possibly burdened with disease to look forward to... Talk about social pressures, not to mention scare tactics and fear mongering...

Many health experts have highlighted the limitations linked to the BMI measurement. As many fit individuals can attest, they may have a higher-than-expected BMI because they have a big body frame or lots of muscle mass. These people may weigh heavy but still be lean and fit. For that reason, people should take their waist circumference into account as well. High levels of fat in the abdominal region are associated with increased risks of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease; specifically, in men with a waist size greater than 40 inches and women with a waist size of greater than 35…

The second headline - FSA recommends thicker chips to combat obese Britain - is even more laughable!

Officials from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) watchdog are encouraging chip shop owners to produce even thicker versions of chips, much like potato wedges, in an effort to help Britain's obesity crisis!

Why?

Well, for some reason officials at the FSA believe thicker versions of the fried chip contain fewer calories and less fat in comparison to French fries served by big fast-food chains... Yep, that’s right, but how the logic works makes no sense to me.

A spokesman for the FSA said: 'The aim of the pilot project is to produce some targeted advice for businesses which is simple, practical and easy to implement.'

Here’s what I think: Thicker chips take longer to fry – any cook, chef or fryer will tell you that. Which means the chips (or wedges) have more time to absorb more oil... which doesn’t really lower the calorie count... On top of that, hot frying oil turns to trans-fats – and that’s a fact!

As we all know trans-fats are a real killer: for your heart, for your cholesterol and for your waist line. Doesn’t sound like good dietary advice to anyone, let alone those who are overweight or obese... In fact, I feel so passionate about this type of misinformation, that I recently joined a debate on BBC Belfast in an effort to put things in perspective.

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From the ridiculous to the outrageous

The government’s flawed efforts to curb the growing obesity crisis don’t stop there. In 2008 the government planned an initiative in which overweight people would be given food vouchers to spend on healthy foods as a reward for losing weight. On top of that, those who do manage to lose weight could be given a cash prize... Won’t these types of dole- outs simply fuel the problem?

And what if you are not quite fat enough to get the right treatment? Well then you’ll be encouraged to gain even more weight to qualify for surgery. Yes, that’s right – have another potato wedge love, soon we’ll be able operate if you carry on like this...

Bariatric, or weight-loss, surgery is carried out after diets, drugs and lifestyle-altering interventions are seen to have failed. It is not generally recommended for children or young people... In January this year the Royal College of Surgeons warned that patients’ lives are being put at risk as some health trusts require patients to reach higher BMI levels than others before they receive surgical treatments.

According to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines, bariatric surgery is recommended for adults with a BMI of more than 40, who have other significant diseases (for example, type 2 diabetes) that could be improved if they lost weight, and who have tried but failed to lose weight using non-surgical techniques.

Royal College of Surgeons said hospitals are assessing patients referred from primary care trusts under different eligibility criteria, resulting in some patients with a BMI of 60 or greater being refused surgery while others with a BMI of 40 or less are undergoing operations.

What is really wrong with this picture?

What happened to plain old common sense? For heaven’s sake, if the so -called food ‘experts’ like the FSA can’t come up with clear cut rational decisions about the obesity epidemic, what chance do those who turn to them for weight loss advice stand in their efforts to lose the pounds? The message should first and foremost be that a balanced diet combined with a healthy and active lifestyle is the most effective way to lose weight and promote good health...

Is it acceptable that 14 year olds are fitted with gastric bands? Is drastic surgery really what we want our children to turn to?

Of course, there are people that need bariatric surgery – but this should be a last resort and not be turned into some kind of lottery or dole-out incentive scheme.

With estimates predicting that 60 per cent of the population will be clinically obese by 2050 and with obesity costing the NHS £7.2 Billion a year, one would expect the government to come up with more substantial solutions that are based on facts and practical solid advice.

So here we go again, one more time for those who care to listen: Weight loss starts with a healthy balanced diet, reduced portion sizes and an active lifestyle. Simple.

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Sources:

‘Obese patients 'encouraged to put on weight to qualify for surgery' published online 21.01.10, guardian.co.uk

‘Sheffield hospital fits teenage boys with gastric bands’ published online 15.02.10, news.bbc.co.uk

‘Mum's Fury As Healthy Girl Branded 'Fat'’ published online 19.02.10, news.sky.com

‘Government to beat obesity epidemic by PAYING fat people to lose weight’ published online 24.08.10, dailymail.co.uk

‘Government demands thicker chips to help Britain’s obesity crisis’ published online 04.03.10, dailymail.co.uk