Another new survey published today on the BBC news, Daily Mail and the Mirror on the link between obesity and illness, as in diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other illness.
So what. I am not obese.... just a little bit overweight...slightly over my BMI.
whoops . Wrong 15% increase in risk (about 1 in 6). Over 30 ? You don't really want to go there unless you intend doing something about it. Seriously scary reading.
I'm obese.
But I'm working on it. I did once get a very abprupt comment on here from someone who I'd never had comment on anything of mine before, or since, about me supposedly being "content" to be a BMI of 34 and they hoped i'd "address it as a matter of urgency"
The fact that when I was well, before last summer when the wheels fell off I was back on meds and flipping into AF every 6 weeks, I was a lot lighter and healthier and on my way to being under 30BMI and "overweight" not obese.
The NHS would have me at 79KG to be "ideal" weight. The lightest I've been in my adult life is some 8kg over that and I was, by my own opinion, skinny.
I know I can get there again, I can increase the rate I walk to school to brisk not steady... I can be on my feet for 30 hours a week plus the school walks on days off.... I can eat healthier when I'm not tired and substituting sugar for sleep.
For the moment I eat a varied diet, a hell of a lot more fruit and veg since baby came along (she's 2) and can be a lot more active when I'm AF stable (seem to be almost there).
In the past, for me, doing anything drastic has just lead to a deep resentment of depriving myself of things given the fact I already feel restricted due to home life and AF.
I think most people on this site regard you as a good example of someone who is working hard to get it right. More power to your elbow - you show It can be done.
I know you’ll get there.
Keep up the good work Jedi & if you have a bad food day, just ‘bin It’ and start again the next day.
I have a long way to go, but my 2 dear friends who accompany me to Slimming World every week, are a great support. 16 pounds down, many to go, but if it takes years - I will get there.
Unfortunately, the only negative and occasionally judgmental comments on this generally superb and supportive website, are around obesity/overweight and often from those who have never had an issue.
It is important, I feel that people understand that people can, and often do give up something like smoking overnight, but you can’t do that with food as it is a necessity, not an addiction. If you are very overweight, it takes a lot of time. I was also born with a giant colon (4 x normal diameter) which as well as throwing off lots of unpleasant effects, slows down transit, increases reabsorption, and slows down weight loss.
I would love to go to one of the nosh & natter sessions in London, but fear my weight could become the focus of any conversation, and I am dealing with it very well, albeit slowly, eating a healthy diet and walking daily. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and meeting new people with a health agenda who know nothing about my weight loss journey is very daunting to me as I might well take advice as criticism.
It is infuriating also to go to health appointments where professionals proceed to lecture you on weight loss, without looking at your weight history, failing to notice you have lost several kilos since your previous appointment.
You and I are both health professionals (retired in my case) and know better than most what we must do. Above all we are human and will have lapses, but put them behind us and soldier on.
Pat x (previously Archie89)
"Two in three UK adults – more than 30 million people - are overweight or obese.
Caroline Cerny, from the Obesity Health Alliance, said: “These findings are hugely worrying. Obesity can have serious implications for long term health, making it all the more vital that we help people be a healthy weight.”
She called for urgent action to slash calories and sugar levels in common foods.
The study, presented at the world’s biggest obesity conference, followed more than 2.8 million middle-aged Brits over eight years.
EARLY DEATH DANGER
Scientists calculated the risk of 12 conditions based on people’s weight group – normal, overweight, obese, severely obese and morbidly obese.
It shows even a small amount of extra weight is enough to double the risk of type 2 diabetes or a deadly sleep disorder."
Quote taken From todays Sun newspaper.
If you look on the BBC news site you will find a more detailed report on these findings.
With any report of this nature I look for 3 things
1. Size and nature of sample
2. To whom the results were Presented
3. Who paid for the research
Items 1 and 2 seem reasonable. Item 3 is interesting in that the research exercise was funded by a company bringing out a new drug for treating diabetes. There are plenty of reports linking various levels of obesity to a variety of illnesses. The interesting part of this report is that it has established a link to ill health in those who are moderately overweight, which came as a bit of a wake up call for me
I had a colonoscopy two days ago and when I was getting dressed after it I noticed myself in the mirror. Am I really that fat? No medical person has ever said I need to get weight off. I am 6'7" tall and weigh around 18.5 stones. Last year, through mainly sensible eating, though with some daft eating, I lost some weight as I gained six holes on the belt of my trousers.
I've had chronic urticaria for 15 months and recently developed an intolerance of certain foods, foods which I've happily eaten for over 65 years, (I'm 73), I can no longer eat as they cause me to get painful rashes. The ones I've identified are tomatoes, grapes, bananas and oranges.
Fortunately I don't have an appetite. I eat because it's the done thing.
I am determined to get some weight off so that I can walk better. I have had permanent AF for about 3 years.
Why did you have the colonoscopy? Have you suffered from a gut problem that required antibiotics? That might explain the food intolerances.
Two and a half years ago I mentioned to my doctor that when I thought I was passing wind through my anus I was passing blood. She arranged for me to see a Gastroenterology specialist the following week, by which time I had passed further blood. that time black, rather than red. The consultant arranged for me to have a CT scan on the following Sunday and a fortnight later I had a sigmoidoscopy to remove a large, but thankfully benign, polyp from my sigmoid colon. The consultant said I should have a follow-up colonoscopy after about 3 years. I had a diagnostic colonoscopy about a fortnight ago which identified 4 polyps, and another on Sunday to remove them. For the second I had to come off Warfarin. The colonoscopy was unrelated to the food intolerances. The urticaria was a very rare side effect of a beta-blocker, which, of course. I no-longer take.
Urticaria is awful. I had unexplained bouts of it a couple of years ago. I think it might have been to do with low grade infection from my diverticulitis as since I had the diseased bit of my colon removed it has not returned.
I don’t always accept these studies as solid truth about the state of things; however, when you see most food type outlets along the high streets that sell nothing but sandwiches, crisps, chocolate, pies, pasties, sausage rolls, fizzy drinks, lattes, and so on... it’s not surprising the health of the British is in question with individuals who indulge in this habit form of eating.
Just munching on lettuce leaves and a carrots ain't going to lose you weight either or even give your body the vital resources it needs on a regular basis.
I’m a type1 diabetic. That means I take insulin injections several times a day. Now 43yrs ago when I developed it, there wasn’t the plastic foods we see around today available, even packets of crisps/chips were healthier back then. But my good old mum, who is 84, always cooked good wholesome home made food and she was in her 40’s when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I’m still going, albeit some heart issues and my mum certainly is.
Type1 diabetes is not a dietary issues it’s genetics/mechanics of the body getting cross wired somehow, scientist still don’t really know. Whereas, type 2 is a dietary problem. But it still doesn’t explain why some males and some females I know of in their 50’s-60’s with wheat and beer bellies, bald heads (men), have dreadful diets, 0 exercise, drink like fish, munch on burgers like daily, sit watching awful stuff on the TV, yet have 0 health problems. This is why these studies often don’t give a true picture, because they just study a certain number of people and draw their conclusions with that.
Don't believe anything you hear or read in the news(papers).
BMI is nonsense for tall old muscular people - when I was fit and had 95kg lean mass, it said I should be 92kg - total.
Even if you believe in BMI, some websites indicate the BMI 28 is ideal for old men.
Personally I prefer the height / waist ratio but that is rarely recorded in NHS records, so I assume they go for BMI as an easily identifiable alternative.
I CAN'T KEEP QUIET ANY LONGER!!
should I be worried ?
My blog post for employers 
Low Heart rate, should I be worried? 
Will pulse rate ever again be less than 100 bpm?
