19 April 2016

The skinny on fat - we're the biggest losers

| Kim Fischer
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fat man measuring tape

In Canberra, just over 50 per cent of us are overweight and 20 per cent of us are obese. The prevalence of obesity is now so high that the ACT Government has set up an obesity management service for very obese people.

We all know the potential consequences of being obese, including diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, and heart disease, as well as breathing and digestive disorders. All of these problems put a strain on the ACT’s health system. But nothing more vividly illustrates the problem of obesity than Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a preventable but serious disease, highly correlated with obesity. Symptoms of diabetes are subtle but over time can lead to much more serious consequences including kidney failure, blindness, heart attacks, and limb amputations.

Over 40 per cent of Type 2 diabetes cases would disappear if obesity were also eliminated from the population. Costs of managing the disease in Australia have been estimated at $14 billion per year.

Canberra has an incidence of Type 2 diabetes slightly above the national average. With at least 13,000 people suffering the disease, Type 2 diabetes costs $190 million per year in the ACT alone.

The personal impacts and productivity impacts on the workforce are also significant, with estimates that over 10,000 people across Australia have had to quit work due to ill health caused by Type 2 diabetes. Of this group, nearly 7 out 10 live in poverty.

While establishing nutritional cause and effect is difficult, there are two big reasons which can be shown to have a big effect: portion size and sugar.

A CHOICE study showed that people ate 20-50% more if large portions were placed in front of them, whether in larger plates at restaurants or in larger portions like a bag of chips. Additionally, the study found many examples of food outlets encouraging consumers to “supersize”, spending a little more to get a lot more food, even if this exceeded their necessary dietary intake.

Similarly, while grains are an important part of healthy eating, the new Australian dietary guidelines halves the recommended serving size for grains as part of controlling portion intake.

The Australian Government doesn’t specify what a “serving size” should be, and so consumers are often confused about how much they should be eating. Foods made from grains are often very energy dense, particularly pasta, and it can be easy for people to overeat without realising it.

Sugar is also a major concern for weight control. Australia consumes the fifth-largest amount of sugar per person in the world. With increasing recognition that sugar affects our bodies in very similar ways to other drugs, the medical profession is calling for sugar to be regulated in a similar way to alcohol and tobacco.

For example, a 10 per cent tax on soft drinks in Mexico cut sales by 6 per cent nationally, and by up to 17 per cent in the lower income groups who are also more likely to be obese. This shows that either people will consume less sugar and our obesity levels will drop, or we will at least have the money to treat the results of these poor choices later.

What do you think?

Should we tax sugar to cover the costs of obesity?

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Ezy said :

cbrmale said :

Coffee alone puts on weight, it takes 20 minutes of exercise to compensate for a simple cappucino.

I just want to add – it’s more the milk that contains calories rather than the coffee itself. Drink black!

I know about the milk, but at 65kg that milk doesn’t matter for me as long as I don’t stuff myself with food at the same time. If you have a weight problem then drink black; every little bit helps.

cbrmale said :

Coffee alone puts on weight, it takes 20 minutes of exercise to compensate for a simple cappucino.

I just want to add – it’s more the milk that contains calories rather than the coffee itself. Drink black!

At 65kg weight and I eat as much as I want 3 times a day, but not between meal and no sugar drinks, I don’t have a weight problem. But why is it at age 57 that I can eat as much as I like and only weight 5kg more than when I was 17? I exercise of course, but only half an hour a day of moderate exercise.

Apparently we have evolved to store weight. For the majority it’s easy to pack on the kilograms and very, very hard to lose them. Once individuals get beyond a certain weight point and begin to create more fat cells, those fat cells will stay with them for the rest of their lives. The best they can hope for is modest reductions in weight to minimise the potential for cardio-vascular disease and for diabetes.

Conversely I can go to a cafe and order a coffee, I like coffee at cafes, and I’m quite happy with my cup of coffee. However everyone else in that cafe, especially the overweight and the obese, have to have cake or something else to eat with their coffee. Coffee alone puts on weight, it takes 20 minutes of exercise to compensate for a simple cappucino, so I cannot understand why they have to stuff their faces whenever food is around. If I am only 5kg heavier 40 years later then that may be why. I eat what I eat and no more until my next meal.

Those who have different metabolisms are few and far between. I have been measured and I am not one of them. The reason I am slim is because I manage what I eat and I exercise moderately every day, but primarily because I manage what I eat and I think of the consequences of not managing what I eat.

That may be the answer, unless it’s too late and you’re already overweight or obese, because by that stage it’s very, very difficult to make any lasting impression.

And one final thing. Because of an illness many, many decades ago I am an insulin dependant diabetic. Theoretically that should make it harder for me to manage my weight, but it hasn’t because I use more self-control. One thing I do know is that I wouldn’t wish diabetes on my worst enemy, and if those who are overweight or obese knew what I know then they would stop eating and exercise more today.

Dragonflyangel7:43 pm 19 Aug 15

Please watch “That Sugar Film & The Truth About Sugar”

When companies promote Fat Free it’s simply changed for sugar. This is a major cause for the obesity problem that we are facing.

We all need to eat real foods and remove as much processed foods as possible from our diets.

rubaiyat said :

dungfungus said :

Maya123 said :

dungfungus said :

zllauh said :

People have stopped working out and think that by just having a little walk around they can get fit.
Eat well and workout and stay fit . easy as that

More importantly, eat less.
Before the advent of fast food outlets and regulated shopping hours, there was only one source of food for the average family and that was the family kitchen which was under the control of the woman of the house.
Accordingly, the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.
It’s all about control.

” the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.”

Unless said family was into lots of home baked cakes and biscuits, and morning and afternoon teas…and suppers.

I did say “average” didn’t I?
Even with the cakes etc. there were chores involving physical activity to burn off calories. I’ll let you list them for me.

dungfungus said :

zllauh said :

People have stopped working out and think that by just having a little walk around they can get fit.
Eat well and workout and stay fit . easy as that

More importantly, eat less.
Before the advent of fast food outlets and regulated shopping hours, there was only one source of food for the average family and that was the family kitchen which was under the control of the woman of the house.
Accordingly, the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.
It’s all about control.

The average family was not served good wholesome food. The food for most Australians was boring, baked, fried or boiled, fatty and lacking in vegetables.

What has changed has been the lifestyle of sitting enormous hours in cars and in front of computers and TVs, PLUS the extra calories from processed food.

People in the NY subways are probably not on different diets to the rest of the population just getting a substantial amount of daily exercise just getting around, and it shows.

I don’t know how NY subways got into this thread but it is always good to have the views of international experts for us humblebums to consider.

dungfungus said :

Maya123 said :

dungfungus said :

zllauh said :

People have stopped working out and think that by just having a little walk around they can get fit.
Eat well and workout and stay fit . easy as that

More importantly, eat less.
Before the advent of fast food outlets and regulated shopping hours, there was only one source of food for the average family and that was the family kitchen which was under the control of the woman of the house.
Accordingly, the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.
It’s all about control.

” the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.”

Unless said family was into lots of home baked cakes and biscuits, and morning and afternoon teas…and suppers.

I did say “average” didn’t I?
Even with the cakes etc. there were chores involving physical activity to burn off calories. I’ll let you list them for me.

dungfungus said :

zllauh said :

People have stopped working out and think that by just having a little walk around they can get fit.
Eat well and workout and stay fit . easy as that

More importantly, eat less.
Before the advent of fast food outlets and regulated shopping hours, there was only one source of food for the average family and that was the family kitchen which was under the control of the woman of the house.
Accordingly, the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.
It’s all about control.

The average family was not served good wholesome food. The food for most Australians was boring, baked, fried or boiled, fatty and lacking in vegetables.

What has changed has been the lifestyle of sitting enormous hours in cars and in front of computers and TVs, PLUS the extra calories from processed food.

People in the NY subways are probably not on different diets to the rest of the population just getting a substantial amount of daily exercise just getting around, and it shows.

Maya123 said :

dungfungus said :

zllauh said :

People have stopped working out and think that by just having a little walk around they can get fit.
Eat well and workout and stay fit . easy as that

More importantly, eat less.
Before the advent of fast food outlets and regulated shopping hours, there was only one source of food for the average family and that was the family kitchen which was under the control of the woman of the house.
Accordingly, the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.
It’s all about control.

” the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.”

Unless said family was into lots of home baked cakes and biscuits, and morning and afternoon teas…and suppers.

I did say “average” didn’t I?
Even with the cakes etc. there were chores involving physical activity to burn off calories. I’ll let you list them for me.

Nilrem said :

rosscoact said :

switch said :

rosscoact said :

Yin Yang, Shiva Shatki, Normal Reaction Force, Jekll and Hyde, Bruce Wayne and Batman, Statler and Waldorf, Dungfungus and Rubaiyat.

I can’t see why I haven’t noticed it before.

Well have you seen them both in the same room at the same time? I bet you haven’t!

By golly, you are spot on, there’s no denying that fact.

I bet ‘both’ of them would deny it, but they would, wouldn’t they?

if so it’s an elaborate ruse. Both personalities are complex and intricate. And diametrically opposed.

One which the rubaiyat one could maintain having a good insight of the dungfungus. The dungfungus struggles with elementary science, maths and logic. 😉

dungfungus said :

zllauh said :

People have stopped working out and think that by just having a little walk around they can get fit.
Eat well and workout and stay fit . easy as that

More importantly, eat less.
Before the advent of fast food outlets and regulated shopping hours, there was only one source of food for the average family and that was the family kitchen which was under the control of the woman of the house.
Accordingly, the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.
It’s all about control.

” the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.”

Unless said family was into lots of home baked cakes and biscuits, and morning and afternoon teas…and suppers.

zllauh said :

People have stopped working out and think that by just having a little walk around they can get fit.
Eat well and workout and stay fit . easy as that

More importantly, eat less.
Before the advent of fast food outlets and regulated shopping hours, there was only one source of food for the average family and that was the family kitchen which was under the control of the woman of the house.
Accordingly, the family was served good, wholesome food with no snacks in between.
It’s all about control.

rosscoact said :

switch said :

rosscoact said :

Yin Yang, Shiva Shatki, Normal Reaction Force, Jekll and Hyde, Bruce Wayne and Batman, Statler and Waldorf, Dungfungus and Rubaiyat.

I can’t see why I haven’t noticed it before.

Well have you seen them both in the same room at the same time? I bet you haven’t!

By golly, you are spot on, there’s no denying that fact.

I bet ‘both’ of them would deny it, but they would, wouldn’t they?

if so it’s an elaborate ruse. Both personalities are complex and intricate. And diametrically opposed.

switch said :

rosscoact said :

Yin Yang, Shiva Shatki, Normal Reaction Force, Jekll and Hyde, Bruce Wayne and Batman, Statler and Waldorf, Dungfungus and Rubaiyat.

I can’t see why I haven’t noticed it before.

Well have you seen them both in the same room at the same time? I bet you haven’t!

By golly, you are spot on, there’s no denying that fact.

I bet ‘both’ of them would deny it, but they would, wouldn’t they?

People have stopped working out and think that by just having a little walk around they can get fit.
Eat well and workout and stay fit . easy as that

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

Canberra has the best tap water in the world and to not drink it in favour of that bottled stuff is stupid.
Our water is drawn from rivers that flow into our reservoirs after the shortest journey from mountain tops with no human effluent added on the way. It is like the “first crush” olive oil that people will pay a premium for.
After we use it is is passed on to the inland rivers and eventually reaches Adelaide homes by which time it has accumulated lots of drug residues and other nasties that can’t be removed.
It is “Iconic” indeed.

Dungers, I see you and Rubaiyat are increasingly fishing from the same side of the stream. I think it’s really nice to see, especially if you two are the same person.

I deal in facts, the other person alludes to fantasies.
I hope that clears up your confusion.

Yin Yang, Shiva Shatki, Normal Reaction Force, Jekll and Hyde, Bruce Wayne and Batman, Statler and Waldorf, Dungfungus and Rubaiyat.

I can’t see why I haven’t noticed it before.

And here I was thinking being bi-polar was something to do with that other fantasy called climate change.
Keep reading your comic books.

rosscoact said :

Yin Yang, Shiva Shatki, Normal Reaction Force, Jekll and Hyde, Bruce Wayne and Batman, Statler and Waldorf, Dungfungus and Rubaiyat.

I can’t see why I haven’t noticed it before.

Well have you seen them both in the same room at the same time? I bet you haven’t!

dungfungus said :

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

Canberra has the best tap water in the world and to not drink it in favour of that bottled stuff is stupid.
Our water is drawn from rivers that flow into our reservoirs after the shortest journey from mountain tops with no human effluent added on the way. It is like the “first crush” olive oil that people will pay a premium for.
After we use it is is passed on to the inland rivers and eventually reaches Adelaide homes by which time it has accumulated lots of drug residues and other nasties that can’t be removed.
It is “Iconic” indeed.

Dungers, I see you and Rubaiyat are increasingly fishing from the same side of the stream. I think it’s really nice to see, especially if you two are the same person.

I deal in facts, the other person alludes to fantasies.
I hope that clears up your confusion.

Yin Yang, Shiva Shatki, Normal Reaction Force, Jekll and Hyde, Bruce Wayne and Batman, Statler and Waldorf, Dungfungus and Rubaiyat.

I can’t see why I haven’t noticed it before.

rubaiyat said :

The mental twists and turns consumers put themselves into to justify their “choices” is exposed by a simple observation of the “convenience” argument.

The Manly Council has placed a prominent well sign posted water column at the entrance to the Corso on the way to the beach, with both a water fountain and water bottle filler. I stopped and watched just how many people walk right past this and go into a small 7/11 operation to the right, to queue to pay for bottled water, to meet their “independently derived need” to consume something immediately available in their face with no delay or expense.

I would walk past the bubbler in Manly too… I’ve been spoiled by how good Canberra water is and find whatever passes for H2O in Sydney to taste absolutely foul.

rubaiyat said :

Maya123 said :

rubaiyat said :

My wife and I even managed to lose weight in America.

I cooked.

We walked.

I usually lose weight on holidays too. Earlier this year I went away for six weeks overseas and came back two to three kilos lighter. It’s the lack of available snacks at hand I think that does it, and the price of eating away from home, which helps keep eating to a minimum.

For us it was very much the awful food.

Others who disagreed with us however, were packing it on.

Also, if you think the food in the US is awful, you’re not looking hard enough. That’s an issue for a travel column though, not this one. Remembering that although there are a lot of obese people in America (as in Australia), there are also a lot of slim, athletic and average bodies over there.

rosscoact said :

dungfungus said :

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

Canberra has the best tap water in the world and to not drink it in favour of that bottled stuff is stupid.
Our water is drawn from rivers that flow into our reservoirs after the shortest journey from mountain tops with no human effluent added on the way. It is like the “first crush” olive oil that people will pay a premium for.
After we use it is is passed on to the inland rivers and eventually reaches Adelaide homes by which time it has accumulated lots of drug residues and other nasties that can’t be removed.
It is “Iconic” indeed.

Dungers, I see you and Rubaiyat are increasingly fishing from the same side of the stream. I think it’s really nice to see, especially if you two are the same person.

I deal in facts, the other person alludes to fantasies.
I hope that clears up your confusion.

rubaiyat said :

My wife and I even managed to lose weight in America.

I cooked.

We walked.

I also lost weight in America, and I didn’t cook once.

Obesity is as much a mental health issue as it is a physical one. Claiming that everyone is “conditioned” to buy certain products or thinking that taxing and regulation will fix problems is short-sighted and comes from the superior view that people who struggle with weight issues are lazy with no ability to think for themselves. If we want people to make lifestyle changes, it can’t only be based around their bodies.

Nilrem said :

rubaiyat said :

Nilrem said :

I, like you, avoid places where disposable plates/cups are the only option. I find it terribly wasteful and short-sighted.

You will no doubt praise the German Greens who forced Macdonalds to use washable cutlery and plates.

Or have you changed your mind now that you learnt the Evil Environmentalists are all behind this?

What are our chances of emulating the Germans here? It’s a great idea. There’s always a base level of Maccas packaging waste swirling around the streets…

We live on the route from a large number of offices to the local shops. Besides the almost endless traffic noise we cop all the litter the lazy B*****ds chuck in our garden on the way back from getting lunch.

There is a nasty mindset which shows up here and in the streets that thinks it can do anything it wants and chuck its rubbish in someone else’s place and walk away. Problem solved.

We need a Lee Kuan Yew hard man to crack down until the simple and selfish minded have a new habit to adhere to. A more civic minded habit.

rubaiyat said :

Nilrem said :

I, like you, avoid places where disposable plates/cups are the only option. I find it terribly wasteful and short-sighted.

You will no doubt praise the German Greens who forced Macdonalds to use washable cutlery and plates.

Or have you changed your mind now that you learnt the Evil Environmentalists are all behind this?

What are our chances of emulating the Germans here? It’s a great idea. There’s always a base level of Maccas packaging waste swirling around the streets…

rubaiyat said :

Nilrem said :

BTW when are we getting a container deposit scheme? There is no better way of virtually eliminating container litter. Or has the proposal been crushed/whiteanted by the Food and Grocery Council? These guys are the baddies on food labelling also. Nasty vested interests.

Agreed.

btw Sorry about the previous post I clicked the wrong reply, meant to post to dungfungus.

Ha, I thought you’d confused me with someone else!

dungfungus said :

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

Canberra has the best tap water in the world and to not drink it in favour of that bottled stuff is stupid.
Our water is drawn from rivers that flow into our reservoirs after the shortest journey from mountain tops with no human effluent added on the way. It is like the “first crush” olive oil that people will pay a premium for.
After we use it is is passed on to the inland rivers and eventually reaches Adelaide homes by which time it has accumulated lots of drug residues and other nasties that can’t be removed.
It is “Iconic” indeed.

Dungers, I see you and Rubaiyat are increasingly fishing from the same side of the stream. I think it’s really nice to see, especially if you two are the same person.

Nilrem said :

BTW when are we getting a container deposit scheme? There is no better way of virtually eliminating container litter. Or has the proposal been crushed/whiteanted by the Food and Grocery Council? These guys are the baddies on food labelling also. Nasty vested interests.

Agreed.

btw Sorry about the previous post I clicked the wrong reply, meant to post to dungfungus.

Nilrem said :

I, like you, avoid places where disposable plates/cups are the only option. I find it terribly wasteful and short-sighted.

You will no doubt praise the German Greens who forced Macdonalds to use washable cutlery and plates.

Or have you changed your mind now that you learnt the Evil Environmentalists are all behind this?

dungfungus said :

Canberra has the best tap water in the world and to not drink it in favour of that bottled stuff is stupid..

Except for the chlorine, but I have grown to appreciate that. 🙂

Keep a hip flask of bleach to dash my “foreign” sources when I travel.

Maya123 said :

rosscoact said :

rubaiyat said :

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

Water is hardly worthless. It is a valuable commodity and no matter where or how it is consumed there is a cost unless you drink from a puddle like a dog.

The pervasive myth that marketing has somehow convinced people (aka suckers in the myth) to pay good money for water which was ‘free’ is nonsense and cannot go unchallenged.

People don’t buy a bottle of water, they buy convenience. If I’m thirsty and I want a cold water, there is few viable alternatives. A bubbler that was used as a toilet by a drunk last night might be available, I could go into a public toilet and drink from the tap or I could go to a hotel and take my chances. Alternatively you could lug around a bottle you bought from home which is ok for some people but doesn’t work for many others.

However, there is water in bottles, cold, clean, reliable, convenient and when you’re thirsty that ‘worthless’ water you deride so easily is so damn cheap at a couple of bucks a bottle.

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

I, like you, avoid places where disposable plates/cups are the only option. I find it terribly wasteful and short-sighted.

dungfungus said :

Maya123 said :

rosscoact said :

rubaiyat said :

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

Water is hardly worthless. It is a valuable commodity and no matter where or how it is consumed there is a cost unless you drink from a puddle like a dog.

The pervasive myth that marketing has somehow convinced people (aka suckers in the myth) to pay good money for water which was ‘free’ is nonsense and cannot go unchallenged.

People don’t buy a bottle of water, they buy convenience. If I’m thirsty and I want a cold water, there is few viable alternatives. A bubbler that was used as a toilet by a drunk last night might be available, I could go into a public toilet and drink from the tap or I could go to a hotel and take my chances. Alternatively you could lug around a bottle you bought from home which is ok for some people but doesn’t work for many others.

However, there is water in bottles, cold, clean, reliable, convenient and when you’re thirsty that ‘worthless’ water you deride so easily is so damn cheap at a couple of bucks a bottle.

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

Canberra has the best tap water in the world and to not drink it in favour of that bottled stuff is stupid.
Our water is drawn from rivers that flow into our reservoirs after the shortest journey from mountain tops with no human effluent added on the way. It is like the “first crush” olive oil that people will pay a premium for.
After we use it is is passed on to the inland rivers and eventually reaches Adelaide homes by which time it has accumulated lots of drug residues and other nasties that can’t be removed.
It is “Iconic” indeed.

Agreed. I’m always astounded by the people I see in supermarkets buying huge quantities of bottled water. Tap water is a helluva lot cheaper, tastes better and doesn’t produce packaging waste.

BTW when are we getting a container deposit scheme? There is no better way of virtually eliminating container litter. Or has the proposal been crushed/whiteanted by the Food and Grocery Council? These guys are the baddies on food labelling also. Nasty vested interests.

Maya123 said :

rosscoact said :

rubaiyat said :

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

Water is hardly worthless. It is a valuable commodity and no matter where or how it is consumed there is a cost unless you drink from a puddle like a dog.

The pervasive myth that marketing has somehow convinced people (aka suckers in the myth) to pay good money for water which was ‘free’ is nonsense and cannot go unchallenged.

People don’t buy a bottle of water, they buy convenience. If I’m thirsty and I want a cold water, there is few viable alternatives. A bubbler that was used as a toilet by a drunk last night might be available, I could go into a public toilet and drink from the tap or I could go to a hotel and take my chances. Alternatively you could lug around a bottle you bought from home which is ok for some people but doesn’t work for many others.

However, there is water in bottles, cold, clean, reliable, convenient and when you’re thirsty that ‘worthless’ water you deride so easily is so damn cheap at a couple of bucks a bottle.

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

The mental twists and turns consumers put themselves into to justify their “choices” is exposed by a simple observation of the “convenience” argument.

The Manly Council has placed a prominent well sign posted water column at the entrance to the Corso on the way to the beach, with both a water fountain and water bottle filler. I stopped and watched just how many people walk right past this and go into a small 7/11 operation to the right, to queue to pay for bottled water, to meet their “independently derived need” to consume something immediately available in their face with no delay or expense.

These are what we called “The Rodents”. The people we used to market test ideas on at the agency. Like the woman who vehemently protested that advertising had absolutely no effect on her, but had a packet of Virginia Slims on the table in front of her. A product exactly the same as all other cigarettes but in a slim package, with “Slim” in the name using pastel colors and themes, marketed exactly at her gender, age group and the notion by certain women that smoking helps them lose weight.

She claimed she “bought them for the taste”. Mysteriously the packaging infused a difference in the common contents.

Maya123 said :

rosscoact said :

rubaiyat said :

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

Water is hardly worthless. It is a valuable commodity and no matter where or how it is consumed there is a cost unless you drink from a puddle like a dog.

The pervasive myth that marketing has somehow convinced people (aka suckers in the myth) to pay good money for water which was ‘free’ is nonsense and cannot go unchallenged.

People don’t buy a bottle of water, they buy convenience. If I’m thirsty and I want a cold water, there is few viable alternatives. A bubbler that was used as a toilet by a drunk last night might be available, I could go into a public toilet and drink from the tap or I could go to a hotel and take my chances. Alternatively you could lug around a bottle you bought from home which is ok for some people but doesn’t work for many others.

However, there is water in bottles, cold, clean, reliable, convenient and when you’re thirsty that ‘worthless’ water you deride so easily is so damn cheap at a couple of bucks a bottle.

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

Canberra has the best tap water in the world and to not drink it in favour of that bottled stuff is stupid.
Our water is drawn from rivers that flow into our reservoirs after the shortest journey from mountain tops with no human effluent added on the way. It is like the “first crush” olive oil that people will pay a premium for.
After we use it is is passed on to the inland rivers and eventually reaches Adelaide homes by which time it has accumulated lots of drug residues and other nasties that can’t be removed.
It is “Iconic” indeed.

rosscoact said :

rubaiyat said :

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

Water is hardly worthless. It is a valuable commodity and no matter where or how it is consumed there is a cost unless you drink from a puddle like a dog.

The pervasive myth that marketing has somehow convinced people (aka suckers in the myth) to pay good money for water which was ‘free’ is nonsense and cannot go unchallenged.

People don’t buy a bottle of water, they buy convenience. If I’m thirsty and I want a cold water, there is few viable alternatives. A bubbler that was used as a toilet by a drunk last night might be available, I could go into a public toilet and drink from the tap or I could go to a hotel and take my chances. Alternatively you could lug around a bottle you bought from home which is ok for some people but doesn’t work for many others.

However, there is water in bottles, cold, clean, reliable, convenient and when you’re thirsty that ‘worthless’ water you deride so easily is so damn cheap at a couple of bucks a bottle.

Re water, I would equate bottled water with laziness and don’t care less (a milder expression than I would like to use, but don’t want to be censured) about disposal, carbon miles in transporting it, etc. I do volunteer work and there is a tap (choice of tap water or chilled water on tap) and glasses, or neighbouring bottled water. Nearly everyone bypasses the tap and takes the bottle water, even when a tap is available. Same with plates. Supply disposable plates or china washable plates, most will push the china washable (they are not doing the washing up) aside and take the disposable. I have seen this in places like McCafe too. They are drinking in, but still chose the disposable cup.

Felix the Cat said :

I voted no on the tax. A tax is just a money grab and will have little effect on obesity. How about instead we reward or encourage people to eat better food or to exercise more by the govt subsidising certain foods to make them cheaper and therefore encourage people to consume them and give people tax breaks (deductions) on gym memberships and other exercise equipment such as bikes.

I voted no to a tax, and I’d vote no to your suggestion as well.
Unless you have one of the very rare medical conditions which makes you fat, it is a lifestyle choice. People need to put down the fork and take responsibility for themselves. Why should we who have some self control subsidise foods, gym memberships and exercise equipment because of other peoples bad choices?

It’s really not all that hard. If you are fat, eat less or exercise more. Taxes and subsidies won’t help, and won’t change that simple fact.

Felix the Cat said :

I voted no on the tax. A tax is just a money grab and will have little effect on obesity. How about instead we reward or encourage people to eat better food or to exercise more by the govt subsidising certain foods to make them cheaper and therefore encourage people to consume them and give people tax breaks (deductions) on gym memberships and other exercise equipment such as bikes.

How do tax deductions help the most common person with eating disorders and a junk food diet ie low/no income earners?

Food subsidies are the principle cause of bad nutrition and end up being huge tax rorts for the corporations that then manipulate the mostly concealed, under the counter payments, for their own benefit, not the consumers.

America is a classic case where junk food actually exists BECAUSE of the massive subsidies on corn syrup, corn, wheat, soy beans etc. Even down to the appalling state of the government school lunches which are used to dump low grade food surpluses e.g “pink slime” on the nation’s school children. The subsidies are then churned back to the politicians who vote for them, as political donations, creating a vicious and corrupt circle.

Even we are affected because the US Congress subsidises the foreign marketing of junk food corporations like Macdonalds, KFC, KrispyKreme, Subway, Starbucks, Hungry Jack’s, Hershey, PIzza Hut, Sizzler, Muffin Break, Gloria Jeans, Baskin-Robbins etc etc. Which is why they have penetrated our markets so heavily and put local businesses at a disadvantage.

Felix the Cat7:14 am 18 Aug 15

I voted no on the tax. A tax is just a money grab and will have little effect on obesity. How about instead we reward or encourage people to eat better food or to exercise more by the govt subsidising certain foods to make them cheaper and therefore encourage people to consume them and give people tax breaks (deductions) on gym memberships and other exercise equipment such as bikes.

Maya123 said :

rubaiyat said :

My wife and I even managed to lose weight in America.

I cooked.

We walked.

I usually lose weight on holidays too. Earlier this year I went away for six weeks overseas and came back two to three kilos lighter. It’s the lack of available snacks at hand I think that does it, and the price of eating away from home, which helps keep eating to a minimum.

For us it was very much the awful food.

Others who disagreed with us however, were packing it on.

rubaiyat said :

rosscoact said :

rubaiyat said :

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

Water is hardly worthless. It is a valuable commodity and no matter where or how it is consumed there is a cost unless you drink from a puddle like a dog.

The pervasive myth that marketing has somehow convinced people (aka suckers in the myth) to pay good money for water which was ‘free’ is nonsense and cannot go unchallenged.

People don’t buy a bottle of water, they buy convenience. If I’m thirsty and I want a cold water, there is few viable alternatives. A bubbler that was used as a toilet by a drunk last night might be available, I could go into a public toilet and drink from the tap or I could go to a hotel and take my chances. Alternatively you could lug around a bottle you bought from home which is ok for some people but doesn’t work for many others.

However, there is water in bottles, cold, clean, reliable, convenient and when you’re thirsty that ‘worthless’ water you deride so easily is so damn cheap at a couple of bucks a bottle.

Thank you for making my point so clearly.

Well gosh, you’ve convinced me.

rosscoact said :

rubaiyat said :

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

Water is hardly worthless. It is a valuable commodity and no matter where or how it is consumed there is a cost unless you drink from a puddle like a dog.

The pervasive myth that marketing has somehow convinced people (aka suckers in the myth) to pay good money for water which was ‘free’ is nonsense and cannot go unchallenged.

People don’t buy a bottle of water, they buy convenience. If I’m thirsty and I want a cold water, there is few viable alternatives. A bubbler that was used as a toilet by a drunk last night might be available, I could go into a public toilet and drink from the tap or I could go to a hotel and take my chances. Alternatively you could lug around a bottle you bought from home which is ok for some people but doesn’t work for many others.

However, there is water in bottles, cold, clean, reliable, convenient and when you’re thirsty that ‘worthless’ water you deride so easily is so damn cheap at a couple of bucks a bottle.

Thank you for making my point so clearly.

rubaiyat said :

My wife and I even managed to lose weight in America.

I cooked.

We walked.

I usually lose weight on holidays too. Earlier this year I went away for six weeks overseas and came back two to three kilos lighter. It’s the lack of available snacks at hand I think that does it, and the price of eating away from home, which helps keep eating to a minimum.

rubaiyat said :

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

Water is hardly worthless. It is a valuable commodity and no matter where or how it is consumed there is a cost unless you drink from a puddle like a dog.

The pervasive myth that marketing has somehow convinced people (aka suckers in the myth) to pay good money for water which was ‘free’ is nonsense and cannot go unchallenged.

People don’t buy a bottle of water, they buy convenience. If I’m thirsty and I want a cold water, there is few viable alternatives. A bubbler that was used as a toilet by a drunk last night might be available, I could go into a public toilet and drink from the tap or I could go to a hotel and take my chances. Alternatively you could lug around a bottle you bought from home which is ok for some people but doesn’t work for many others.

However, there is water in bottles, cold, clean, reliable, convenient and when you’re thirsty that ‘worthless’ water you deride so easily is so damn cheap at a couple of bucks a bottle.

My wife and I even managed to lose weight in America.

I cooked.

We walked.

VYBerlinaV8_is_back said :

I used to be a fatty, and when losing weight I discovered a very simple thing: if you eat fresh foods, mainly fruits, vegetables and lean meats, you can eat heaps and still lose weight provided you exercise a bit. Avoid bread and fatty foods is the key.

It really is that simple. Burn more calories than what you put in. The training yourself and being prepared to make a long-term lifestyle choice is the hardest part.

VYBerlinaV8_is_back3:46 pm 17 Aug 15

I used to be a fatty, and when losing weight I discovered a very simple thing: if you eat fresh foods, mainly fruits, vegetables and lean meats, you can eat heaps and still lose weight provided you exercise a bit. Avoid bread and fatty foods is the key.

Evilomlap said :

First of all, serving sizes are not realistic. A recommended ‘serving’ of any given breakfast cereal wouldn’t feed a freakin canary. Secondly, nutrition panels are needlessly (but probably deliberately) confusing. The ‘% of daily intake’ thing is a little better, but the traffic light system they use in the UK is much better. For each type of ingredient ie fats, sugars, protein, they have either a green, yellow or red colour code.

None of that “just happened”.

This government and industry worked hand in hand to ensure the information is unintelligible, and portion sizes are minuscule to hide the poor quality of the food and shift the blame onto the consumer for eating “too much”.

Carbohydrates, sugars and indicators of salt “sodium” are manipulated to hide what they really are.

The industry which completely changes packaging all the time to match media campaigns and “specials” claimed it would be very expensive and need years to implement labelling changes. Lies and more lies, supported by the government which gets substantial donations from the companies and individuals affected.

The government repeatedly acts against Australian citizens and the interests of its own voters and will not even endorse origin labelling, something that should have been demanded by the National Party.

First of all, serving sizes are not realistic. A recommended ‘serving’ of any given breakfast cereal wouldn’t feed a freakin canary. Secondly, nutrition panels are needlessly (but probably deliberately) confusing. The ‘% of daily intake’ thing is a little better, but the traffic light system they use in the UK is much better. For each type of ingredient ie fats, sugars, protein, they have either a green, yellow or red colour code.

Corporations package worthless water in a bottle.

Consumers buy it, avoiding the freely available alternative.

If you struggle with just how trained you are to do what you are told, no government programs or token brochures are going to fix that.

Step back, take a long hard look at what you are doing and take that first step towards thinking for yourself.

TuggLife said :

Reply

TuggLife said :

A minor point – the Australian Government (with the Australian Dietary Guidelines) does actually clealry specify what constitutes a serving size: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes . A serving of cooked pasta is 1/2 cup (75-120g). What can be confusing for consumers is that a serving size according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines can be very different to what the manufacturer has determined is a serving size on the nutrition panel.

There are many other ways for a government to support healthy food choices other than taxing unhealthy foods (which is fraught with classification problems, a la John Hewson’s birthday cake). Legislating for consumer-friendly nutrition labelling, investing in infrastructure for producing healthier foods, incentivising health food retailers to enter low-income areas, and regulating to prevent positioniong unhealthy foods where children gather are all effective means for government policy to have an impact on the choices consumers make.

A minor point is this government and Tony Abbott when Health Minister have opposed those exact measures.

Btw Faux Health Food Stores are no solution. The problem is not that complex nor is the really obvious solution. There are however a lot of interest groups making sure nothing gets done.

A minor point – the Australian Government (with the Australian Dietary Guidelines) does actually clealry specify what constitutes a serving size: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes . A serving of cooked pasta is 1/2 cup (75-120g). What can be confusing for consumers is that a serving size according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines can be very different to what the manufacturer has determined is a serving size on the nutrition panel.

There are many other ways for a government to support healthy food choices other than taxing unhealthy foods (which is fraught with classification problems, a la John Hewson’s birthday cake). Legislating for consumer-friendly nutrition labelling, investing in infrastructure for producing healthier foods, incentivising health food retailers to enter low-income areas, and regulating to prevent positioniong unhealthy foods where children gather are all effective means for government policy to have an impact on the choices consumers make.

One simple tax won’t “cover the costs of obesity”. In fact, just one method won’t help at all.

The key is in a number of methods. Cheaper access to fitness equipment through community gyms, more dietary education (not just for children but adults, particularly in the 40-55 age group), active public transport that allows you to do incidental exercise, even subsidised fruit and veg could all play a part.

Through its sprawled nature, Canberrans rely on their car a lot. Removing that reliance will take several generations. Light rail, urban density, removing car parking spaces at workplaces and a vastly improved bus system must help that.

For me, if you’re going to add tax to one product that could cut health problems, why not alcohol?

dungfungus said :

I doubt if the demographic affected most by obesity reads Choice and despite the government now taking a leading role in fighting obesity, the individual must take charge of problems obesity presents.
It would be encouraging too if the private heath funds would give incentives for their members to undertake weight loss programs but regrettably, they don’t.
I recently was told to change my lifestyle (less high living and low thinking) to head off a potential liver problem. The liver is a store for excess body fat and sugars but it has limited capacity.
A specific “middle section” (guts) weight loss was suggested and I happily signed up. The cost was not significant but it would deter some people perhaps. I made enquiries with my private health fund to see what rebates were available and they said there were none (not even for a new pair of gym shoes).
I pointed out to them that the program could avert very expensive medical/hospital intervention and treatment if my liver disorder was not corrected and surely this would be preventive maintenance. They disagreed but wouldn’t discuss their reasons – easier to keep increasing premiums I guess.
The program has been a great success with a loss of 15% body weight over 3 months and I feel better than I have been for 40 years. It does require some physical exertion and mental discipline to eat less of one’s favourite foods but if I can do it almost anybody can.
The hardest thing is to walk past the local takeaway and ignore those delicious, tempting potato scallops in the food warmer.
The best outcome is that my liver is now totally normal and smaller meals, longer walks and some home based daily physical exercise is something to look forward to.

Well done you.

I think there are so many factors associated with weight loss, that any idea that a simple tax on sugar would have a hugely positive affect on obesity is over simplifying the problem. It really needs to be treated much the way that smoking is treated. I’d argue that the majority of people with weight issues, problem also has mental health issue of some kind or require help making the correct decisions.

There is also an emphasis on weight that while being true doesn’t mean one is healthy. I work with plenty of skinny people who eat a lot of take away. Some of them are blessed with a good metabolism, some do exercise, but yet society doesn’t immediately dub them as being unhealthy. I’m not a small person, I’ve always struggled with weight, I don’t eat take away food and I exercise 5-6 times a week. I can do chin ups, push ups and a 20km bush walk is not a challenge. Yet people judge me as unhealthy just because i can’t trim the 10-15 kgs that I’d love to get rid off but is a real challenge to me.

I don’t know what the solution is but I can tell you, when I’ve had mental health issues its usually stemmed from my inability to lose weight.

Thats awesome news for you dungfungus! There are some other programs out there that are quite good for weight loss and ‘retraining’ on how easy and accessible it is to eat good food. One of the main things that everyone could look at for improving the waist size is to look at your portion size. A year ago I gave https://www.12wbt.com a go and the results were pretty good – I have never been overweight but I just wanted to trim down a bit for cycling. It worked and it taught me that there were a few things I was doing wrong. I lost 5kg and have kept that off since finishing it. A few work mates are doing it now and are enjoying the program. This is a recognised program so you are able to get a refund via your health cover.

Now onto food… It goes well beyond what the takeaway franchises are using to make their food.

People need to be educated on all forms of food that they are eating. Just because things contain sugar, it doesn’t mean other things that don’t contain sugar aren’t doing you damage. Prime example is some of the meat from the supermarket giants. You would know that these animals are contained in questionable ‘meat factories’ and injected and fed with all sorts of chemicals to get them to full size in the shortest amount of time. Where do you think this all ends up? If you eat meat, I highly recommend buying from a butcher who knows the farmers and the conditions as to how the animals are raised and fed. Farmer markets are also a good place to purchase your food.

Last weekend my wife and I visited a place down the coast where we learnt how to cook a few raw + vegan dishes. It was amazing how good this food made you feel – we didn’t need dinner because of how calorie dense the breakfast and lunch were. I am heading down to Tilba next week to listen to Rohan Anderson (Whole Larder Love) and Paul West (River Cottage Australia) talk about setting your garden up for year round produce. It is people like this that I respect their view on what good food is. If you can’t grow some of it yourself, Know where your food is coming from. If you have some time, please go and read some of Rohans stuff http://wholelarderlove.com/blog/ His language is honest and refreshing. It is brutal but people need to look to change their eating habits for their own health and their families health.

dungfungus said :

The hardest thing is to walk past the local takeaway and ignore those delicious, tempting potato scallops in the food warmer.

This is pure learnt response, it is not natural.

To me the usual unfiltered cheap and nasty commercial fryer smell is just pure stink. Which do you think is more accurate? Particularly bad is whatever Subway and also Macdonalds saturate their stuff with.

Curse this “spell correction”.

That should have been “well founded critics”.

The money is always with the bad guys. The corporations use the victim’s money against them.

As with most matters the research and commonsense gets shouted down by the wishful thinking and huge amount of commercial propaganda we are inundated with.

It is not “lifestyle choices” because they are not choices made by individuals, who very very rarely think for themselves, usually just take the easy way out that is conveniently presented to them, herded to their fate.

Consumers close their eyes to the naked manipulation they are subjected to, denying that they are not n charge of their own lives. Marketers cleverly shield their Achilles heel by subtlety denigrating their well funded critics. The tobacco industry runs a devil may care line in movies, letting a “Wimp” warn the tough hero against smoking who shrugs it off, Message being ignore your rational self, just follow your emotions/habits.

The exact same social manipulation has been successfully used by all the unhealthy or dangerous corporations by the same marketing organisations that handled the Tobacco companies’ problems with government health warnings and regulations.

The tobacco wars are still being fought long after the problem was identified by research. We have many more similar major health and safety battles on our hands. The turning point is nearly always when a solid funding source can throw up a strong enough voice against the corporate subversion, to be finally heard by the public.

In the case of smoking the heavy tax on tobacco was used to drive home the Quit message, we need to do the same against the obesity industry. Sugar is not the sole enemy here, junk food and the supersaturation of calories in common food is. We need a sin tax on processed foods. The other major contributor of obesity, lack of day to day exercise is a broader and more difficult to tackle problem.

There are clear and simple structural things we can do to our environment that would encourage exercise rather than discourage it. Those seem patently obvious but face an almost irrational hysteria from those who see any change to the “Lazy Consumer Lifestyle” as an attack on modern society, which it is not because they are not synonymous.

I doubt if the demographic affected most by obesity reads Choice and despite the government now taking a leading role in fighting obesity, the individual must take charge of problems obesity presents.
It would be encouraging too if the private heath funds would give incentives for their members to undertake weight loss programs but regrettably, they don’t.
I recently was told to change my lifestyle (less high living and low thinking) to head off a potential liver problem. The liver is a store for excess body fat and sugars but it has limited capacity.
A specific “middle section” (guts) weight loss was suggested and I happily signed up. The cost was not significant but it would deter some people perhaps. I made enquiries with my private health fund to see what rebates were available and they said there were none (not even for a new pair of gym shoes).
I pointed out to them that the program could avert very expensive medical/hospital intervention and treatment if my liver disorder was not corrected and surely this would be preventive maintenance. They disagreed but wouldn’t discuss their reasons – easier to keep increasing premiums I guess.
The program has been a great success with a loss of 15% body weight over 3 months and I feel better than I have been for 40 years. It does require some physical exertion and mental discipline to eat less of one’s favourite foods but if I can do it almost anybody can.
The hardest thing is to walk past the local takeaway and ignore those delicious, tempting potato scallops in the food warmer.
The best outcome is that my liver is now totally normal and smaller meals, longer walks and some home based daily physical exercise is something to look forward to.

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