Is obesity a class thing?

Twas purely an observation paddyann, and we all notice different markers. Just like I notice Londoners walk faster than people in other cities - apparently it's all down to economic output.
Now, time to run for the tube, (that's 100 calories off!)

I very much doubt that London people are slimmer than elsewhere. I suppose, again, it would depend on the area.

Lillie that'll be the cups of coffee that cost a few pounds a time...the people I'm talking about cant AFFORD those coffees,the price of one would probably feed their family a complete meal from the freezer shop .Shame so many are so narrow in outlook .I'd guess if you went to some of the less well off areas of London you'll see just as many overweight folk as there are everywhere else

I think we're heading towards the US situation now, where overweight people look around and see other people as large as themselves so don't think they're overweight..

I'm from London and don't see so many at home.
That is exactly my observation too GM, Londoners are unlikely to be obese. They are always chasing up escalators and sipping their cups of coffee, (not munching food).

No excuse for smoking at nearly £8 a pack now lots of help out there for free to help you stop and if you are obese and smoke you will become a burden to the NHS.

This is not class but age. Whilst many of us, including me, have put on weight as we have got older, I noticed on holiday with my DGC at a caravan site that the Grans were usually slimmish or a little plump but many of the Mums were obese. Every very large woman I saw was young. Are there more overweight people in some parts of the country than others? I'm from London and don't see so many at home.

All I know is that if a tv programme shows topical film footage from the 70s or earlier everyone looks very slender!

Oh and another comment - when I was a rather sturdy teenager - a good size 16, though in inches it would be a size 14 now.......I had a hell of a job to find jeans to fit. Nowadays high street fashion can be found in very generous sizes - has this lead to a more general acceptance of bigger people? A sort of chicken/egg thing? No idea.

Very true, paddy, I think.

I struggle to find the answer to this question because surely obesity comes in all sizes -classes- of society? My DH went to a posh boarding school with lots of healthy food, but he turned out fat because he always used to eat up all the second and third helpings! Now it's the best wines, (around £20 a bottle), plus aperitifs, so income is not the link here. If anything it's portion sizes and an actual enjoyment of tastes, if that's possible.

I do object to the EU fat ruling which classes obese people as "disabled", but I do have to agree it's unusual to see fat French people and UK citizens are fatter than even the Germans.

Good post Paddy

obesity and income are the link,I live in an area of high deprivation ,where factories have closed and any jobs available tend to be minimum wage .I see people walking home for the freezer shops on a Monday with 4 or 5 bags of cheap food to last them the week.High fat ,lots of carbs what a lot of us would consider junk food ...but they are doing their best to keep a roof over their families heads and food ,however poor the quality,on the table.IF you've ever struggled then you'll have sympathy and admiration for the millions who have no choice but to live like this.We struggled when we started out in our business and lived on toasted cheese for over 2 years at one stage ,but there wasn't the variety of cheap food around so perhaps we were lucky...and we were always active which helps too.But being active when life is tough isn't easy either so I would never look down at people who do their best for their families whatever weight they are or if they smoke etc.Just be glad you dont have to walk in their shoes

Nannylovesshopping how true, I see it all the time when I am out and about.

I don't think Rosie is trying to wind anyone up although if you are fat she probably is winding you up unintentionally.

a bag of chips is more comforting than a couple of sticks of celery . If depressed which to choose - a packet of biscuits or pop off to the shops for fruit, blend and drink

I like that Terri . And so true X

I rather think Rosie is having a few wind up threads for a newbie

I suppose there is the cost of good food to take into consideration? I know the argument about preparing reasonable, healthy food from scratch, but a bag of frozen chips and a pizza is much more convenient and cheaper, I'm guessing?

I believe that to stay slim we need to spend a lot of time planning meals, shopping for them and cooking them. It's a lot of work, and time consuming. Whether being willing and able to do this is class related I don't know.
But on top of that I think genetics comes into it Both my parents were skinny, and going back too.

www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jan/23/fact-checking-obesity-poverty-link

Jane10 Great post!

Oh dear now I'm confused. As you all know I'm extremely posh. How on earth is it that I'm such a chubster? I'll need to tell cook and the kitchen staff to stop shopping at those special stores that only stock lower class food.
Must waddle off to watch the polo.

I am not keen on cooking but also don't want to eat rubbishy ready meals.
I often use a bag of ready-prepared veg which I bung in the microwave for a few mins, as directed on the bag, meanwhile whipping up some instant mash to go with it.
Tasty and healthy(ish)!

The mothers who walk past my house to go to school who are holding their children's hands and chatting quietly are generally slim, if I were being judgemental, I would refer to as "classy" the others, whose children are allowed to run, scream, are being told to f...... come back here you little s... are generally very large and showing vast amounts of flesh, not a good look, I would say are "not classy" it depends on how class is viewed, if indeed at all

Two years ago my rheumatologist informed me that I was obese, so I must have been of a lower class. Now I am not obese, may I please rejoin the middle class?