Another depressing thread

Not all ready meals are bad but it's much healthier and cheaper to batch cook and make your own for the freezer. Both my parents worked and I always worked when I had children but I always cooked from scratch. Still do and I very rarely have to throw food out even though I do a big shop once a week.

Plevey08

All I ever see in my local town is young mums glued to their phones, kids as young as 2 toddling along with Gregg's sausage rolls. Teenagers coming out of school eating McDonald's on the way home. These foods are cheap, easy to access, filling (temporarily) And they fit in with parents busy lives and budgets. It's got to be education for expectant parents about the needs of nutritious food from weaning. Society is breaking down and younger people are getting early heart disease and cancers like never before.

Yes this is absolutely how it is.

Gran22boys

Plevey08

All I ever see in my local town is young mums glued to their phones, kids as young as 2 toddling along with Gregg's sausage rolls. Teenagers coming out of school eating McDonald's on the way home. These foods are cheap, easy to access, filling (temporarily) And they fit in with parents busy lives and budgets. It's got to be education for expectant parents about the needs of nutritious food from weaning. Society is breaking down and younger people are getting early heart disease and cancers like never before.

Yes this is absolutely how it is.

It absolutely isn't how it is where I live.

People seem to be reluctant to face up to it, but healthy life expectancy is affected by factors in middle and old age.

People can do something for themselves. They could also put pressure on authorities to improve facilities and the environment, which would improve health and wellbeing for all.

Twaddle said Why is it that people in areas such as the one you are describing still manage to live healthier lives than this in more deprived areas? I doubt if living in a half a million pound semis makes them immune, but the fact is that they live longer healthy lives than those in poorer areas. I would imagine parents are the same in all areas, so why is it that only the ones in poorer areas are affected. We have the data. It's unequivocal. People in more affluent areas have healthier lives. Nobody seems to be addressing that.

Perhaps because these parents don’t smoke and they exercise by going to gyms or running etc? Maybe that cancels out the obesity issue.

People in more affluent areas booze more here - because they can afford it. The poorer young ones turn to cheaper things like drugs. Sad.

twaddle

SueDonim

I don’t believe the ‘too busy to cook’ excuse for one moment. All of my AC and spouses with a family work FT yet they all manage to serve up home cooked meals every day. Who can afford ready meals for a family of four, anyway?

One of my AC is a school governor, he reckons there’s a sub-section of parents who just want an easy life. All these parents talk about is the next Netflix movie they’re going to watch and their next glass of wine. Their kids are kept quiet with screens and are bought off with bribes of takeaways and sweets. He gets fed up of these infantile adults who refuse to take responsibility for themselves or their children. These aren’t people battling poverty etc, it’s a very nice area where a three bed semi costs north of half a million quid. There’s really no excuse for it.

Why is it that people in areas such as the one you are describing still manage to live healthier lives than this in more deprived areas? I doubt if living in a half a million pound semis makes them immune, but the fact is that they live longer healthy lives than those in poorer areas.

I would imagine parents are the same in all areas, so why is it that only the ones in poorer areas are affected?

We have the data. It's unequivocal. People in more affluent areas have healthier lives. Nobody seems to be addressing that.

I shall stick my neck out here and hazard a guess that a higher number of people in poorer areas will be claiming benefits. With recent changes to the benefit system we now live in a country where it is financially beneficial for many to be jobless. Rachel Reeves claims this will raise 350.000 children out of poverty. The Trussell Organisation who provide food banks say takeaways are the preferred choice for many on benefits. Join the dots and it's clear to see why poorer areas on a regular diet of high fat, salt and sugar meals have a lower life expectancy.
We need to go back to basics by reinstating in the curriculum the skills and knowledge that makes for a healthy life. It may be a case of you can lead a horse to water but we should be trying something.

I don't agree that school curriculum time should be spent on "life skills" apart from a few who could find it difficult coping. It's well-known that teenagers take little notice of healthy advice dished out by teachers - they're rebels, so likely to do the exact opposite. People are more influenced by their peers and their environment, so if everybody else in their group says pizza is yummy, they'll eat pizza from choice. When they're a bit older and start work, if they have to walk home, exhausted, down a road selling fried chicken and kebabs, they'll be tempted by a takeaway rather than getting home and starting to chop vegetables and other ingredients.

By the way, it's not true that recent changes to the benefits system have made it financially beneficial to be jobless - quite the opposite, in fact.

You still haven't said what it is which makes people "on benefits" more prone to ill health in their later years. I'm getting a bit fed up writing this, but "takeaways" are not the main cause of premature ill health - there are many other factors.

nanna8

People in more affluent areas booze more here - because they can afford it. The poorer young ones turn to cheaper things like drugs. Sad.

The affluent ones do drugs too! The difference is that they have enough money to buy them without having to sell their bodies, steal or indulge in some other illicit activity. They can afford rehab if it gets out of hand.

twaddle "takeaways" are not the main cause of premature ill health - there are many other factors.

Of course not.

Portion control of healthy food, exercise, stress, medical care received and wait time, dental care received and wait time, genetics, diabetes.

People can follow recipes, people can cook - however, some people don't live near shops with decent fresh food, some people can't afford decent fresh food. Ability to cook or takeaways can be a red herring.

I enjoy cooking, apparently not everyone cooks. It's much more than 'I cook for my children and grandchildren' - we're not part to the problem.

twaddle

I don't agree that school curriculum time should be spent on "life skills" apart from a few who could find it difficult coping. It's well-known that teenagers take little notice of healthy advice dished out by teachers - they're rebels, so likely to do the exact opposite. People are more influenced by their peers and their environment, so if everybody else in their group says pizza is yummy, they'll eat pizza from choice. When they're a bit older and start work, if they have to walk home, exhausted, down a road selling fried chicken and kebabs, they'll be tempted by a takeaway rather than getting home and starting to chop vegetables and other ingredients.

By the way, it's not true that recent changes to the benefits system have made it financially beneficial to be jobless - quite the opposite, in fact.

You still haven't said what it is which makes people "on benefits" more prone to ill health in their later years. I'm getting a bit fed up writing this, but "takeaways" are not the main cause of premature ill health - there are many other factors.

Have a look at the Government figures on the benefits of benefits!
If you are fed up with typing your replies then give it a rest. Others on here are just as entitled to their opinion as you.

I agree that people are entitled to opinions, but they're ignoring the facts. Healthy life expectancy is about so much more than cooking from scratch and avoiding takeaways, so it's concerning that many people aren't concerned about the lives of their fellow countrymen/women - just as long as they cook all their meals from scratch and don't pile their trolleys with rubbishy snacks. It really is o wonder that the issue continues and even gets worse, when so many people just ignore the facts.

By the way, maybe the issue with people on benefits is that they're not happy. It's established that unhappy people tend to have unhealthy lifestyle habits, so maybe that's a clue.

Norah, It's not even food which is the main cause of ill health. It's tobacco, alcohol, drugs, lack of exercise, unhealthy environments, poor housing, loneliness/social isolation, depression/anxiety, not seeking/following medical advice and so much more.

One of my AC is a school governor, he reckons there’s a sub-section of parents who just want an easy life. All these parents talk about is the next Netflix movie they’re going to watch and their next glass of wine. Their kids are kept quiet with screens and are bought off with bribes of takeaways and sweets. He gets fed up of these infantile adults who refuse to take responsibility for themselves or their children. These aren’t people battling poverty etc, it’s a very nice area where a three bed semi costs north of half a million quid. There’s really no excuse for it.
Spot on.

twaddle

Norah, It's not even food which is the main cause of ill health. It's tobacco, alcohol, drugs, lack of exercise, unhealthy environments, poor housing, loneliness/social isolation, depression/anxiety, not seeking/following medical advice and so much more.

I believe I said much the same.

twaddle

I agree that people are entitled to opinions, but they're ignoring the facts. Healthy life expectancy is about so much more than cooking from scratch and avoiding takeaways, so it's concerning that many people aren't concerned about the lives of their fellow countrymen/women - just as long as they cook all their meals from scratch and don't pile their trolleys with rubbishy snacks. It really is o wonder that the issue continues and even gets worse, when so many people just ignore the facts.

By the way, maybe the issue with people on benefits is that they're not happy. It's established that unhappy people tend to have unhealthy lifestyle habits, so maybe that's a clue.

people on benefits are not happy ? Some on here will want evidence of a statement like that.

It is almost impossible to buy unprocessed food these days. The ordinary supermarket loaf is a travesty of real bread stuffed with additives to make it stay soft, not go mouldy, last a long time and rise in a much shorter time than real bread, and the final insult, steam cooked.

Most people then put some processed spread on it made from different oils with additives to make it yellow and spreadable.

It is easy to say that the problem is all poor people feeding their families takeaways. It isn't, it includes the Waitrose shopper buying modern processed bread and margarine. It is impossible not to eat food that does not contain UPFs. Trying to avoid them is almost impossible.

Venison gets mentioned. Buy venison burgers from a butcher and they are 100% meat. Buy them from Tesco and the ingredients list says: Venison (91%), Dried Potato, Rice Flour, Water, Cornflour, Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Spices, Tomato Powder, Preservative (Sodium Metabisulphite), Sage. Better than most

Buy a Tesco Smashburger and it contans 86%–94% beef, salt, cracked black pepper, onion powder, and sugar, rice flour is dried potato, maize starch or wheat flour, sodium metabisulphite, yeast extract.

The beef may be British but we have no informaation on how it was reared and what antibiotics it may have been given and whether the food it was fed meant it suffered from chronic inflammation.

I think most obesity is the result of malnutrition, not just eating too much. Malnutrition that cannot be avoided because the products that cause this malnutrition are pervasive in the food chain from the cheapest to most expensive food.

All these products have been tested for safety etc as individual substances. But the interactions between them when 5 or 10 turn up in the same product, are impossible to monitor.

I think these products interfere with the working of the body by affecting the microbiome and balance of different bacteria present.

Sarnia

twaddle

I agree that people are entitled to opinions, but they're ignoring the facts. Healthy life expectancy is about so much more than cooking from scratch and avoiding takeaways, so it's concerning that many people aren't concerned about the lives of their fellow countrymen/women - just as long as they cook all their meals from scratch and don't pile their trolleys with rubbishy snacks. It really is o wonder that the issue continues and even gets worse, when so many people just ignore the facts.

By the way, maybe the issue with people on benefits is that they're not happy. It's established that unhappy people tend to have unhealthy lifestyle habits, so maybe that's a clue.

people on benefits are not happy ? Some on here will want evidence of a statement like that.

I'm sure they could go and find some people on benefits and do their own research. I know I wouldn't be very happy if my finances were severely limited and I had insecure employment and substandard accommodation, with little hope for the future. Ah, but then ... there are people on Gransnet who think life on benefits is a bed of roses.

Norah

twaddle

Norah, It's not even food which is the main cause of ill health. It's tobacco, alcohol, drugs, lack of exercise, unhealthy environments, poor housing, loneliness/social isolation, depression/anxiety, not seeking/following medical advice and so much more.

I believe I said much the same.

Sorry, Norah, I misunderstood you. I'm somewhat bemused by the smug posts about cooking from scratch, when the people who could really do something about premature ill health are those in middle age and older, about two thirds of whom are overweight or obese - in other words, people on Gransnet (you can't tell me they were all fat children whose parents fed them take-aways).

When they cast their votes, especially in local elections, maybe they could think about how the candidates intend to focus on improving the environment and surroundings in which people could lead happier and healthier lives.

Tim Spector pointed out the best brand name bread to buy to avoid additives; I wrote it down but can’t find it. It isn’t additive free but better than the others. I buy a bread from Aldi which doesn’t have too many additives; Protein Sourdough toasting loaf. It has flour treatment agent: ascorbid acid in it but that’s about it. It’s very filling, too.

Can I mention something other than food.
The Times had an article, a very long one, a few weeks ago about the effects of the fire retardant chemicals used in our furniture.
We are sitting on sofas that are bad for our health. Apparently we have the highest standard of safety in the world. IKEA make our furniture in a separate factory from the rest of the globe.

"It is almost impossible to buy unprocessed food these days. The ordinary supermarket loaf is a travesty of real bread stuffed with additives to make it stay soft, not go mouldy, last a long time and rise in a much shorter time than real bread, and the final insult, steam cooked."

Nonsense Monica

We buy what we like and makes life easier, safer and more convenient.
At any supermarket you can buy fresh vegetables, meat without additives, sausages and bacon never have been additive free, ever!. It's the additives that make bacon bacon, you can buy all the ingredients and make your own bread or cakes, very nice it is too, but bread is only nice for a day without preservatives.

You can buy standard butter without coloring, or additives, I do and have a butter dish on the side not in the fridge. Im lucky I have a garden the provides most of the seasonal fruit and veg, we buy very little, the supermarket will sell whatever the customer wants, they want convenience, in retirement we all have time to prepare proper food so there is no excuse, we're just lazy.

All these opinions on why the more affluent are so healthy.
So why is it that, the middle classes are the highest number of users of cocaine
Perhaps that is because it’s not so obvious unless you happen to be at a party where the white stuff is freely available.
You won’t see see them scoring on the street or in a vape, Turkish barber shop. That’s because it’s delivered to your door.

If you're happy with meat and two veg every day, it's easy to cook it from scratch, but if you want more variety without the prep, ready meals are delicious, quick and affordable. This week I've had cod with a cheesy crust, tuna pasta bake, chicken arrabiata, mushroom stroganoff, king prawn linguine all with a side of salad or veg, I would never cook such things from scratch, it's too time consuming and I can't see the point of all the effort when the experts do it for me.

PamelaJ1

Can I mention something other than food.
The Times had an article, a very long one, a few weeks ago about the effects of the fire retardant chemicals used in our furniture.
We are sitting on sofas that are bad for our health. Apparently we have the highest standard of safety in the world. IKEA make our furniture in a separate factory from the rest of the globe.

There was one of those house building programmes which featured a couple whose children had multiple allergies and all of the furniture they bought was old ( not sure if it was pre safety standards or if the chemicals wear off after time). Some house plants absorb chemicals etc. I get mould in my living room and bought an ivy to keep on the piano. Unfortunately it can defeat some things but not my lack of green fingers because I forgot to water it and it died. I’ve nurtured the other plants I bought but, knowing how hardy ivy is, I completely forgot about the poor thing.

Something popped up on instagram the other day which said Aldi were removing 44 additives from their own brand food but I couldn’t find any information about it. I think there are telephone apps that you can use to check the ingredients in food that you buy; Tim Spector was using one. My diet has really improved since I started shopping at Aldi and Lidl. We only ever buy organic carrots and the only supermarket that seems to sell them at the moment is Lidl. My partners brothers oncologist told him if he was going to always buy one thing organic it should be carrots.