Cost of Food & Obesity Amongst Poorer People

wotsthat

Miggie wrote: »

Most cheap food is high in carbohydrate and fat (especially ready meals). High carb = high insulin, which means that food is laid down as fat instead of being used for energy.

Many people can develop insulin resistance as a result adn this leads to more laying down of fat, even on low calorie diets.

This has lead to the phenomenon of severely obese people suffering from malnutrition.

An interesting book about the science of high carbs/obesity is "Why we get fat and what to do about it" by Gary Taubes.

From a personal point of view, I've been on low fat/low calorie diets for years and have just got more and more tired and also more fat. I'm not lazy, stupid or any of the other ignorant and rude things people say. Since cutting out carbs I've lost 2 stones and am still losing.

My understanding is that the high calorific density of carbs and fats is much more of a factor than insulin resistance.

The Atkins type diet work because they effectively restrict calories by limiting food choices. The high protein might just help to preserve muscle mass (and suppress appetite) and therefore stop the metabolic rate from falling. Tiredness and lethargy is a symptom of reduced metabolic rate.

In my office I work with a handful of Atkins fans. When they are on the diet they lose quite a lot of weight (and smell BTW). However, all of them weigh more than they did 10 years ago.

There really aren't any quick fixes. If calories in > calories out then weight increases. There's some tweaks around the edges but there's a multi-million pound industry built around making this seem as complicated as possible.

quantic

This is very anecdotal, but I typically eat better if I am cooking for others at the same time. If my wife goes out for the night I can't really be bothered to cook anything for just myself. But if we are both eating I always make us something nice, from scratch - we don't really buy anything from the junkfood isles.

In the context which the original poster is talking, I think a lot of it has to do with patience of modern Britain, I find most people want instant gratification now and are not prepared to wait, even 20 mins while they make a proper meal.

Don't want to save up for things = finance, don't want to spend time cooking = junk food. Same thing really...

Saturnalia

wotsthat wrote: »

There really aren't any quick fixes. If calories in > calories out then weight increases. There's some tweaks around the edges but there's a multi-million pound industry built around making this seem as complicated as possible.

There's a good reason for that isn't there. The diet industry wants you to fail so they get repeat customers! Always be wary of any diet plan that costs you money to start it.

FTBFun

Saturnalia wrote: »

There's a good reason for that isn't there. The diet industry wants you to fail so they get repeat customers! Always be wary of any diet plan that costs you money to start it.

Although I had a pretty good one via Sainsbury's Diets - effectively eat a lot more fruit and vegetables, eat less generally, and no snacking. I lost 2 1/2 stone about 2 years ago and have pretty much kept it off - mainly because I had gradual weight loss of about 2lb a week rather than anything dramatic.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

To eat well for less you need two basic things:

1. A nearby outlet for fruit and veg that is not a supermarket. A lot of people on council estates with no car may find this difficult- I did read that it's a particular problem in Glasgow.

2. The knowledge of how to prepare a meal from scratch, or at least using some fresh ingredients. This comes from parents or school, and judging by the sales of junk food, both are currently failing.

I live on my own and a week's worth of fruit n veg from the Saturday stall on my local High St costs me £3-£4. I'm a vegetarian, so most of my meals are veg plus pasta/rice/noodles and sauce (that comes out of a jar- there's always some on offer for a quid that lasts me 2-3 meals). I am no cook and certainly don't spend hours faffing in the kitchen.

Generali

The best advice to eating well is contained in 6 words:

Eat mostly vegetables, not too much.

The trick to eating well? Clearly that would be to stick to the advice but then things like fois gras, sweets, ice cream, chocolate, cheese, butter, lard, bacon and pork crackling are all so very, very good it's very hard to stick to the advice.

aliasojo

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

I live on my own and a week's worth of fruit n veg from the Saturday stall on my local High St costs me £3-£4.

In Tesco the other day, a cauli was 95p, a lettuce was 80p, a bag of satsumas or tangerines (can't remember what small kind it was) was £1.50. That's £3.25 for nothing much really. Certainly not a week's worth. More like a day and a half.

My OH is a fruit fiend. He takes several pieces to work with him every day. Tbh, it's his healthy eating that kills our budget.

I've said this before on MSE and got royally shot down because other people can get 'bags of apples for 2p' and 'fruit and veg isn't that dear'. That's great, but unless you have access to the places that sell cheap foods and the means to get them home, then you don't have the same options as everyone else.

I would imagine the the poorer areas of society just don't have the same choices.

Generali

aliasojo wrote: »

I would imagine the the poorer areas of society just don't have the same choices.

Generally the market provides what people want. I lived in a very poor part of London in my 20s and what was on offer was lots of fresh fruit and veg, fresh fish (not many suburbs can support 2 fishmongers plus a chippie selling wet fish plus most corner shops selling things like salt cod) and several butchers (mostly halal).

We (meaning me and my neighbours) shopped cheaply at the local stores and stalls. If we'd been wanting to eat crap then we'd have been inundated with 'Southern Fried Chicken' stores and all that rubbish that was all over the rest of south London.

The area was West Norwood. It's really not a nice place at all but you could eat well, very cheaply if you cooked for yourself.

CLAPTON

aliasojo wrote: »

I would have thought a battered and deep fried mars bar would have come into that category.

Last week I cycled 56 miles over a rather hilly course.
In conjunction with liquids and other foods I would say that a deep fried battered mars bar would not have been inappropriate.

Which specific ingredient would you say is 'bad' and shouldn't be eaten in any circumstances?

wotsthat

CLAPTON wrote: »

Last week I cycled 56 miles over a rather hilly course.
In conjunction with liquids and other foods I would say that a deep fried battered mars bar would not have been inappropriate.

Which specific ingredient would you say is 'bad' and shouldn't be eaten in any circumstances?

I did a long ride on Saturday morning. Saturday evening involved a Chicken Rogan Josh, Pilau Rice, half a garlic & tomato naan and half of a Sainsburys 3 for £12 red wine offer - I hate myself.:)

Like the deep fried mars bar - nice as a 'treat' or for a laugh but definitely not a sensible part of a fueling for performance strategy.