A Lib Dem peer talks nonsense about fat children

[Northerner]

This newspaper is reporting that the Liberal Democrats are going to discuss taxing sugary drinks. The reason we should do so is the appalling effect of obesity on our children's health. We have one Baroness Parminter telling telling us that:
I am concerned by the timebomb that we have of obesity – particularly among children; we have 500,000 children who have liver disease because of obesity.
That sounded to me like a very high number. Indeed, it sounded to me like a number so high that it was bo… no, I cannot use that word, this is a family newspaper. Let us say substantially misunderstood by the Noble Baroness.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/financ...b-dem-peer-talks-nonsense-about-fat-children/

The article to which he is referring:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9477961/Tax-fizzy-drinks-suggest-Lib-Dems.html

 

[Austin Mini]

I dont think taxing sugary drinks is the problem. When I was a child there were no obese children. There were sugary drinks, salt at every meal, three meals a day full fat milk but then it was 1950s. No TV, PT three times a week and 'games' twice a week at school plus swimming out playing every night and all week-end. Come to think of it there were no diabetic children either.

 

[Pigeon]

There must have been T1 diabetic children

 

[Austin Mini]

There must have been but no never met a diabetic child until I was seventeen. I went to four junior schools and four secondary schools (Dad was in RAF).

 

[Mark T]

There must have been but no never met a diabetic child until I was seventeen. I went to four junior schools and four secondary schools (Dad was in RAF).

I knew one at school, but other then him and my father I didn't meet another diabetic until I got involved with this forum.

 

[FM001]

There must have been T1 diabetic children

Oddly enough I don't recall any in primary and secondary education

 

[Andy HB]

There must have been T1 diabetic children

Ditto, I don't recall anyone being T1 either.

It would be interesting to see whether T1 incidence is pretty steady or rising (taking into account population increase in the meantime).

 

[cherrypie]

If you have the time Andy, Type1 has been increasing since the middle of the 20th Century.
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/51/12/3353.full

 

[Nicky1970]

Didn't meet a any diabetics until after I left school: a lady (type 1) I babysat for when I was 16 and a guy (also type 1) on my course at uni.

 

[heasandford]

This newspaper is reporting that the Liberal Democrats are going to discuss taxing sugary drinks. The reason we should do so is the appalling effect of obesity on our children's health. We have one Baroness Parminter telling telling us that:
I am concerned by the timebomb that we have of obesity ? particularly among children; we have 500,000 children who have liver disease because of obesity.
That sounded to me like a very high number. Indeed, it sounded to me like a number so high that it was bo? no, I cannot use that word, this is a family newspaper. Let us say substantially misunderstood by the Noble Baroness.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/financ...b-dem-peer-talks-nonsense-about-fat-children/

The article to which he is referring:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/9477961/Tax-fizzy-drinks-suggest-Lib-Dems.html

I am going to stick my head above the parapet here, although I'm not expecting much sympathy! The Liberal Lords have no money of course (unlike the other two parties!) and I believe that they have no research assistants at the moment as they won't have unpaid interns. Having said that, I agree that statements shouldn't be made without backing up facts.

I do also think there should be some action against such obviously non-nutritional goods, it's all very well saying that people can choose for themselves,but it's nearly always the people at the bottom of the ladder that are left with these bad choices.

 

[Copepod]

I think it's a misunderstanding of the phrase "fatty liver", which can occur in absence or presence of obesity, but connected to dietary intake, more likely in people, whether adults or children, who overeat / drink fatty / sugary foods.

Restricting access to sugary foods & drinks would be a serious problem for people with type 1 diabetes, in particular, who occasionally need such items either to prevent hypoglycaemia before, during and after undertaking unexpected and/or extreme physical activity (unexpected meaning insulin is already in body) or for self-treating hypoglycaemia at the earliest possible time, before anyone else notices or needs to be involved.