More than 1 billion obese world-wide

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Exflex

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As reported on the Beeb website this morning.
www.bbc.co.uk

More than a billion people obese worldwide, research suggests

Researchers say there is an urgent need to change how the condition is tackled as it rises worldwide.
www.bbc.co.uk

Poverty and the consumption of cheaper foods, eg carbs, compared to healthier foods are part of the problem, but surely not for countries in the ‘developed’ world.
Based on a world population of c8 billion, that’s 1 in 8!
 
Exflex said:
Poverty and the consumption of cheaper foods, eg carbs, compared to healthier foods are part of the problem
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I think we sometimes get too hung up on carbs being evil because they raise our blood glucose levels when we have diabetes. This is not the case for the general population so I do not see carbs as unhealthy. It depends upon the carbs - fresh carrots, peas, apples, for example are more healthy than chocolate. And even then, some chocolates are healthier than others.
 
Isn’t it true that humans need less carbs than what is imagined. Reading around (yes I’m focused, admittedly) the circulating ‘sugar’ in our blood is just 4g, anything else is either stored in the liver or in muscles. If the body doesn’t need or can’t store the carbs that convert readily to sugar it’s stored as fat for the periods when we can’t find foods, like the conditions of our ancestors faced.
 
Exflex said:
Isn’t it true that humans need less carbs than what is imagined. Reading around (yes I’m focused, admittedly) the circulating ‘sugar’ in our blood is just 4g, anything else is either stored in the liver or in muscles. If the body doesn’t need or can’t store the carbs that convert readily to sugar it’s stored as fat for the periods when we can’t find foods, like the conditions of our ancestors faced.
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But I do not eat a low carb diet. I eat around 150g per day and only know this because I count carbs for my insulin dosing. I am not obese or even overweight and many people are the same.
One difference is I try to restrict "addictive carbs" whilst eating plenty of fresh and less processed carbs. My breakfast this morning was two apples. My lunch will be sandwich made with home baked bread from watermilled flour. I am not perfect - I have biscuits in the house and a stack of chocolates from Christmas (and last year's Easter).
No, I have not done the reading around you have done because I guess I don't need to. Instead I eat a very varied, lower processed diet.
 
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Yes it's the addictive carbs. Look at the number of calories printed on the packaging. Rule of thumb buy fruit and veg etc instead.
 
BMI of 22 for me. I weigh 8 stone 3. Diet is mostly plant based. I am able to eat virtually anything and I need enough carbs for fuel - I do lots of exercise and always have done. I choose not to eat cake et cetera. I think I would do this even if I wasn't diabetic. No retinopathy or neuropathy so far. When I was first diagnosed, 57 years ago, things had to be much stricter.
 
John Gray said:
Looks like humans are just evolving to become larger.
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I am not convinced about this.
I thought evolution took longer than 5 or ten years and that point of evolution was that the fittest survived whereas obese people are at risk of more health problems.
 
John Gray said:
Perhaps the phrase will have to be changed to "the survival of the fattest"?!
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If there’s a prolonged famine, like 5 years in duration.
 
helli said:
I think we sometimes get too hung up on carbs being evil because they raise our blood glucose levels when we have diabetes. This is not the case for the general population so I do not see carbs as unhealthy. It depends upon the carbs - fresh carrots, peas, apples, for example are more healthy than chocolate. And even then, some chocolates are healthier than others.
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Argument that carbs, much like diary products is bad you is slowly but surely being put to bed.

As you say @helli it depends on what your consuming that matters.
 
helli said:
I am not convinced about this.
I thought evolution took longer than 5 or ten years and that point of evolution was that the fittest survived whereas obese people are at risk of more health problems.
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Evolution would be the selection of individuals with genetics that lead to an increased propensity to put on weight.
What we seem to have here is a change in the phenotype (ie appearence/behaviour) not the genotype (genes)
 
helli said:
I think we sometimes get too hung up on carbs being evil because they raise our blood glucose levels when we have diabetes. This is not the case for the general population so I do not see carbs as unhealthy. It depends upon the carbs - fresh carrots, peas, apples, for example are more healthy than chocolate. And even then, some chocolates are healthier than others.
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Absolutely @helli When people talk about carbs, they’re thinking about doughnuts, chips, cakes, crisps, etc, but actually carbs are fine if you choose well.

Take a look at the diets of people in the Blue Zones (briefly, areas with lots of centenarians). You’ll see fruit and veg (carbs), beans (carbs), and tubers like sweet potatoes (carbs) and whole grains (carbs). Carbs are not, per se, bad for people.

I eat from around 140 - 200g carbs per day. I’m not overweight. In fact, I have to watch my weight in order to maintain it (busy life, fast metabolism). My BMI is 19.
 
We all need carbs for fuel. I am fairly busy and active. I have managed to hang on to my weight for this past year. I lost a bit after cancer diagnosis and treatment. I certainly don't have a low carb diet but neither do I eat cake, crisps and doughnuts. I could, but I like to think I make better choices. I like to have plenty of veg (apart from cardoons) and fruit.
 
I’m fascinated by your mention of cardoons there @JonathanGi I’m not sure if I’ve ever eaten them. Are you allergic to them or just not a fan?
 
Just throwing this in to state what seems to be the bleedin' obvious: With the advent of so-called fast food, much of it ultra-processed, many people in developed countries are basically consuming chemicals cleverly marketed as healthy, when it's anything but.

I may be juggling carbs thanks to T2, but if it came to the crunch I'd choose a baked potato over any offering from McDonalds every time.
 
All this obesity is very recent. My mother worked in a factory part-time in the sixties and early seventies. In a group photograph there is only one fat person! The same applies to photos of St Alban's Market (I grew up in the town);from that period where very few people are fat. Then people brought ingredients and prepared their own meals. The only eateries outside proper restaurants I recall were Lyons Corner House where I vaguely recall getting a glass of milk with an iced bun or donut as an occasional treat. Sadly I can see no way to reverse this. But many people have to watch what they eat. Too many make coffee and cake a near daily than an occasional treat! Sorry I am on one of my many soapboxes!
 
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