It's all those pies!

Obesity epidemic inquiry by MPs likely
22 February 2006
By KELLY ANDREW

The growing obesity epidemic is likely to be the target of a parliamentary inquiry. Members of the health select committee are expected to debate the issue today. Support is strong across political parties and the vote from members is likely to be unanimously in favour. Obesity kills more than 1000 New Zealanders each year, double the annual road toll, and costs about $300 million. Being overweight is linked to conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Green Party health spokeswoman Sue Kedgley, who chairs the select committee, said her party had been seeking an inquiry into obesity for several years. "Unless we address the problems of obesity and diabetes they're going to put huge strains on our health budget and the number of New Zealanders requiring hospitalisation will increase." Other committee members contacted by The Dominion Post yesterday said there was little debate that an inquiry was justified.

NZ First MP Barbara Stewart said something needed to be done urgently to respond to alarming statistics relating to childhood obesity. National Party MP Tony Ryall said an inquiry would get his party's support. However, he would not confirm that it was on today's committee agenda. Labour's Maryan Street also said she would back an inquiry.

Otago University professor in human nutrition Jim Mann said he hoped the inquiry would proceed and give structure to what was now a very fragmented approach to the obesity problem.

"I hope the outcome will be action that will lead to an orchestrated, organised policy for New Zealand. It is imperative that we have a coordinated system where people are sharing expertise and implementing things that are likely to work, rather than wasting time and money."

If the committee decides an inquiry should be launched, submissions will be invited from members of the public, lobby groups and medical professionals. The investigation is likely to cover possible causes of the epidemic, its impact on the health system, and the effectiveness of measures to tackle it.

Yes, but those pies... mmmm... pies......

Mmmmm. Pies :icon_biggrin:

Don't forget the muffins ... and the hokey pokey icecream ...

Nobody seems to have mentioned the relationship between obesity and the time people spend on computers these last few years.

:rolleyes:

Nobody seems to have mentioned the relationship between obesity and the time people spend on computers these last few years. * *

Oh, er.......that'll be me then! *

Not to mention those drive thrus at Mac or similar fast foods.. Not walking but driving to the restaurant is bad enough, drive thru...with all that sitting around and fast food = obesity.

Pah!!! Don't know about elsewhere but in the UK the problem is clear. Too many houses per m?.

Where's the tree in the garden you climb as a kid, where can I build a tree house, where can I rollerskate without getting run down by cars on the roads. Where's the tennis court that you don't need a 200 quid a year gym membership to use.
It's not safe to walk a mile to school cos the countries full of indisciplined kids who turn into immoral, psychopaths in later years.

Nothing to do with food. The sh1t we used to eat when we were growing up never made us fat, before crisps and chocolate it was flapjack and strawberry jam.

Completely barking up the wrong tree.

I think you are half right on 2 counts there Stevey (technically completely right!). The junk food probably has got alot to with weight, but it's more to do with the fact that kids don't play any more. They sit around on street corners, or outside shops taunting passers by. They have parents who don't care, as long as the kids are not under their feet.

No doubt obesity is caused by many other factors too, and I'm no expert!

I'm an expert don't you know :icon_biggrin:

I just know how I was brought up, not too long ago and know my diets healthier now then when I was a kid, yet was always active being brought up in rural town with good facilities that you didn't have to pay for. How many parents take there kids on hikes on a weekend etc. They don't cos life if just so pressurised now, parents are always recovering all weekend, leaving kids to occupy themselves....in there rooms, with a playstation and a DVD player. Bad really, I'm as guilty as the next person tho, embarrassing to say, I don't think I'm as good a father as my dad was on this front.

Don't whack mine with a wooden spoon tho when they're naughty so that kind of makes up hehe, they just might be pie-men til we get to NZ

I think the kinds of junky food available now is generally unhealthier for us than of old. Recent articles in the paper (e.g http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...002&sc=221) have mentioned the high usage of high-fructose corn syrup in products and all the problems that can cause. I noticed that sodas are much more syrupy than in the 1960s and 70s. I can rarely stomach them anymore, which is probably a good thing, because I used to be a Dr. Pepper junkie. Nowadays, a typical 12 oz soda contains 12 teaspoons of sugar. A nutritionist friend said (if I correctly recall) that if you drank a can of soda every day, you would have consumed 25 pounds of sugar in a year - from that source alone!

And then consider portion size nowadays. Burgers, fries, sodas, etc. are generally a lot bigger than when I was a pup. That means lots more calories. Generally one of those combo burger meals can supply you with your total recommended calorie intake for the day - in one meal. And if you're not burning those calories, they have to go into storage! No matter what I might later claim, killing demons in Neverwinter Nights is not adequate exercise!