Activity Sheffield to be axed, a good way to combat obesity?

[Cyclone]

Why should it be somebody elses responsibility if one is obese? Just get off your fat arse, stop eating cakes and get some exercise. It is up to you to make a difference.

 

The council have an obligation (legally) to put in place measures to improve public health.

Why that should be, well, perhaps it's the massive cost to the NHS that was being considered.

[smiggs]

The council have an obligation (legally) to put in place measures to improve public health.

Why that should be, well, perhaps it's the massive cost to the NHS that was being considered.

 

Reading through the Star's article seems like they are going to cut it down to minimum legally required:

 

If the change goes ahead, Activity Sheffield will be shut down but the equivalent of 2.5 full-time workers would remain within the council to help with city partnerships, advising groups and commission services.

[999tigger]

Why should it be somebody elses responsibility if one is obese? Just get off your fat arse, stop eating cakes and get some exercise. It is up to you to make a difference.

 

Perhaps they should have hired you. Not everyone has yout get up and go, knowledge or empathy. You sound like you could combat the obesity problem single handed. As you say the solitions are obvious, but getting people to exercise and calorie control is a different matter. A few sweet words from you though could be very persuasive.

[rogets]

Perhaps they should have hired you. Not everyone has yout get up and go, knowledge or empathy. You sound like you could combat the obesity problem single handed. As you say the solitions are obvious, but getting people to exercise and calorie control is a different matter. A few sweet words from you though could be very persuasive.

 

 

 

I thought he was rather abrupt

[SkylinePhoto]

Some people probably enjoy being fat.

 

Not everyone is a health freak

[Cyclone]

Some people probably enjoy being fat.

 

Not everyone is a health freak

 

It still comes with a huge cost to society through the medical issues and shortened lifespan that it creates.

[achorste]

Some people probably enjoy being fat.

 

Not everyone is a health freak

 

Yet they still expect treatment when their lifestyle causes medical / physiological problems. I'm not saying they should be refused treatment but people need to take more responsibility for their own wellbeing.

 

I am an ex-20 a day smoker and my diet was appalling, I've propably become a "health freak" in your eyes now with 8-12 hours of exercise a week, but coming from my previous background I'd like to think I can see it both ways.

 

From a purely economic point of view, any help the council could give that reduced the burden by an equal or greater amount elsewhere (i.e. the NHS or other services) should be done, it's just logical , even if you don't see it as the council's responsibility, it's just good practice to save money & resources.

 

From what I've seen though, Activity Sheffield might not have been giving that benefit.

[dutch]

Cut national government council funds and tell them to increase local council tax to help elderly and disabled.

 

Need more than money to help people be less obese. There will be emotional damage, social pain that cannot be cleaned with money. Drinking, obesity, are only two examples of how many escape their tears, this is not just a financial matter.

 

Exercise may fix the body but that only treats it at a physical level and omits the source of the problem that lays deep inside the emotions that make you eat to ease the pain.

[Cyclone]

Services to help people deal with emotional damage don't run for free.

One of the largest indicative factors for poor health, obsetity, diabetes, etc, is social deprivation though, so yes, the government should address the root cause rather than just trying to treat the symptoms.

Exercise isn't even treating the symptoms really, weight is all about diet, being fit doesn't counteract being overweight, and diet control is a far more effective way of maintaining weight than exercise.

[beansforyou]

Surely a shortened lifespan cuts costs.