The government has launched a new health drive aimed at 40- to 60-year-olds, 83% of whom are either overweight, drink too much or are physically inactive.
With its One You campaign, Public Health England wants to help middle-aged people stay in shape. It says aspects of modern life – such as sedentary lifestyles and the consumption of junk food – are bad for our health, but it is those in middle age who are suffering the consequences most.
We asked our readers what they thought of the campaign and whether they had any concerns about their own lifestyles. Here’s what you told us.
Caroline, 58, from Essex: ‘There’s no incentive to lose weight when everyone you see is bigger than you’
I feel like I am generally in good health despite having an underactive thyroid and high cholesterol (I take medication for both these things). My weight is creeping up, however, which aggravates my arthritic knee – the legacy of a motorcycle accident in my 20s. My New Year resolution is to do more walking. I’ve got borderline osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones, so know it’s important to build bone density, but having a desk job makes this hard.
I know I am overweight at 5ft 4in and 11st, but a lot of people are bigger than me and tell me I am “slim”. My clothes size has not changed over the years: I still wear a size 12, the same as when I was a teenager. There is no incentive to lose weight if nearly everyone you see is bigger than you.
I doubt that the One You campaign will make much of a difference. We all know we should eat healthier, be active and drink and smoke less but how many people who don’t do this already will really be bothered to change?
Kevin Varney, 49, from Reading: ‘I exercise a lot, but drink a bit too much’
My health is pretty good at the moment. My body mass index is not much over 25. I exercise quite a lot, but I drink a bit too much. I probably drink about 14 pints, sometimes a small bottle of wine and two or three mixer tins – for example, of gin and tonic – a week.
I do worry about it a bit. If I am socialising with friends, that will involve drinking, but if I am on my own at the weekend, I will drink too. However, I am suspicious of medical guidelines. I suspect there is a puritanical element or a wide safety margin in them. I suspect the government would like to ban alcohol altogether if they could.
I am surprised by the rates of inactivity reported recently – it should be possible to fit in some exercise while working. You can cycle to work, jog over lunch or head to the gym in the evening. I suspect a lot of people just hate exercise. I don’t think a campaign to change this will help. People are constantly being told they are too fat and don’t take enough exercise. Telling them again won’t make much difference.
Gita Bapat, 51, from London: ‘Long working and commuting hours make it harder to stay in shape’
I’ve never smoked (inherited asthma) and am a moderate drinker – around 5-6 units a week – but I am about 1st overweight. This is my main concern as I am quite vain. I have dogs and walk them most days for around an hour and a half. I am also trying to start running again. When I lived in Paris I ran 25km a week. My goal is to run 5km three times a week.
Modern lifestyles – long working and commuting hours – make it harder to stay in shape, as do care obligations, such as looking after children and older people. It’s easy to feel a sense of hopelessness if one cannot live up to the unrealistic and Photoshopped standards of people portrayed in the media.
Medi Parry, 59, from north Wales: ‘I want to be active, self-sufficient and healthy as I get older’
We are living longer and I don’t want to be one of those elderly women who can’t do anything for themselves. I want to enjoy as much life as possible with my daughters and their families. I am an independent heritage consultant and want to keep working for as long as I can. I want to be active, self-sufficient and healthy as I age. I try to keep fit but hate the gym. I like to cycle but there are no cycle paths near where I live. I exercise by using the stairs where possible. I also jog in the kitchen while I’m waiting for the kettle to boil and go to a Zumba class once a week.
It’s not just modern lifestyles that make it hard to stay fit. The easy availability of high-calorie food also makes it difficult. Chocolates, sweets, pizzas and takeaways – they’re all too easy to get hold of and it’s hard not to eat them when you’ve been working hard all week. Our love of the internet means that we sit down for hours on end to engage with it; work is far more internet-based now and so more of us are tied to our desks for hours.
I’m not sure whether this campaign will work, it depends how it’s done. GPs find it difficult to broach the subject of weight with their patients as they mostly respond negatively (I have GP friends who confirm this – one has been reported for having “offended” his patient). It’s a good idea to flag up this research, and a preventative campaign should be more cost-effective than dealing with the long-term consequences of obesity in old age. However, I’m sceptical of the impact of this campaign unless it is backed up by some sort of legislation. The NHS has been running smoking cessation campaigns for decades but smoking has only really lessened following the ban in public areas.
Alex Dean, 40, from Kent: ‘I try not to drink during the week but usually buy a bottle of red on Friday’
I don’t worry about my health but I do limit the amount I drink, I exercise and only eat healthy low-sugar foods. I don’t think modern lifestyles are to blame for the rise in obesity. I have two young kids, work in an office and have a minimum 15-hour commute each week but still find the time to exercise. It is a state of mind.
I have always been aware of my health and enjoyed walking and climbing, but last year I stepped it up and did my first triathlon. Having a date set for that (I gave myself six months to train) really helped me achieve my goal. Also taking on three new sports, especially swimming, was really beneficial – I gained a lot from the learning process. I loved completing the triathlon and have already booked myself into a longer one for next year. Again having “an event” was something to aim for. I regularly got out and trained.
I am not sure whether the campaign will work but it’s good to try something. I also believe schools play a big role and we need to educate on the importance of fitness from a young age.
I try not to drink during the week but usually buy a bottle of red on Friday. I drink it over Friday and Saturday night. Not having drink in the house for the rest of the week makes it easier to manage for me. I’ve managed to cut down by knowing my wife does not like it if I am drunk or drinking too much. I also think it would negatively affect my health and motivation if I drank more.
"I exercise a lot but drink a bit too much": middle-aged readers" health fears
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