Should we Nanny people about Healthy Diet and Exercise?

[tyreon]

25+ years in NHS.

Last 8 years in employment: food cooked on site you would have served H.M. Windsor.

Last 3 years in employment. Food cooked in Wales,transported to England,reheated in ovens then shipped across county. SLOP. No one ate it. Fast forward the last 2 years: oftentimes the food didn't arrive. One vegetarian patient was given the choice of no food or Walkers Beef flavoured crisps: 1 packet.

[RogerThat]

Agreed. Food served in most hospitals is appalling. It's mostly steam reheated, which breaks down most of the fibre and the end result is that a majority of patients become constipated, especially so if they are also immobile. This is one of the great 'secrets' of the Nhs: if you're going into hospital, it's a very good idea to either get at least some food from external source, or take a course if laxatives in with you!

Hospital food in the UK is disgraceful, it's the one part of the service I would definitely recommended patients pay for, in return for decent quality, freshly cooked produce.

For the past few years I've worked on and off in a Heart bypass/stent rehab and 90-95% of my patients complain of piles, even after a short stay (less than a week) in hospital, it's not difficult to extrapolate the cause. Most private care feature meals cooked fresh on the premises, there's no reason the NHS couldn't go similar.

The provision of good, quality cooked meals in hospitals should be priority for any government interested in improving the health of the nation.

[661-Pete]

Agreed. Food served in most hospitals is appalling. It's mostly steam reheated, which breaks down most of the fibre and the end result is that a majority of patients become constipated, especially so if they are also immobile. This is one of the great 'secrets' of the Nhs: if you're going into hospital, it's a very good idea to either get at least some food from external source, or take a course if laxatives in with you!

I couldn't agree more (I can't really post frank, anecdotal evidence from my own experience, what I'd have to say would be too incendiary for this forum!). But it appears that there are hospitals which throw down obstacles in the way of anyone wanting to help the patient towards a healthier option...

[horizon]

There's always antibiotics of course:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/opini ... .html?_r=0

[661-Pete]

There's always antibiotics of course:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/opini ... .html?_r=0

I've known for some years about the deplorable practice of 'top-dressing' animal feeds with antibiotics so as to promote growth - a good reason for eating organic - plus of course the over-prescription of antibiotics to human patients, often enough for illnesses against which they have no effect. However, I had always assumed that the main damage resulting, was the emergence of antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' - as we all know so well. A possible linkage to obesity is a new one on me, though plausible, now I come to think about it! A real eye-opener, thanks for that link!

[Paulatic]

There's always antibiotics of course:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/09/opini ... .html?_r=0

I've known for some years about the deplorable practice of 'top-dressing' animal feeds with antibiotics so as to promote growth - a good reason for eating organic - plus of course the over-prescription of antibiotics to human patients, often enough for illnesses against which they have no effect. However, I had always assumed that the main damage resulting, was the emergence of antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' - as we all know so well. A possible linkage to obesity is a new one on me, though plausible, now I come to think about it! A real eye-opener, thanks for that link!

The link refers to US practices. We are in the EU the final four antibiotics used in feed were banned from 1st January 2006. Prior to that antibiotics also used for humans had been banned.
In my 40yrs we never used growth additives and neither did the majority of farmers. Poultry and Pig units will have been the most guilty.
.
I always think it such a shame human medicine doesn't seem to talk to veterinary medicine. So many innovations I read regarding human medicine we've done with animals for years prior.
So many antibiotics doled out to whinging patients and so many courses unfinished and they wonder why they don't work.

As for buying Organic don't get me started on that joke. They are able to use exactly the same drugs as non organic farmers, providing a vet gets a cut and says its necessary. When a tonne of organic meat goes into a food plant one tonne comes out the processed side. No one within that plant gives a toss whether it's the same meat just so long as the figures balance

[horizon]

In my 40yrs we never used growth additives and neither did the majority of farmers. Poultry and Pig units will have been the most guilty.
.
I always think it such a shame human medicine doesn't seem to talk to veterinary medicine. So many innovations I read regarding human medicine we've done with animals for years prior.
So many antibiotics doled out to whinging patients and so many courses unfinished and they wonder why they don't work.

Paulatic: I raised the link just to mention that antibiotics apparently cause weight gain in both humans and animals. Humans aren't fed (these days) antibiotics for growth but their use for medicinal purposes is believed by some nevertheless to lead to weight gain either temporarily or over the long term.

Can you just confirm that no antibiotics are used any longer as growth promoters on UK farms?

[RogerThat]

Here are just some of the side effects of modern antibiotics prescribed in Europe. Most people have an intolerance to them and it's still a basic truth that many GPs will prescribe them to 'difficult' patients just to get them out if the surgery. I'm not happy with the prescription of antibiotics (the resistance level to many common ailments is already very strong) unless there are absolutely no other other reasonable alternative treatment.

http://www.drugs.com/article/antibiotic ... tions.html

Again, a more modest administration of antibiotics is something which the NHS could easily control, had they the time and resources to do so.

[Paulatic]

Can you just confirm that no antibiotics are used any longer as growth promoters on UK farms?

AFAIK they are banned in the EU. I'm sure drug companies will be working on a way round it and I'm also sure if there are any available some unscrupulous farmer somewhere will get hold of them if he believes it will turn a profit.
It's all a little liken to drugs in cycle racing [emoji3]
As a consumer your only safeguard is to look for the red tractor symbol or buy from a trusted source.

[Vorpal]

Can you just confirm that no antibiotics are used any longer as growth promoters on UK farms?

They are not used as growth promoters, but they can be prescribed for illness prevention. This used to be common practice, though vets are much less likely to prescribe preventive antibiotics than they once were. For those who are interested in more detail, the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance (RUMA) have issued this position paper http://www.ruma.org.uk/news/RUMA%20POSI ... NTIBIO.pdf

[RogerThat]

The quality (and quantity) of food dished up in hospitals, Schools, prisons, psychiatric facilities (I've worked in all four!) and universities/colleges is simply appalling. I attended my own university last week for a lecture, only to find: A Subway sandwich bar, a MacDonalds on campus, and the only 'healthy' option to buy from the in house kitchens, a ham and cheese baguette, swimming in cheap, high fat processed cheese!!

In prisons and hospitals, where we literally have a captive audience, the opportunity not only to improve health but to fundamentally change the way people think about food is excellent. Instead, what do they serve up: steam reheated gloop pulped of all its fibre content which every single health professional working in those institutions knows is detrimental to health AND the cause of serious and often chronic constipation and haemorrhoids.

I will certainly lobby the next colour of government/coalition to dramatically improve the provision. The number of preventable deaths just from long term exposure to such calorie high, fat laden and fibre free I diets I can't estimate but it must run to at least tens of thousands per year.

1 million hospital meals go uneaten each week. Not a bad idea if you are interested in your own care and what happens to your diet should you go into hospital to join the campaign below:

http://www.sustainweb.org/hospitalfood/

[RogerThat]

8 to 6 for a degree of intervention.. It's getting interesting!

[horizon]

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016 ... and-asthma

More on antibiotics and weight gain.

[simonineaston]

If and when I get cancer, I expect it might occur to me to harbour some resentment for the thousands of NHS patients who as smokers, drinkers and eaters, overweight and under-exercised, are using resources that could otherwise be employed to make me better...

[Ray]

If and when I get cancer, I expect it might occur to me to harbour some resentment for the thousands of NHS patients who as smokers, drinkers and eaters, overweight and under-exercised, are using resources that could otherwise be employed to make me better...

If it were only thousands I wouldn't mind so much.

(That's not to say that the blame rests solely on individuals, of course)