Having lost 20kg over 4 years (105kg to 85kg) through:

1. careful eating (lots of vegies, almost no red meat, lots of fish) and

2. lots of rigorous exercise (not just walking)

I feel a whole lot better.

Interesting the connection between too much alcohol (beer and casks), too many chips, too many snags on the barbie = fatness.

Discussion of glaringly obvious weight problems re: race (can't touch that one...)

or rural Queensland?

"Experts alarmed at high rates of obesity in rural Queensland" http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/experts-alarmed-at-high-rates-of-obesity-in-rural-queensland/story-fnihsrf2-1226745496679

Hi there CRAIG MINNS...

Sadly it's not only the desk bound cops who pile on the weight it's those on patrol duties, especially 2300 - 0700 shifts, not unlike you Craig when you drove trucks ? Around 0300 - 0430hrs when the radio's quite you tend to get tired, and with that tiredness comes hunger ! Ask any copper where the closest 'greasy joe's' is, and he'll know for sure.

Therefore it's not unusual at these all night greasy joe's to see a line of fireies, ambo's and fat coppers all waiting for their huge burgers 'with the lot' ! Interestingly even though these coppers are all wearing their blue 'discount suits' they generally don't get any discount from these fellows, it's only from McDonalds, Hungry Jacks, and the other proprietary eateries that give the emergency services a 50% discount. So Craig my friend, you now have fat AND corrupt coppers wandering around the place seeking further 'benefits' in exchange for 'quicker police services' ?

A detective sergeant I knew well, occasionally 'squeezed' into his old uniform (even though his Sergeant's stripes were not sewn on) and when questioned why '...ah I gotta go and get a set of new tyres for the wife's car...' ? The tyre retailer gave coppers 25% off.

The reason being, there was a Commissioners Directive, that no police officer was to attempt to elicit, extract or induce any sort of benefit, advantage, or discount, from any wholesale or retail operation, by virtue of the fact that he/she was a sworn member of the police service. If someone employed in such an enterprise, was to voluntarily offer a member a discount, that was acceptable. But to actually seek a discount, was strictly a big no, no! Here ends my tale of fat policemen and their very 'odd' ways, and I realise I've strayed well off Topic as well, so accordingly I offer my profound apologies.

To ttbn
You make a good point about big phama, and their endless quest for new customers. However there is another industry out there that is even worse, when it comes to creating demand. I refer of course to the food manufacturing industry, that now spends heeps of money on lobbyists to push laws to support their profit bottom line.Apart from getting certain ingredients subsidized, they make sure that food labeling is only useful if you are a chemistry major.

You may have herd of food deserts, where it is almost impossible to find food that is not loaded with fats and sugars.I do understand your point that citizens have a responsibility to be part of the solution, but some assistance form the local legislators would go a long way to being part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

Chris

//However there is another industry out there that is even worse, when it comes to creating demand. I refer of course to the food manufacturing industry//

The food manufacturing industry doesn't have to create demand; it already exists. People need to eat.

//Apart from getting certain ingredients subsidized, they make sure that food labeling is only useful if you are a chemistry major.//

If everything in your shopping trolley has a label on it, there's your problem right there. You know those weird lumpy things that don't stack neatly and don't come with any traffic light nutritional information for the simpletons out there? They're called vegetables, and they are what you should be eating. Christ, it's not bloody quantum electrodynamics.

No self-control, is a childhood learning issue. Mental Stress does strange things to people: people love ball chasing sports; take legal and illegal medications; lazy; sex addicts; family violence; attend a formula one race meeting, taking off the pants down to the race meeting country national flag swimmers. All the problems in society which people ask why. The ignorance is out standing, when psychology behavioral experts totally ignore childhood schooling.