For the benefit of my students who are studying diet/health-related issues for their assignment - here is the 'copy and pasted' summary of the points raised in the recent seminar I attended, with links to the full presentations at the end if required....

Obesity: understanding the role of the social & physical environment
ESRC Seminar Series, UCL, 17/01/07
Introduction

• Are we promoting ‘Obesogenic’ behaviours or environment?


• Physical/economic/socio-cultural/political


• Research on obesity issues has focused on access to food (e.g. in school & workplaces) and advertising. These papers focus on other aspects such as peer group behaviours or social/cultural networks.
  
  Self-identity(ies) & body image


• Extended boundaries of ‘normality’: GPs dismiss – use non-confrontational language e.g. “puppy fat” etc. Words ‘diet’ and ‘child’ together perceived as not morally right. (Public awareness & fear of anorexia?) Contrast with fact that obesity is subjected to moral judgement and perceived as a type of ‘social deviance’.


• Government Policy focus: on educating parents (empowerment) - But research suggests that “children are in charge”.


• Parents’ dilemma: stigma “their fault” so support child – provide more treats! Sweets still seen as ‘reward’ (and withdrawal of sweets as ‘punishment’) and parents: “don’t want to deny child” foods low in nutritional value often available to all family members - “something good that’s not bad”


• Parents often ‘not bothered’ about child’s obesity – viewed as part of ‘family identity’ (“in the genes’)


• Questionnaire - Difficulties with young adults and exercise – i.e. sport/in the park/cycling. (But what does “active” mean)?


• 16-24 age group = lowest intake of fruit of veg.

See: Curtis, P. Fisher, P. (In Press) Bringing it all home: families with children with obesity University of Sheffield

Focus on prevention

• Germany, UK, Australia and the US - highest Obesity rates and still rising.


• Long-term effectiveness of obesity treatment very low -Prevention has slightly better outcomes, (e.g. school kids undertaking PE classes).


• Cultural differences in exercise – e.g. UK few student bike to college, in The Netherlands most do!


• Motivation/ability/opportunity: Objective vs subjective - seeing an opportunity for exercise.
  
  See Brug, J. (2007) What is the evidence for an Obesogenic food environment? Am J Prev Med
  
  Further info and downloads of presentations available at
  www.geog.qmul.ac.uk/obesity

I've got five minutes to stick some of these photos on here from Christmastime. So here goes...

Working backwards from our last day - this was (at last) a view of Bamburgh Castle not obscured by rain and wind and hail. Such a sleepy little village, but I can never understand why they don't open the Castle at this time of year. There are so many walkers about - some desperate to get inside ANYWHERE INSIDE out of the rain and wind. At at £6.50 a throw they could make a fortune in the short space of time over the New Year holidays. Oh well, third time lucky I guess - although all the guidebooks say don't bother anyway as the views outside are far better than anything within....much better to stay inside by the fire in the bar of the friendly Victoria Hotel...

Do you know this convict? I think he must've got washed-up on the shores of Holy Island, Northumberland. Unusually for us we managed to time it just right. It's always a laugh to read about the stupid tourists who insist on driving across to the island when the causeway is obviously UNDERWATER! Duh! I think just because they are in 4x4s they think they are immortal. As you can see, pub weather - I think its was the Crown and Anchor and the Ship Inn. Not to be confused with the much much nicer Old Ship Hotel in nearby Seahouses. Best crab sandwiches you ever tasted (I know, I always say that). No, but honestly, where else can you find a seafood chowder served with roast potatoes and new potatoes and veggies for about £3.50? Eh? Shame their rooms are closed-up for the winter - does all of Northumberland go into hibernation? I think they should take a tip from our Cumbrian friends and make the most of the colder months. Alston was positively heaving with people in search somewhere warm to relax in over the Xmas break. Luckily for them there are LOADS of pubs in Alston. Of course I'm obliged to say the Crown was the best - because many thanks to Vicki for lending us her two dogs to take on long walks across the fells. Actually, sorry Vicki - I though the Sultan was the most friendly pub (and warmest). But the classiest place to be (mmmmm...'Alston' and 'class' in the same sentence?) would have to be the Alston House Hotel. Very tastefully done - just a shame there were no customers to go with it (!!!)

Back on Holy Island - of course in case you miss the tide and get chucked out of the Ship there, you can always spend the night in one of these upturned boats! Nice view and that fresh sea breeze is just what you need to chase the cob webs away... one thing that is strange about Holy Island - why do they charge you to get into the Abbey - which is just a ruin - when you can get to within 5ft of it without paying, and have a much better view of it from the shore anyway??? Very strange

Anyway, here's my favourite picture (below). This was one of the walks which went up to Issac's Tea trail in Alston (Buzzing community spirit in Alston.) Not far away is an artists gallery place which also sells tea and biscuits. Almost Cornwallish - only without the sea obviously! It's so high up in Alston it has its own climate - which was lucky as I think the rest of the country was just rain, rain and more rain. The drive across the moors is spectacular scenery. It didn't actually snow until the 27th Dec. As you can see it was very, very cold! But very bright and fresh. Perfect walking weather (if you kept off the ice) ! Even my hair froze!

Having made a new year's resolution to keep this updated a bit more regularly - seems I've not made a good start by getting to the 18th January already with nothing posted!
Got some photos and other stuff to go on here later though. back soon