h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

To stop the number of obese people increasing further, there are several things that could be done. Governments could stop junk food from being manufactured, outlaw super sizing meals, make sure every new parent knows about portion size for babies, toddlers and young children. Bring back domestic science in schools so that everyone learns how to cook, and cook properly. Ban the school run for any one who lives two miles or less from the school gates. Walk the kids to school. They will behave better, you will feel better for the whole day and everyone will get daily exercise.

I am indeed overweight. In fact, according to the Doctor I am morbidly obese. But I am trying to do something about it, and that is not easy in itself. 1 stone down and 7 more to go. It is the hardest thing I have ever tried to do, but I am bloody determined to lose it.

Being a bit fat is not a problem. Being morbidly obese is a problem. It causes lots of medical problems which cost the taxpayer a huge amount of money. I know that it is better for me to weigh less so that is why I have embarked on an eating and exercising plan to sort it out.

Since I was a large child I was really badly bullied at school. I have definitely been passed over for promotions at work because of my size, and I also regularly suffer the humiliation of being cat called in the street because of my size. I find it hard to go clothes shopping with friends because of the sneers I get from the staff in certain trendy clothes shops.

Obesity can be the end effect of a disease or a symptom of one, or it can be self inflicted. To be honest, my problem is self inflicted but that does not make it any easier to deal with.

I don’t think Fat is a class issue. I think people who cannot afford to eat organically or use the main supermarkets have real problems in feeding their families properly, but it is not beyond the realms of possibility. Growing your own veggies is a great way of cutting the supermarket bill – especially when it means that they can use the rest of the budget to get decent meat, maybe some fish, good quality cheeses etc.

Drugs to tackle obesity are not the answer. People need to be encouraged into healthier lifestyles and to eat decent fresh food rather than junk and fast food.

I'm not sure that legislation against junk food is an option, or against super-sizing. Advice is all very well, and there's plenty of information on portion size for those who are interested, but you can't force people to follow the advice. Similarly with cooking. I did domestic science (or home economics, as it was called at my school), but I don't cook. Some of that is because cooking takes energy I don't always have. Some of that is because I just can't be bothered.

I agree whole-heartedly about making kids walk to school, or walking with them. I've seen parents (usually mothers) walking their kids to the local primary school. They often chat with the kids as they go along, and the kids seem to enjoy the walk. On the way home they probably chat about what the kids did at school that day, something you can't do in a car if you're paying attention to your driving.

I'm overweight, too. At one point I was obese. Not morbidly obese, just clinically obese. I was 3 stone (42lb) over the top end of my 'ideal weight' band, and 4 stone over my lowest weight ever. Since then I have lost 23lb, but I'm still not happy with the way I look.

In my case, the excess weight is from a number of causes. I didn't work within walking distance, so I learned to drive. My exercise level plummeted and my weight started to creep up. Then I went on to a contraceptive that affected my weight and I had trouble getting that weight off. (My doctor wouldn't accept that the drug was responsible, despite the fact that 'weight gain' was listed as a possible side-effect!) Then I contracted MS, and the relapses left me less able to do exercise at a level that helps me control or reduce my weight.

I am trying to do something about my weight. My 'sweet tooth' seems to have been extracted - I'm no longer as interested in cakes, biscuits, chocolate, etc. as I used to be. I try to walk for 25-30 minutes a day. The walk depends on the weather and on how my health is on the day. It's not a brisk walk, though. My walking speed used to be at least 3.5mph. Now it's around 1mph! Still, any exercise is better than none and it does seem to help a little. I enjoy the walk, and that's the main thing.