Matters of Weight

Now back in Manchester, in Longsight, actually, to order a halal turkey, having made it over the Woodhead Pass on an evening of heavy snow. A new experience for the girls and missus, all too familiar, from years back, for me.

We can't help noticing, in a cruel but honest manner, the number of chunky folk in this country compared to the generally lean appearance of the Parisians we encountered. It's probably a sexist thing to say, but Noi says it as well, that this is even more obviously apparent in many of the young women we see. Considering the portion sizes in restaurants here I suppose this shouldn't come as a surprise. I think the talk one comes across of an epidemic of obesity is a bit over the top - most young people look as thin as ever they did - but there's certainly been some change over the last twenty years. And, I suppose, a phenomenal one from the days of my childhood when fat people (being blunt there) were very much the exception.