Five-ton ambulances answer 999 calls by supersized patients – Independent Online Edition > Health Medical — Let’s place the blame where it belongs — on the food supply. There is a toxic fat-producing aspect whether it’s Soy Oil (never actually tested for safety it mimics estrogen), corn sweetener (made by a chemical process), hormones in the food (steers were growing udders in the 1970’s when this practice was out-of-control) or who knows what. I’m always amazed at how people routinely ate huge steaks slathered in butter after WWII and the population didn’t get as fat as it does today during the health food promotions.
Britain’s obesity epidemic is forcing the NHS to introduce specially adapted ambulances for overweight patients.
Nearly a quarter of hospitals have brought in vehicles which have strengthened stretchers, hoists and suspension, new figures show. More than a third of those surveyed said they were planning to introduce the ambulances, so they could cope with call-outs from the obese.
The NHS spends an estimated £7bn every year on obesity- or bariatric-related disorders. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI) goes over 30. Nearly a quarter of British adults are now overweight, which has created huge problems for ambulance crews.
In Suffolk, for example, St John Ambulance brought in vehicles with wider ramps and a strengthened floor after a call-out to a patient weighing nearly 65 stone. It took more than 30 people, as well as members of the Fire Brigade, to get him to hospital.
Keith Hotchkiss, St John’s transport co-ordinator, said the bariatric ambulances, which cost up to £90,000 each, were vital because they relieved the burden on other emergency vehicles responding to 999 calls.
Some things to note:
I have a copy of the massive 1920 cookbook, the Epicurean by Charles Anhofer. In the 1200 page book there are numerous menus from the most famous NYC restaurant of the time, Delmonicos. This place — which is nothing more than an steakhouse nowadays — was an astonishing gourmet restaurant catering to the world’s rich and famous. In the book are countless menus for various occasions. Many date back to the Civil war era. There is no way I could even eat one of these meals since there was so much food served. It’s actually astonishing, when you study it, how much food Americans used to eat years back without turning into a nation of fatties. I suppose some of this can be attributed to chopping wood and walking more, but in cities such as London they have always walked and still walk a lot and never chopped wood in the first place. Yet they need the 5 ton ambulances now more than ever.
What changed?
#15
Clearly Bruce, you do not live in LA. Just off the top of my head, I would have to walk a mile to get to the grocery (tolerable and I do it occasionally), five miles to get the nearest decent restaurant or store other than a grocery. When I lived in the Bay Area, I would walk 100 yards to tons of shopping, restaurants, a park and a light rail station. There are some places, like LA, where each person really needs their own vehicle.
31. and Bubba, I agree, Sennheiser if you got the moolah.
Rural Mexicans are often fat, but they don’t have that much to eat. What you eat along with how much is how you get fat. The other half of the equation is what are you doing right now, sitting on your tail playing with your computer. For a diversion you sit on the sofa and watch the TV where they tell you the way to skinny and beautiful is to “eat” this new food. That gives me the giggles, you got fat eating, now you can get skinny eating.. People are silly..