Richard, surely you aren't a 'short, fat, little old man'?!! That's not how I picture you!!
Manitas, I really applaud your successful efforts to lose weight. It must have taken loads of willpower, I salute you!
During and just after WW2, we were all slim and wiry. Our diet was nigh on perfect, no sweets, not much fat, plenty of vegetables; and we walked (or ran) everywhere, no cars. Also, no labour-saving appliances, we washed our clothes by hand and cleaned the carpets with a carpet sweeper, hauled coal in buckets and scrubbed floors on our knees. We children spent all day and all evening out of doors, climbing trees, running about, never still. But my life now I'm old is very sedentary. I drive everywhere (even to the local shop) sit watching TV or knitting. And eat! It's just too easy to toddle to the kitchen and get something to eat. I'm quite plump now, and I know it isn't a good idea. But the women (and men) in poorer areas of UK probably eat takeaway food a lot and don't cook much in the way of vegetables. Also, a 'good' diet can be expensive. A Macdonalds is much cheaper than a 'meat-and-two-veg' dinner. Poor Jamie Oliver is trying to help, but not everyone has his enthusiasm for cooking.