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RAY D’ARCY WENT on the defensive during his radio show yesterday, after a health expert slated the RTÉ show Operation Transformation.
Jacky Jones, who worked in health promotion and health education for almost 40 years, said the show was too much about the individual and is “worse than useless” for the general public watching it.
She added that, despite the fact that the show is also meant to be entertaining, it wasn’t even doing that anymore.
D’Arcy, however, retorted that the show, which encourages participants to lose weight, was “part of a bigger picture” and was helping to contribute to “having conversations we weren’t having before”.
Jones was on the show to discuss health policy in Ireland in a broad sense, but talk quickly turned to her views on the RTÉ show.
D’Arcy asked: “You’ve had a go at Operation Transformation, why was that?”
Jones responded that, while it wasn’t a “personal gripe”, she did “hate to see people parading out in lycra”.
On a professional level, she said: “I just think it’s really bad health promotion.
When you look at the research and evidence on changing people’s habits… this isn’t how you go about it.
She said that the best way to encourage a more healthy society was through public and fiscal policy.
D’Arcy then said that Operation Transformation “would never claim it fights obesity on its own”, arguing that it was “part of a bigger picture”.
He then asked if having a show like this was better than having nothing.
Jones responded:
No, I don’t think so.
She added that she had no doubt that the show helped the leaders who participated in it, but wasn’t of much benefit to the people watching it.
“If all of the people with weight problems were given the support of four health professionals for however many weeks, they would probably be able to change too,” Jones said.
Safefood, who sponsor the show, published a survey which claimed that around a third of people who watched the show did so to help motivate themselves to improve their lifestyle.
On these figures, D’Arcy said: “Isn’t it not great that 35% are watching it because they want to lose weight.”
He also told Jones to give the show another chance, but she replied that she’d already seen enough of this year’s series.
“I’ve watched it three times this year,” she said. “It’s not even entertaining anymore”.
So, what do you think? Is Operation Transformation helpful for people trying to live a healthier lifestyle?
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In a debate between Ray D’Arcy and a professional in the area of health promotion on health promotion, I know who’s opinion I will respect more.
@Larry Doyle: Stop it now Larry, don’t be ridiculous. D’arcy knows what is best for us, he must do because he never stops telling us. I ‘m hungry, I wonder what Ray would do, oh yes, it’s some celery and low-fat hummus with a taste of condescension for tea tonight
Not that doctor eva orsmond or whatever her name is. Cannot stand her. Sanctimonious so and so :-)
It is useless. It teaches people to go from one extreme to another. People will be highly unlikely to continue that lifestyle. Obesity can be solved by introducing mandatory home economics for kids to teach them about nutrition and how to cook. It’s about eating healthily 80 percent of the time and allowing yourself the odd treat. Start with educating kids.
Healthy eating is part of the home ec, science, PE and SPHE classes in schools. It’s what they are fed by parents when they leave school c auses the issue. I think OT is great……Parkruns all over the country were packed last week with OT people! Not a solution but a step in the right direction
Worse than useless.are you sure it wasn’t Darcy she was talking about?
Ha ha excellent! He should actually do a show on what people think of him. It must be very weird knowing your this weird cult of 438 people who think you’re amazing and the other few million who detest you for taking up time slots on TV and radio when they could be showing someone scraping their nails on a blackboard!
Can I just plead with people to stop listening to ray darcy and get him off the airwaves. I’ve yet to meet someone that actually likes him. A smug, self centred, opinionated little worm that gives off the impression that he’ll mouth off about someone on the radio but when he meets them in private he’ll cave and squirm and pander. A pathetic excuse of a man.
I listened to his show briefly today. He covered the inauguration by analysing what Melania was wearing and harked back to what other first ladies wore on inauguration day. His analysts were an rte reporter he prob pulled in from the corridor and Henry Healy!!!!!Vacuous nonsense.
Always disagreed with the participant’s being made Lycra outfits for the weigh in.Cant see any reason to humiliate them,especially having to stand next to Kathryn Thomas all dressed up like a dogs dinner,
There is probably a good message in OT somewhere regarding portion control and exercise. I cant fathom why anyone would humiliate themselves with the ill fitting tight lycra/ judge section though. If its weight loss youre after there are endless online resources, clubs, sports, meal planners etc etc.
Why don’t they call it operation humiliation, fat people appearing half naked on the telly while getting abuse from self-righteous morons and but through ridiculous tasks that achieve nothing only further humiliation.
Parkruns get hijacked by the same buffoons every January and by the end of the month are nowhere to be seen. My local Parkrun is struggling for volunteers and is getting swamped by hundreds of them, many not finishing.
What’s a park-run?
@Pappy O’Daniel: Have a look at parkrun.ie Pappy. And yes numbers always swell in January but a percentage continue on and also continue to improve.
@Darren Bates: parkruns are gay as hell. get yourself a tub of creatine, a vat of protein, join a gym and start talking about muscles constantly like a real man.
Considering that my 5K times are now consistently under 20 mins and that I’m on for a sub 5 minute mile you can stuff your creatine. They don’t give prizes for to muscley freaks.
Darren bates…bit harsh on parkrun. Doesn’t matter how slow people are moving they are still lapping everyone on the couch.
Good to see loads of new faces for the park runs on Saturday mornings
It’s on too soon after christmas. Wait till February at least.
Don’t watch the show but it’s influence is evident in supermarkets and has promoted Parkruns in this country. How did their million pound challenge go last year?
@Chauncey Gardiner:
So Parkruns (which were started by runners and existed long before Operation Transformation) saw a increase in runners while OT is on the TV. But just how many people are making long term changes to their life.
I think it would be most enlightening to see a recap episode where RTE meet up with every single previous OT contestant and see if they kept the weight off. My guess is most did not.
You simply cannot go from one extreme to the other, the most make long term life changes. These often don’t need to be massive but they have to be permanent to your life.
Agree with everything yo u say Barry, but as a regular Parkrunner I’ve met a few who were influenced by that show to come along! And I have noticed promotional material from show in shops alongside healthy options.
Buzz kill D’arcy. The most condescending opinionated A hole on TV or radio.
There is nothing wrong with my weight……………..i’m not tall enough and I can’t change that !!!
The same Dr Jacky Jones that writes for the IT and has been corrected numerous times on her nonsense DV articles by Professor Peter McKeown? The woman is a clown.
@Mr Snuffleupagus:@Mr Snuffleupagus: the comdia del arte union are up in arms over your statement.
Its all just so boring
Of course that clown, Darcy is going to defend it….it pays his salary, doh!!!
To be fair now middle aged overweight men in Lycra is hardly an easy sell even with confident curvy Katharine.
have your say