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Table 4 (Quotes)

From: "Obesity" and "Clinical Obesity" Men's understandings of obesity and its relation to the risk of diabetes: A qualitative study

Being fit and eating a healthy diet

2.1 "I think everybody benefits from exercise, some form of exercise along the way". (John, line 179–80). (Referring to his arthritis): "but I found when I do exercise, it actually helps, I seem to be more alert, I seem to be more, sort of, not as stiff" (John, line 147–148)

2.2 "I think in particular if perhaps your diet is not as healthy as what it could be, I think you do need to try and balance things up a little bit..." (Mike line 187–188)

2.3 "... 5 fruit and veg. a day, brown bread, brown rice...Stay clear of chocolate, fats, high salt..." (Rob line 91–2, 94)

2.4 "much more in the press and sort of the Government coming out with you have got to eat 5 vegetables a day or whatever and the sort of food labelling" (George, line 108–110)

2.5 "there is always fresh fruit in the house and things like that, I try and keep away from microwave meals (Jack line 71–72)... we don't eat a lot of fried food you know, if everything is done, it would be grilled or it would be boiled" (Jack line 78–79)

2.6 "a lot of it could be social aspects. I mean those on a basic, the old bread line or less wages will have to I mean, it's always the cheap sugary foods that are cheaper. I mean, ourselves we have notice even when trying to buy a load of fruit and veg, I mean, its very expensive compared to, you can go and buy something else, buy the ingredients, sometimes it is just as easy to buy the other stuff. So, I mean...I think there is a lot of economic influences in it..." (Jack line 83–90)

2.7 "there's huge cost to exercising properly if you wanted to join a club with membership, and I think you know, there isn't a lot of places where you could go running safely when you get home, (Nigel line 291–293)

2.8 "and I went to work in a Chinese takeaway as a delivery driver, so I used to get given food by them and I wasn't eating healthily I was eating takeaways for my dinner, having tea in my house and having something when I was out working, and it was just very unhealthy" (Richard line 119–123)

2.9 "...their lifestyles, yes I would say, I know it is being pretty awful and general, but if you are sat in a cab for 4 or 5 hours a day, and you just park up, walk across to the café, motorway cafes, I mean I know myself that for £3 you can have bacon, double sausage, mushroom and blah, blah, blah with chips, not the best diet in the world" (Mark line 311–315)

2.10 "I seen it as an opportunity to get myself fitter, and then when I did get put on the production line" (Richard line 74–5).