Channel 4 show exposes Milton Keynes couple's massive £15,000 a year takeway habit

It helped them ditch the chips in favour of new cheap superfood
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A Milton Keynes couple appeared on national TV to seek help for their £15,000 a year takeway food habit.

Parents of four Liam and Lydia Rooney took part in last night’s Channel 4 episode of ‘Michael Mosley: Secrets of Your Big Shop’.

They told the famous doctor that their weekly supermarket shop was healthy, full of fruit and fresh foods, and they could not understand why they had both piled on the weight over the years.

Liam and Lydia Rooney were shocked to learn how much they spend on takeaways at their Milton Keynes homeLiam and Lydia Rooney were shocked to learn how much they spend on takeaways at their Milton Keynes home
Liam and Lydia Rooney were shocked to learn how much they spend on takeaways at their Milton Keynes home

Lydia complained of feeling low, lacking in energy and suffering from bad skin.

Dr Mosley watched them unpack their supermarket shopping for the healthy family dinners but then promptly went undercover to expose their king-size and very unhealthy secret.

In the evenings, after tucking the children up in bed, Liam and Lydia were ordering fast food feasts to be delivered to their home.

In the show, Dr Mosley dressed as a deliveryman and arrived on the Rooneys’ doorstep with a giant rucksack containing their average weekly order – masses of Liam’s favourite barbecue chicken wings and chips and Lydia’s cheesey pizzas and chips.

This was just half of the Rooney's weekly order of late night feastsThis was just half of the Rooney's weekly order of late night feasts
This was just half of the Rooney's weekly order of late night feasts

The couple were shocked to see the sheer volume of food – but they were even more shocked when Dr Mosley helped them tot up the weekly cost.

Lydia broke down in tears nd said: “That is really shocking. What are we doing to ourselves?” said Lydia. “We could have actually saved for our house.”

Liam said: “If we hadn’t been spending £15,000 a year, we could have got our deposit and the kids could have had their own space zone. It’s a bot upsetting that we haven’t been more mature and responsible.”

A health check revealed more bad news for the couple. Both were overweight and their blood pressure was dangerously high. Liam’s cholesterol was also very high.

They were consuming a staggering 2.5 kg of fat every week.

He helped the banish the takeaways and switch to fresh healthy foods – including a particularly powerful super food – beetroot.

"If you acquire the (beetroot) taste, the rewards are abundant – reduced fatigue, strengthened muscles, and increased endurance

At the end of the show, Liam and Lydia had both lost weight and said they felt much more healthy and energised.