Growing in wealth, South Africa battles obesity

[Liberal_in_LA]

Growing in wealth, South Africa battles obesity
Gugulethu, South Africa (CNN) -- In restaurants in this township outside Cape Town, South Africa, barbecue grills crackle with chains of sausage, marinated chicken quarters and boulder-sized slabs of beef and lamb.

In the city, customers order fried chicken, meat pies, biltong (beef jerky), French fries, sausages called boerewors and burgers, a combination of Western and South African fast foods.

Along with growing prosperity, a culture of high-fat foods has taken hold in urban South Africa. In a country where malnutrition is one of the major causes of children's deaths, South Africa is also experiencing an increase in obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
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"We're in transition from poverty to economic development," said Dr. Thandi Puoane, associate professor at the University of the Western Cape School of Public Health.

The influx of people to urban areas has caused major dietary shifts that are more starchy, sugary, fatty and salty and feature bigger portions, according to South African research.

In townships, predominantly black communities located outside cities, being overweight does not carry negative connotations.

"Black South African women are not keen on weight loss, because in this era, people think you are thin, you have HIV -- that's the thinking," said Tandi Matoti-Mvalo, a dietitian.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/07/09/south.africa.diet.heart/index.html?hpt=Sbin

[SoCalDem]

1. When physical labor drops, weights go up.

Humans were "designed" to be hunter/gatherers & to be nomadic. They stopped somewhere, lived off the local fruit/veggie that was in season & game, and when it started to wane & the weather changed, they packed up and move on to the next place & food source. It allowed the area just left, time to re-grow, and it expended the fat-stores built up in the humans. They traveled distances to reach water & shelter. Everything was balanced.

Modern humans are out-of-balance & evolution does not work that fast. we are living with the imbalance.

Oddly, nature may have a built-in correction. The people who have "fast" metabolisms will survive and many of the very poor (but hardy) will survive, but the "loungers" may not, long-term.

[Taitertots]

2. I don't think your built-in correction will work

Most obesity related health problems come after many years of being able to breed. They would have to die before reproducing to correct the problems of obesity.

[SoCalDem]

3. to some extent, but as societies crumble, the more "agile"

ones will eventually win..

or maybe we will get smart and start forcing food-processors to cut out the crap..

[Hutzpa]

4. You heading cracks me up.

:rofl: