With wealth comes fat, China finds

[marmar]

With wealth comes fat, China finds
Obesity becomes more common as the traditional diet of vegetables and rice is weighted down with meat, oil and sugary snacks. And why ride a bike when you can drive your car?

By Lily Kuo, Los Angeles Times
October 31, 2010


Reporting from Beijing — Tian Ning shuffled unsteadily across his room at a weight loss clinic in Beijing, not exactly looking like the picture of health, but triumphant nonetheless.

In six months, Tian has gone from the unglamorous subject of a reality intervention television show called "Tian Weighs 462 Pounds, Beijing's Fattest Man," to a man eagerly approaching his ideal weight of 220. His meals are monitored and a machine jiggles his midsection for an hour of exercise each day at the Kelikexin International Weight Loss Club. For a bit of extra exercise, he goes for walks by himself.

"When I get down to (220 pounds), I'll be ready to go home," the 29-year-old Beijing resident said recently. "I can live a normal life."

To Tian, his progress represents a new lease on life — one he hopes will include a job in computer programming and a happy marriage — as long as he can control himself in a city where inexpensive, unhealthy food abounds and exercise is not part of the daily lifestyle. ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-fg-china-fat-20101031,0,4717169.story