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Since I got here in U.S., almost everyday I hear problem of obesity expressed by the media; there are always programs to loose weight; and there are always advertisements that offer weight loss.

The most alarming are the following reports:

• Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports from their member countries that U.S has the highest rate of obesity (31% in 2002) followed by Mexico (24% in 2000), and United Kingdom (23% in 2004).

• National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) results for year 2005-2006 showed 33% of U.S adults aged 20 and older are overweight, 34% obese, and 6% are extremely obese.  This report showed an increase of obesity rate from 1988.

Indeed, I see a number of overweight people here.  I meet them almost everyday.  So I looked back in my country (Philippines)… where obesity is less a problem than malnourishment.

Philippines is classified as a third-world country.  Majority is poor.  Poverty there makes people under it not be able to buy foods like the ones served in Mc Donalds (yes, we have it there), and other fast foods related to Mc Donalds like KFC, Jollibee, etc. who serve high fat content foods as they are 3 to 4 folds more expensive than local foods.  Cooking oil there has become a valuable product that people in line of poverty could not almost afford it, and find a way of cooking their foods with little or no oil at all.   Meats such as beef, pork and poultry products including eggs are expensive, and are usually consumed during special occasions like someone’s birthday or wedding occasions.  Eggs can be consumed at any occasion, but very minimal. Vegetables commonly found here in U.S such as cauliflower, broccoli, and asparagus are considered “rich man’s meat” – they are quite expensive for poor people in the Philippines.  However, there are a variety of other vegetables that they can choose to that they prefer because of its affordability, or they can simply harvest it from their mini backyard gardens.  In addition, seafoods, which include a variety of fish are most commonly served in the table due to its affordability.   These seafoods are usually fresh from the catch, never frozen, just iced.

In schools, from elementary (grade schools) to colleges, there are a number of stores situated around them that offer affordable traditional and healthy foods for every meal.  Most are family-owned, ranging from small carts in the sidewalks to simple cafeteria under small buildings or spaces.  Mc Donalds, KFC and the likes are present anywhere near the campuses, but they are usually the choice of working class and few students who can afford to buy some.

When I began working in the Philippine government’s Department of Agriculture, I also began to meet overweight employees who mostly combat with high-blood pressure and heart problems. These people are also well compensated.  Working there also benefited me with abundance of foods shared with every special occasion that seemed to happen most of the time.  They are usually expensive kinds, my weight was beginning to get affected, I had to practice good diet, and I made it.

Moving back to U.S, the view of food affordability is a total opposite.  Suddenly to me, the likes of Mc Donalds and KFCs had become most affordable; meats and other poultry products are more affordable than seafoods; cauliflower, broccoli and asparagus can be bought by anyone.  There are fewer selections of fruits and vegetables.  There is only one kind of avocado in every market, where in the Philippines there can be more than 5 locally sold in the market by a sidewalk-vending individual.  Seafoods are usually frozen.  Most of the food recipes my husband introduced me contain high-fats by using lots of cheese and butter, which most Americans desire. Bacons and hotdogs are now ordinary delicacies.  We used to eat these usually only during special occasion in my country.  We barely consume bacon because it is quite expensive, so are cheese and butter.  Indeed they all taste good, or make foods taste better, but I hate their distasteful health effects.  Cereals here are very popular.  Foods are ready-made, which unfortunately, most of these are preserved with carcinogenic chemicals such as BHTs and sodium nitrites.  In the Philippines it is a struggle to buy one for the table.  People there usually eat 3 times a day, and foods are usually served freshly cooked in almost every meal.

With these observations, I thought that poverty could be a blessing in disguise.  One part of it can be financially hard, one part it is physically beneficial. In my own opinion, the rising obesity problem in the U.S is due to opportunity and accessibility to acquire unhealthier food resources.  The obesity problem in the U.S and malnourishment problem in the Philippines are both results of economic status of each country’s people.  It is not because French fries and pizzas taste so good, it is because they are highly affordable that consuming them is easily abused, and they are offered with greater accessibility to everyone than foods served with fruits and vegetables, which are more expensive here in U.S and are usually being served best in restaurants.

In addition, there had already been some studies conducted in the U.S of the prevalence of obesity in low-income community, which includes American Indians, Black, and Hispanic minorities (Source: Obesity Prevalence Among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children—United States, 1998-2008, JAMA. 2010;303(1):28-30: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/303/1/28).

Clearly, obesity is not a culture but an effect of massive economic problem.  It is not enough to teach people to eat healthier foods like fish, fruits and vegetables.  The federal government must also find ways to make such food more accessible and affordable for the public consumers.  If there is McDonalds in every corner of American households, there should be twice more of healthier mode of fastfoods to be provided.  Don’t blame it all on McDonalds and the likes.

What you can do:

If you are one of those suffering from obesity, or support the reduction of obesity problem in the U.S, these may help:

Gardening.  One, it gives a good exercise option; second, it provides fresh fruits and vegetables right from your garden.  U.S. has vast of vacant lots that can be used for community gardens.  Community gardens must also be popularized in every campus, accompanied with health education.

Save a penny for healthy foods, everyday.  It is a fact, that here in U.S. vegetables can be more expensive than meats, especially the seafoods as well.  If you have extra penny each day, save it to buy for healthy foods.  You must secure it other than buying extra stuff that are non-consumable. Let your health be your top priority.

Be resourceful.  Find a variety of recipes that call for higher volume of vegetables and seafoods.

If you are trying to reduce weight, minimize consumption of meats, canned foods, refined processed foods, and all other products high in caloric and saturated fat content – as much as possible.

If you are craving for fried chicken or French fries, try to fill your tummy first with banana and grapes or other fruits and vegetable salads you can eat.  When you are done, only and only then decide if you still want that fried chicken and French fries.

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Sources:

http://www.oecd.org

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/overweight/overweight_adult.htm

City Case Study Cagayan de Oro, http://www.ruaf.org/node/86/ (Gerald E. Potutan, Schnitzler, W.H., Arnado, J.M., Janubas, L.G., Holmer, R.J., 2000. Urban agriculture in Cagayan de Oro: a favourable response of city government and NGOs. In: Bakker, M., Dubbeling, M., Sabel-Koschella, U., Zeeuw, H. (eds). Growing Cities Growing Food: Urban Agriculture on the Policy Agenda. DSE, Feldafing, Germany. ISBN 3-934068-25-10, pp. 413-428.

Obesity Prevalence Among Low-Income, Preschool-Aged Children—United States, 1998-2008, JAMA. 2010;303(1):28-30: http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/303/1/28

Obesity in the US: An Opportunity, Not A Culture5.051