How the spread of obesity affects us everywhere we go
Two weeks ago I passed through a simple Balinese village and was blown away by how many locals snacked on junk bought at common ‘warungs’. Only eight years ago I observed school children eating out of banana leafs but today, they are obsessing over empty calories like chocolate candies and cheap cookies. What is to blame? Is it the global economy, the western influences or the fact that it has become acceptable for us to be calorie-consuming couch potatoes? It has become clear that there are consequences to globalization and the growth of sugar-infested goods. Little Wayan is now also singing ‘ I scream for ice-cream’ just like little Bobby.
Obesity (also known as excess adiposity) has become an international problem. Socio-economic causes and consequences have contributed to the rising health concerns even in developing countries such as Indonesia. The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that obesity has become a global epidemic with over 1 billion overweight adults, of which 300 million are clinically obese. There was even a study by WHO researchers indicating that being overweight affects more people than malnutrition and hunger.
Although the US is home to the largest number of obese people in the world, obesity has become so prevalent within Asia that countries such as Japan and Korea have had the largest increase in adult obesity worldwide in the last two years. Growing obesity rates have created global problems with serious social and economic consequences. Studies have indicated that an individual’s excessive waist circumference can cause a whole line of diseases such as type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, stroke and depression. In addition, excess adiposity negatively correlates with earnings and wages, meaning many of us are not only fat but also poor.
There are many root problems of adiposity, and leaving genetics aside, current theory holds that weight-related problems are caused by the difference between calories consumed and calories expended. Though many Balinese lead a very active lifestyle, they have just recently been bombarded with an abundance of packaged foods. As the introduction of chemically infested foods in Indonesia is so recent, the physiological adaptation of individuals has yet to adjust to this new diet, making many more prone to the health related issues of obesity.
In addition to the physiological reasons listed above, excessive adiposity in Bali has also been driven by the move toward modern lifestyles and conveniences. This societal shift that now also affects the Balinese has led to increased ingestion of fast foods and soft drinks, the rising dietary intake of saturated fats and sugars, and an overabundance in caloric intake. Our need for the quick fix has also replaced home-cooked meals with tv-dinners or going out to restaurants that generally serve larger portion sizes. Researchers have also found that with technological changes and the choices that we make in entertainment, we have increasingly become inactive and sedentary. The increased food abundance and agricultural innovations have even changed in Asia, making it easier for us to have unhealthy (but very yummy) options that make us morbidly fat.
Population and consumption data reveal that socio-economic and cultural factors are affecting the spread of obesity around the world. The fight against weight problems may also require having an understanding of the sociological perspectives of cultural change and economic growth. In today’s junk food economy we truly do need to remind individuals “they are what they eat”. So whether you are consuming an American super-sized burger or eating an Asian multi-colored treat, you cannot run from the obesity epidemic. Even though you are stuck in the global village of the fat, you can still prove a point. Go back to the banana leaf diet!
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