February 15, 2009

My thoughts on America's weight problem

There are no fat people here. Not a single one. 7 million people in this city and every leg that strides through the mob is lean.

I used to think it was the food they eat, which I still hold to be partially true. I dare you to get fat on rice, greens, nuts, and sprinklings of meat-bits. But they DO use an incredible amount of oil, which makes their food high in fat. And they eat A LOT at a time. Even still, they don't cook with cream, butter, or cheese...and they don't eat desert. On top of that, they walk absolutely everywhere they go, or they ride simple bikes with no gears up hills, hauling a friend or a piece of furniture. There is no need here for exercise programs. If someone in America could market these folks' entire way of life as an exercise program, that person would be rich.

But I think it is more than all of that, even. I think the cost of junk food in America should go up. Let me explain. Just yesterday, Daniel and the boys and I went to the Sam's Club equivalent here in our city. I "splurged" on things like raisins and bran cereal. Everything "Western" has to be imported or is very expensive for them to make, so most junk food here is very pricey. Unlike in America where a bag of potato chips is cheaper than a bag of spinach! When something so tasty is so cheap, it takes a very strong individual to not throw a bag into the cart.

But yesterday, I passed right by the potato chips, not even tempted. I did allow myself to purchase a package of Oreo cookies, but you can bet we will nibble on them for weeks and weeks, making them last. When we are hungry, we eat oatmeal or bananas or leftover dinner. And when we are not hungry, we don't eat. Why would we? It would be like eating money.

So, if America could hide her unhealthy, unnecessary foods away in very difficult to find, obscure little shops with incredibly high prices, and she could make it illegal or almost impossible for citizens to own a car, then none of us would be fat. But America can't implement such rules. She is a free country. Interesting, isn't it, that with free-will comes more room to make poor choices? Very interesting, indeed.