Mexico obesity feeding off urbanization

Houston Chronicle ^ | August 3, 2003 | JO TUCKMAN

[jocon307]

You know, a hundred years ago people craved to be hefty, the alternative was starving. This taxi-driver's life, working 8 (maybe more) hours, coming home, eating a big meal, falling asleep in front of the TV, I thought this was what civilization was supposed to do for us. The alternative was slaving in the fields, watching the crops die (from lack of rain, etc.) and getting real skinny, cause you're starving.

Now, I'm all in favor of self-improvement (I am, really, appearances not to the contrary), and maybe this man SHOULD be acting in community theatre, or re-tiling the bathroom or something, or playing some pick-up soccer, if he prefers, but this whole anti-girth stuff is outofcontrol!

First they went for the real vices, now they are after the sustence. The left is a very scary thing.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Yes they are.

Moderation in all things should be taught, just as in the "Just say no" campaign.

I don't want some know-nothing telling me what diet is proper for me and taxing things they deem unhealthy. History has shown they don't know everything, far from it. Many people have found that fat isn't bad, it's the processed foods inc. carbs and sugars. I don't want lobbyists and lawyers dictating my diet.

[MayDay72]

...Socialists...You just can't win with these people...You have to almost 'read-between-the-lines': the article glosses over all of these positive things about the general population ['middle class'?] of the country...Cars, health care, nutrition, housing, jobs, etc., etc., etc...Yet the central focus of the article is 'obesity'...Okay...'Obesity' isn't the best condition to be in...but I don't have to tell you what choice I would make between being overweight versus: no transportation, sick, starving, homeless, unemployed...The people that write these stories are lucky just to live in a place where the greatest worry they have is being too fat...

[MattAMiller]

It's been my observation that Hispanics are often built to be rather large. Our idea of overweight may not apply.

And besides, that Mexican food is awful tasty. Who can blame them if they're carrying around a few extra pounds?

[Jeff Chandler]

>>Mexico's rapid urbanization...has helped unleash the potentially fatal consequences of fat upon a growing proportion of the population... At the same time, malnutrition continues to haunt poverty-stricken communities in the countryside... <<

...and if only Mama Cass had shared her sandwich with Karen Carpenter...

[MattAMiller]

It's been my observation that Hispanics are often built to be rather large. Our idea of overweight may not apply.

And besides, that Mexican food is awful tasty. Who can blame them if they're carrying around a few extra pounds?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

There would still be music in the world.....sob.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Just lay off the chips and tortillas.

[Jeff Chandler]

...and if only Yoko had stepped in front of John...

[Cincinatus' Wife]

The people that write these stories are lucky just to live in a place where the greatest worry they have is being too fat...

No kidding. It's something you have control over but lawyers want their pay-day and politicians want to put a campaign donation gun to the heads of those in the food industry.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Oh, now that's so....so.....

[Jeff Chandler]

sick?

[Cincinatus' Wife]

I was thinking funny - like the old "sick" jokes where funny. We be bad.

[Jeff Chandler]

Cut my teeth on Mad Magazine, graduated to National Lampoon.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

It shows!!

[democrats_nightmare]

Tofu Tacos? Is this the answer?

[The_Media_never_lie]

And besides, that Mexican food is awful tasty.

If I had access to Mexican food all the time I'd be up to 230 too. Love it!

[SamAdams76]

But Mexicans today also gobble pizza, value-meal hamburgers and deep-fried chicken at U.S.-style fast-food restaurants that have become fixtures in most cities. Sales of packaged snacks and soda have skyrocketed.

There you go. They were better off with the lard-laden tamales...

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Maybe less tacos.