The Latest Obsession.

I weigh 85 Kgs. That makes me clearly way above average Indian weight. On the other hand, I can comfortably be an American, though I am sure Shackman will give me a complex.

Seriously, I can talk about India and the reason for this rather nice piece of statistics. Indian population is still predominantly rural where people have to toil and also walk long distances. Rural Indian cuisine is also by and large frugal and nourishing with emphasis on fresh local produce. There are also millions of Indians who get by on one meal or less a day. So, the average gets skewed.

In the cities, with the well off with motorised two wheelers or cars, there is an obesity epidemic and the fastest growing service business is health centers aka gyms. The less well off use public transport and walk or bicycle and there is no sign of any obesity there!

To conclude, India, at least the better off part of it, has the problem in as large a measure as the West.

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