Although the exact cause could not be pinpointed, a new research says many children from low-income families are overweight. The first thing that crossed my mind was that I have never seen an obese child from a poor family in the Philippines. Fat babies, yes. But overweight children above the age of 7, I don’t think so.
There appear to be two theories from previous research studies:
Previous research has suggested that poor children weren’t getting nutritious food and instead ate junk food, such as hot dogs. Or that children may have eaten well when money was available, but would skip meals when cash was short, a cycle that could slow their metabolism and cause them to gain weight [Yahoo!].
Both theories are challenged in the new study (limited to three areas in the U.S.) but the latter is inconclusive anyway. Crazy, really, because apart from the statistics, the report says nothing more except that “much more research is needed.” Duh, but anyway…
There might be something in the “eating the wrong food” theory. People do get fat from eating the wrong food despite insufficient amounts. In highly industrialized countries where processed food is cheaper than fresh food, well, it does seem logical to presume that a cup of junk food three times a day will go much farther towards the road to obesity than three cups of fresh meat/seafood, vegetables and fruits three times a day. You know, the irony of being overweight but malnourished.
But in poor countries like the Philippines, families with very little income will not buy the kind of high-fat junk food that poor families in rich countries buy. Instead of hotdogs (considered a luxury by poor Filipino families), it’ll be instant noodles, boiled fresh vegetables (probably doused with a lot of patis or toyo for flavor), fried salted fish AND a lot of rice which, as always, is the tummy filler. Kids are not likely to become obese with such a diet — undernourishment is the main problem and they might develop kidney trouble later in their adult life because of the tremendous amount of sodium that go in their food.
While that may sound good in a twisted sense for those obsessed with physical appearance, poor families in Third World Asian countries may be facing a much bigger food problem. Prices of food in Asia have been going up, up and up and are not likely to go down soon.
The cause is not a simple equation of a high demand vis a vis a dwindling supply. It’s more complicated than that. Inflation, oil prices, changing lifestyles and industrialization (some call it progress but that may be debatable) are all factors. If that sounds alien, consider the statement that “China has lost 6 percent of its arable land since 1996 to industrial encroachment and desertification.” Translate that to the Philippine experience and ask how much agricultural lands have been converted to industrial uses.
In fact, let’s go even farther. There is at least one case, that of Hacienda Looc, where agricultural land had been sold by the government for conversion to a resort community. That’s exchanging a steady supply of food for a few millions which will just go to pay off debts — a gesture that will not put food in the mouths of the hungry. As of November, 2007, the farmers were still asking the Department of Agrarian Reform to nullify the sale. As unbelievable as it may seem, SM Properties Hamilo Coast project was one of the beneficiaries of the sale and I actually displayed a Hamilo Coast ad in Pinoy Cook for an entire month last year until I got pissed with the advertising agency representing Hamilo Coast and I decided that one month was enough. Gee, had I known about the controversy, I never would have. I truly regret having agreed to display the ad.
The bottomline is that the way we’re going — skyrocketing prices of food and all — it seems improbable that any significant number of Filipino children from poor families will become obese. They’re looking at a much more serious problem — previously unknown depths of malnourishment and, eventually, starvation.
That’s why it pains me when hubby’s relatives talk about my children not looking healthy because they are not fat. But they snack on fruits, oatmeal and milk. For me body mass/weight is not a sign of being healthy. Re agri land converted into residential places, I do not feel comfortable when I see new residential places being built here and there where farm lands were supposed to be because it means less places to grow produce for food. Sigh.
if you’re talking about the US, it might be true because it’s much cheaper to eat a lot and gain weight than to eat the right food and exercise.
you pay a premium if you want to eat low sugar, low fat. low sodium food and you have to go to a special section of the grocery or go to a special shop to buy. on the other hand, a $1 burger is easily available from the local golden arched fastfood joint.
it’s also more expensive to join a gym and lose weight. sitting in front of the TV after a hard day is more appealing. walking is free but they probably don’t have the time to do that because they’re busy surviving.
and low income is a relative term.
ayos ba sa english, ate connie? hehehe.
julie, it’s really ironic for an agricultural country to be a heavy rice importer, ano?
Batjay, the study covered Boston, San Antonio and one other US city. So, yes, the observation that a lot of poor kids are obese is basically drawn from US demographics.
Re “you pay a premium if you want to eat low sugar, low fat. low sodium food and you have to go to a special section of the grocery or go to a special shop to buy.”
Which really translates to: It is the capitalist culture that is responsible for the obesity epidemic, isn’t it? That, combined with the work-work-and-work-to-earn-more-more-more attitude which is really just another offshoot of the capitalist mentality.
Akala ko si Jet and nag-post nung comment tapos nilagay pangalan mo kasi galeng-galeng ng English eh hehehehehe
Sassy a friend once remarked to me two years ago, ‘tanga ka na lang pag magpapagutom ka dito sa pilipinas’. I knew what he meant in that given one’s resourcefulness, there are so many simple and even healthful ways to maintain your sustenance here, and i suspect that’s what we don’t see in the poor especially, when they get branded as statistics. It’s a radically different story in America, of course, when poor means you’re assaulted by your 80 cent fastfood meals which are decidedly unhealthy. But you wonder now if we’re already succumbing to the same mindset, thanks to chowking and jollibee dotting the entire countryside. And if we should start worrying the minute public markets start to get replaced by huge SM hypermarts and the like.
I agree with your friend, Ben. We have a very small backyard and we manage to raise a few herbs. And I’m not even a serious gardener nor in dire need of free veggies.
“But you wonder now if we’re already succumbing to the same mindset.”
I think we are although there are still places where indigenous cooking has managed to survive side by side with the fast food chains. Marikina, for instance. The carinderias still thrive. What I am so unhappy about is Tagaytay. Josme, it’s become a showcase for fastfood chains.
An average food stamp recipient in the U.S. gets about $21/wk per person. That’s $3/day. I couldn’t even look at fresh veggies and fruits at that rate. I’d almost have to subsist on ramen, canned goods of the cheapest variety, and yes, fast food.
I want to live in Denmark.
‘In so many places, including urban areas, there is a yard, there is a lawn, a little patch of land where you could grow food. My garden is only 10 by 20 feet. It’s a postage stamp. I grew so much food there last summer. What food is more local than the food you grow yourself, not to mention the fact that you get all this exercise while you’re gardening…Americans are a people so obsessed with nutrition yet whose dietary health is so poor. That strikes me as a paradox. We worry more about nutritional health, and we see food in terms of health. Yet we’re the world champs in terms of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and the cancers linked to diet.’ — Michael Pollan on his latest book, ‘In Defense of Real Food’ and ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma’ – http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/an-omnivore-defends-real-food/
Pinayhekmi, what an amazing article. I think I’ll go to Denmark with you! Ang galing ah.
Ben, that’s one thing I like about Antipolo (and hated about Metro Manila). Some people here, the hard-up ones, when they have a little open space, they plant, they raise chickens… in our neighborhood, there are a few enterprising ones who put up makeshift vegetable stalls to sell what they don’t consume.
re: “it seems improbable that any significant number of Filipino children from poor families will become obese” —agree, agree, agree. that study is far from reality in the Philippines’ case. not unless, those processed foods, err, junkie products from first world countries are dumped or donated free in Pinas.
feng, that’s what makes the ever rising popularity of the fast food culture scary.
Paano naman, sa US may Walmart at Price Club and people tend to buy in bulk and stockpile groceries due to affordability. Plus the convenience option of driving (tamad to cook) to nearest fastfood or starbucks. Kaya ang mga Filipino immigrants mukhang balyena na rin… hehe!
Oh my gosh….when we had family reunion, only those in the Philippines were skinny.
to julie: i believe that balance between agri land and residential places will be kept simply by our economy and market, so there is no worry.
Agree – obesity or overweight will not be a problem with poor Filipino kids. Malnutrition, yes.
In USA, it’s getting worst. A few more years, majority of the US residents will be overweight if not obese. We can only blame ourselves for allowing the fast foods, restaurants, processed food/drink manufacturers, sports/entertainment industries, and TV manufacturers (did I miss something)) to manipulate our senses. The government will not do anything about it. After all, it’s good for the economy. And the big Pharmas and their related industries love it too – it means more billions of dollars for medicines that you have to take for the rest of your life.
I’d dismiss it as ironic if it weren’t so catastrophic.
Can I ask someone who is a sociologist ..
What is his/her opinion about the increase number of obese children in different parts of the world ??
Thanks ..