The International Herald Tribune has a story concerning obesity rates in India and their cause. It looks at the outsourcing boom that has swept India as a reason for their increased obesity rates. With the latest news that sitting shuts down fat burning enyzmes, this seems to make sense.
The article is a good, quick read, but the there is an issue with the information presented. It seems the Indian government isn’t any better at staking the obesity issue than the US government. The article notes:
Reliable estimates on the number of people affected are hard to come by, but government officials and experts agree that it is a growing problem.
At the same time a government official is quick to note:
After working, they party for the rest of the time. They have bad diet, excessive smoking and drinking. We don’t want these young people to burn out.
The government official has the right attitude.
There are programs for the people to seek help, but many feel that if they admit they need help they will be ostracized at work. It’s an interesting flip of culture, but it’s one that the government and industry are trying to address. There are counseling companies popping up like that are modeled on the United State’s employee programs.
The most interesting thing about this is that a country that’s assuming more and more of the sedentary positions from the United States is starting to see an increase in obesity.