Discuss: Obesity in a World of Hunger

Why is there obesity in a world of hunger? 
The Farm Bureau puts out a little pamphlet giving
the percentage of disposable income spent on food. 
Their numbers are:

    United States     10%
    Finland     16%
 
     France     18%

     New Zealand     20%
  
    Australia     21%

    United Kingdom     22%
  
    Israel     26%

    South Africa     28%
  
    Mexico     33%

    India     51%
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What can be done to help solve this problem?
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Your Nutrition IQ


http://www.SelfGrowth.com

Fitness and Exercise
Nutrition IQ (excerpt)
By Hut Allred
May 2, 2007

Most of you at one time or another has learned about the importance of eating
a well balanced diet.  While most of us know how important it is to eat right,
the real question is, “What is the right thing to eat”?

How many of you really know what’s healthy and what’s not? Here are a few
questions and answers on nutrition that may surprise you. Test your nutrition IQ
 and see how much you really know about eating a well balanced diet by seeing
if you know the answers to the following questions.

1. You can eat Fast-Foods when following a low-fat diet? True, many fast-food restaurants
 now have menu that include foods for anyone watching their weight. Just remember to not
 over do it and eat the appropriate size portion.

2. Would you consider pop-corn, pretzels, and apples to be an appropriate snack?
True, these are great snacks when eaten in moderation.

3. Do the new labels on foods give you a general idea of a food’s nutrient contribution
according to consuming 2,500 calories a day? False, the new labels give you the percent
 daily value for 2,000 calories consumed daily.

4. You can eat a healthy meal when you eat out a lot? True, as long as you look for
foods that are backed, roasted, grilled, steamed or baked. Also try picking fish and lean
 meats and ask for your salad dressing on the side instead of on your salad.

5. There are no ethnic foods that offer healthy eating choices. False, you should be able
to find something healthy no matter what ethnic the food is. Look for foods that are rich
 in fiber and complex carbs and low in fat.

6. According to the food guide pyramid, fruit is the food group that you need to eat the
most of during the day? False: Fruit is 2-4 servings, Vegetables is 3-5, Meat, poultry,
fish, eggs, nuts, and beans is 2-3, and Dairy is 2-3 servings per day.

7. The best way to cut back on fat at home is to completely eliminate if from your diet.

8. You don’t have to count calories when you’re on a low-fat diet? False, even if your
limiting your fat intake, if you over eat, you will have trouble losing weight.

It’s a known fact that in order to live a happier, healthier life, it’s important to combine
proper nutrition with a routine of exercise. The problem isn’t knowing; it’s combining
these factors into your life and making it a habit, just like brushing your teeth. Knowing
and doing are two different things. Being aware that changes need to be made to your
daily nutrition in order to live a longer, healthier life is the first step in the right direction
 to a better you.
 
© Copyright by SelfGrowth.com, Self Improvement Online, Inc.

HEY FEMA! “Waste Not, Want Not!”

MSNBC.com

WP: FEMA Food Went to Waste
More than $40 million worth of supplies tossed out, scavenged for re-use
By Spencer S. Hsu

The Washington Post
Updated: 8:20 a.m. PT April 13, 2007

WASHINGTON – As many as 6 million prepared meals stockpiled near potential victims
of the 2006 hurricane season spoiled in the Gulf Coast heat last summer when the Federal
Emergency Management Agency ran short of warehouse and refrigeration space, according
to agency officials.

In all, hundreds of truckloads of food worth more than $40 million are being thrown away or
scavenged for unspoiled contents to be offered to domestic hunger-relief groups, FEMA officials
said. Most of the meals were commercial versions of the military’s Meals Ready to Eat, which
were ruined despite being engineered to withstand the demands of desert and jungle climates.
( Read more )

FTC Urged To Crack Down on Enviga

Federal Trade Commission Urged to Crack Down on Enviga

CSPI Says “Calorie Burning” and Weight Loss Claims Illegal

WASHINGTON—The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should take enforcement action
against Coca-Cola and Nestlé for their unlawful
deceptive advertising for Enviga, their
green-tea-flavored diet soda,
according to a complaint filed with the agency today by the
nonprofit Center for Science in the
Public Interest (CSPI). At issue is the companies’ claim
that Enviga
burns more calories than the five calories per can it delivers, which, CSPI says,
strongly implies weight loss. CSPI is separately suing
Coke and Nestlé in federal court on the
same issue but says that
shouldn’t stop the FTC from cracking down immediately on the false
advertising. (Read more: http://www.cspinet.org/new/200705212.html

Farmed Fish Fed Melamine!

  MSNBC.com
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URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18556690/
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Farmed fish given meal tainted with melamine
Not clear if contaminated fish entered the human food supply
The Associated Press
Updated: 4:25 p.m. PT May 8, 2007

WASHINGTON - Farmed fish have been fed meal spiked with the same chemical
 that has been linked to the pet food recall, but the contamination was probably too
low to harm anyone who ate the fish, federal officials said Tuesday.

The Canadian-made meal included what was purported to be wheat gluten, a protein
 source, imported from China. The material was actually wheat flour spiked by the
chemical melamine and related, nitrogen-rich compounds to make it appear more protein
 rich than it was, officials said.

After pigs and chickens, the farmed fish mark the third food animal given contaminated
 feed. The level of contamination is expected to be too low to pose any danger to human
 health, said Dr. David Acheson, the FDA’s assistant commissioner for food protection.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18556690/
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Africa’s Cancer Burden-Separated, Unequal

MSNBC.com
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‘Stark inequalities’ in access to cancer drugs
New meds not available even in some developed countries, experts say
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18581150/
Reuters Updated: 5:19 p.m. PT May 9, 2007

The use of modern cancer drugs can vary by a factor of 10 between different
developed countries, while millions in Africa lack access even to basic pain relief,
experts said on Thursday.

Swedish researchers said there were “stark inequalities” in access to cancer
medicine around the world, contributing to significant differences in patient survival.

The United States, France, Switzerland and Austria are the leaders in using new
cancer drugs, while Britain, New Zealand, Poland, the Czech Republic and South
Africa are lagging, according to an analysis of 67 medicines across 25 countries.

The biggest differences were seen in four new colorectal and lung cancer drugs —
Avastin, or bevacizumab; Erbitux, or cetuximab; Tarceva, or erlotinib; and Alimta,
or pemetrexed.
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ARTICLE: URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18581150/
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Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

Drinks Making You Fat?

MSNBC.com
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Your drinks may be making you fat
Studies find many Americans are pouring on the pounds
By Karen Collins, R.D.
Updated: 9:48 a.m. PT Feb 16, 2007

New findings are adding to the research suggesting that more than ever before,
what and how much we drink may increase calorie intake and weight without
our noticing.

The problem of increasing waistlines and obesity in the United States has escalated
 in the last 30 years. During this time, calorie consumption increased an average of
 150 to 300 calories per day, with about half that increase coming from beverages.
 The variety of calorie-dense beverages and number of soft-drink servings per day
 both grew. Average soft drink portion size increased more than 50 percent from
about 13 ounces to almost 20 ounces.
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Click Link to Read Full Article
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17132272/
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© 2007 MSNBC Interactive

Does Less Trans Fat Make Food Healthier?

Does Less Trans Fat Make Food Healthier?
April 17, 2007
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WASHINGTON (AP) – A major change in the national diet is under way:
Heart-damaging trans fat is  rapidly disappearing from grocery aisles and restaurant
 food, too. But are its replacements really healthier?

It’s a tricky time for consumers, because the answer depends on the food — and some
 are losing trans fat  only to have another artery clogger take its place, that old nemesis
 saturated fat.

"Right now the public has to be very careful … if something says ‘trans fat-free,’
what else is in it?" warns  Dr. Robert Eckel, past president of the American Heart
Association.

Trans fat has become the new fall guy for bad nutrition. Chain restaurants are struggling
 to get it off the menu after New York City and Philadelphia required restaurants to phase
 it out by next year. Bills to restrict or ban trans fat in restaurants or school cafeterias have
been introduced in at least 20 states.

At grocery stores, the government began forcing food labels to disclose the amount of trans
 fat in packaged  foods last year, and the race was on to see which manufacturers could
eliminate it first.

The irony: Americans eat about five times more saturated fat than trans fat. And while
 gram-for-gram, trans fat is considered somewhat more harmful than its cousin, too much
 of  either greatly increases the risk of heart disease  stroke, diabetes and other ailments…. 
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Click Lick – Read Full Article:
http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/fitness/articles/2007/04/16/does_less_trans_
fat_make_food_healthier?mode=PF

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