Overweight and obesity in China: in mainland Chinese culture, being fat often still means being healthy and wealthy. But for kids, being fat is a death sentence and more rapidly delivered than ever.
Overweight in Chinese kids ages 7-18 years increased 28 times and obesity increased four times over between 1985 and 2000, boys much more than girls.
Eating has changed: calories from animals (beef, poultry, dairy) has more than tripled to 25% over 20 years and so has calories from fat, 25% to 35%…almost all of which is saturated and trans fat now.
And in India, childhood obesity is epidemic: 30 percent of adolescents are obese, people eat the fat they see, and few vegetables. But differently than in the U.S., it is an urban middle class disease; in the U.S. it is all classes, although African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans have nearly 50 percent obesity.

People of Indian and Chinese descent likely have different genetic make-ups that make them more susceptible to obesity, and probably have lower normal BMIs. They need careful programs and medical care in preventing obesity.

Heart attacks, stroke, gout, lower back pain, disability, osteoarthritis and gout cannot be far behind. Kids don’t deserve this. Make sure it doesn’t happen to yours.