In my blog of February twenty seventh, Getting Addicted To Food, I had pointed fingers to the parents for being responsible for not preventing the children from eating food which was unhealthy. Someone who is more knowledgeable about this matters than I am, pointed out that it is not quite as simple as that. A lot depends on the socio-economic factors. While one can berate the middle class, the lower middle class and the working class , where the obesity levels are higher ,is due to the need to fill your stomach at the cheapest cost.
In the United States, in the slums, the ghettos and the barrio's, you do not see the full range supermarkets where you can buy your balance meal of carbohydrates, vegetables , and proteins. You rely on the mom and pop convenience stores, which do not store perishables. Or you go to the neighborhood fast food joints. You can get your fill at a relatively low cost, whereas the balanced meal which has to be cooked would add up to much more.
This is increasingly the case even in the emerging market countries such as India, where there is a influx of people to the urban areas. Increasingly both the husband and wife work and if you are in the lower end of the socio - economic spectrum , you will look for stomach fillers, such as deep fried samosas or fried spicy battered bread fritters or kulchas, the Indian equivalent of a burger bun. Eating this day after day, you are bound to put on weight and develop numerous health ailments.
I therefore have to limit my critical comments to those parents who can afford , but who still allow the children to go for the type of food which they know are not healthy. Finally , I also have to close with my mea maxima culpa . I plead guilty to having allowed my children to have sugared cereal, and the bi-monthly ( and sometimes more) outings to the fast food outlets. Perhaps I will be able to influence my grandchildren - if their parents allow me.
In the United States, in the slums, the ghettos and the barrio's, you do not see the full range supermarkets where you can buy your balance meal of carbohydrates, vegetables , and proteins. You rely on the mom and pop convenience stores, which do not store perishables. Or you go to the neighborhood fast food joints. You can get your fill at a relatively low cost, whereas the balanced meal which has to be cooked would add up to much more.
This is increasingly the case even in the emerging market countries such as India, where there is a influx of people to the urban areas. Increasingly both the husband and wife work and if you are in the lower end of the socio - economic spectrum , you will look for stomach fillers, such as deep fried samosas or fried spicy battered bread fritters or kulchas, the Indian equivalent of a burger bun. Eating this day after day, you are bound to put on weight and develop numerous health ailments.
I therefore have to limit my critical comments to those parents who can afford , but who still allow the children to go for the type of food which they know are not healthy. Finally , I also have to close with my mea maxima culpa . I plead guilty to having allowed my children to have sugared cereal, and the bi-monthly ( and sometimes more) outings to the fast food outlets. Perhaps I will be able to influence my grandchildren - if their parents allow me.
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