Big Fat Figures For Americans To Munch On

The title of this entry is actually the title of an article in today's NST (world section). The article is taken from Times of India and written by SubodhVarma. Click here for the Times of India article.

Facts as stated in the article :

1. Total food grain consumption (wheat, rice, and all coarse grains like rye, barley, etc.) by American is more than 5 times that of an Indian. 
2. Each Indian eats about 178kg of grain annually while an American consumes 1,046kg.
3. In per capita terms, US grain consumption is twice that of the European Union and thrice that of China.
4. Each American consumes an average of 78kg of milk compared to 36kg in India and 11kg in China.
5. Vegetable oils consumption per person is 41 kg oer year in US, while Indians are making do with a mere 11kg per year.
6. 43.6kg of beef are consumed in America yearly in per capita terms. In India, 1.6kg and China 5.9kg.
7. In the US, 45.4kg of poultry meat is consumed every year by each person compared to 1.9kg in India.
8. As for pork, in per capita terms; European Union consumes 42.6kg, America consumes 29.7kg and in China 35kg.
9. Food grain consumption in Africa is 162kg per year for each person or about 445g per day.

I don't know how much Malaysians consume food grains, milk, beef or any other food sources. Perhaps not so much at the level that our American counterparts are consuming, but I do believe we're eating much more than those in India and Africa. Much more than needed.

And in light of the current global food crisis, it is saddening to be presented with such unbalanced consumption of foods in our world. It's like the scale is tilted to one side. On one hand we have obese kids running around an air-conditioned mall towards McDonalds or KFC or any other fast food outlet. And on the other hand; we have malnourished, weightless, disease-stricken babies in the thin sickly arms of their mothers.

Being a person of my, width, I know how hypocritical I am by stating what I did above. But I really do believe that developed nations and to a certain extent, developing nations harbours the fattest people on earth. And now that the prices of foods are increasing, I also believe that it is a good excuse for people with extended waistline to get back in shape. Cut down on food intake (thus cutting down on food expenses) and exercise more (saves a lot of toxic gas emissions like carbon monoxide,CFCs, etc.).

I know how naive I sound by recommending such simple steps of dieting and exercising to help reduce the ever increasing food prices. But if it could help in the littlest of way, say reducing family expenses, that in itself is a good output. It may not help globally but if more than just one family's expenses are reduced, it'll be something worth pursuing. And if not for economic factors, do it for a healthier lifestyle. Eating healthy and balanced diet as well as doing regular exercises are never bad for you!

Au revoir!