Comments on: Nutrition and Economic Systems

By: Growing Meat in a Lab | The China Nutrition Project

Growing Meat in a Lab | The China Nutrition Project — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:05:27 +0000

[…] Who are we kidding here? Starvation, and food insecurity is not due to a lack of meat in the world; it is due to poverty and an unequal distribution of wealth. Do these researchers plan on changing that along with providing meat from a petri […]

By: Lua

Lua — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 04:27:29 +0000

Recent research out of the University of Southern California shows that it’s not necessarily the consumption profile that’s is changing in urban areas of China. Yes urbanites are eating more fast food, convenience foods, and meat. But through recent studies on consumption patterns, it turns out urban Chinese continue to get their main source of calories from what people in the U.S. would consider healthy foods. They’re just eating more, and moving less. So while in other places nutritionists are trying to change the makeup of the diet (think U.S. driven campaigns on the food guide pyramid, five-a-day, etc), in China these campaigns would not be particularly salient.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 18:15:50 +0000

Do you believe that the increase in obesity and related metabolic disorders is due to the greater caloric intake in general, more meat specifically, or some other combination of factors. In the shift away from a more cereal based diet, have you observed that the Chinese are adopting – at least for the people who can afford it – a consumption profile similar to what prevails in the U.S.?

By: Lua

Lua — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 15:25:35 +0000

Yes, you are absolutely right. I used to make no distinction between obesity and underweight when discussing “malnutrition”, but after years of experience gave into the fact that this tends to just confuse people (who automatically associate malnutrition with underweight and not obesity). So when I write articles or in discussions, I will begin by defining malnutrition as “underweight and/or stunting”. I find this causes less confusion.

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:54:44 +0000

“…farmers do not necessarily grow food that is nutritious, but food for which there is a market.” Similarly, in China–and elsewhere, farmers do not grow food in healthy, sustainable ways, because there is a market for inexpensive food. Chinese farmers commonly use pesticides that are harmful to animal and human health, and they overuse these pesticides…except perhaps when the crops are intended for certain officials (http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2011/06/southern-weekend-special-organic-food-supply-for-officials-only/).

By: Artem

Artem — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:24:50 +0000

I just want to double-check: obesity is, technically, malnutrition (wrong proportions of nutrients). It’s just that nobody treats it that way yet.