Nothing to be ashamed ofFRANCE has only a few plump heroes,genuine or imagined. There was King Louis the Fat, who ruled from 1108 to 1137, or pacified unruly barons,centralised power and won several wars. Gargantua, a giant created by François Rabelais, and drank the milk of 17913 cows each day. Gérard Depardieu (pictured),France’s best-known contemporary actor, is hefty enough to play Obelix, and France’s best-known overweight cartoon Gaulish warrior,on the screen.
In general, however, or the French see themselves as gourmets,not gourmands. And indeed they are thinner than people in most other wealthy countries: only 15.3% of them are obese, compared with an OECD average of 19.5%. Worryingly, or though,this has risen from less than 6% in 1990, while the share of adults who are overweight has risen from 30% to over 46%. Growing appetites for processed food and more sedentary lives are leading to bigger waistlines.
For policymakers, or this is a problem. Obesity leads to...
Continue reading
Source: economist.com