The Mexican Obesity Crisis is a Growing Health Concern
Mention the country of Mexico, and odds are, the first area of concern that comes to mind is the raging drug war. But Mexicans are facing a new and growing crisis, one that has claimed four times as many lives as the drug wars. You might be surprised, though, especially if you learned that the enemy could very well be a big cup of icy cold Coke.
Obesity was virtually unheard of in Mexico a short 30 years ago, but the changing times have created a different face for the country. A recent study, published by CNN.com, shows that Mexico has surpassed the United States as the country with the highest level of obesity. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development reports that 69.5 percent of the Mexican population aged 15 and older is overweight or obese.
The United Kingdom was ranked first for the European countries.
Similar to the U.S., the obesity levels are high in the very youngest of age groups. Four-and-a-half million children between the ages of five and 11 are overweight. The Mexican government has noticed the crisis and in 2010 instituted an initiative urging its citizens to drink more water, increase their fruit and vegetable intake and get more exercise. Many school districts have jumped on board and outlawed junk food inside their doors. The rest of the city has been slow to follow, though, and many parents report that their children can purchase junk food as soon as they leave the school grounds.
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