Another Iraqi casualty of American occupation: their waistlines
It only took five years, but the obesity epidemic has reared it's head as an unexpected consequence of the Iraq war. Sectarian violence in Iraq has kept many people retreating into the safety of their homes, drastically altering their previously lifestyles. War doesn't make people fat, but the sedentary lifestyle that comes with staying indoors can. "To go out was to risk being kidnapped, killed by a bomb or caught up in the other violence plaguing Iraq. Curfews hindered people who tried to remain active." The result? a 2006 World Health Organization survey reported 26% of men and 38% of women ages 25 to 65 were obese, with a BMI of 30 or higher.
topics:
News and Politics,
War,
Iraq,
Obesity,
Cost of War
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- abbym0308
- added this
- added September 08, 2008
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Wow, this is shocking. Evidence that weight isn't just about greediness or lack of self-control (as 'disgusting fatties' are so often portrayed in various media), but so much about lifestyle too.
I'd love to see a pod about this, if it is indeed a new epidemic sweeping Iraq. Hostile Environment Training anyone?
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- LindseyIndigo
- 4 months ago
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its terriible what war can cause and how it indirectly effects other aspects of an entire culture.
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