Energy Crisis (Part 1) – Changing Times
At the same time as the offerings of the new virtual age are developing beyond our understanding, our waistlines are expanding at such a rate that statistics can barely keep up. Overweight/obesity is a hot topic that evokes a number of different responses. Overweight may cause feelings of shame and consumes the thoughts of many. Sometimes these feelings lead to rash decisions by both individuals and our society.
Never before has something so personal as body weight gotten as much attention from doctors, researchers, and even politicians! Although overweight carries with it a negative connotation, this worrisome conversation is incompatible with the goals of our society that have already been in existence for thousands of years.
Throughout history, a rounded stomach and plump cheeks has been recognized as a sign of wealth and good health. Perhaps you have seen a picture of the Chinese Buddha, the “laughing Buddha” with a smile on his lips, a few extra pounds on his waist, and carrying a sack. In Asia, being overweight brings good luck and Budai symbolize satisfaction with life. Previously, people have sought to be overweight and only few were able to achieve it. The situation has, however, reversed in its entirety in only a few years. The number of overweight people has grown exponentially in recent decades, and for the first time in history; there are more overweight people in the world than starving people in the world. We have enough food and we live with such abundance without much worry for tomorrow. Society’s development has brought happiness and satisfaction into the lives of many.
In this happy and abundant life there is, however, a flip side that we have come to understand only now, when we have been able to enjoy it. Although consuming enough food is an essential for a healthy life, consuming too much food causes its own problems for our health. Overweight causes premature death and increases the risk for a number of diseases including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, brain aneurism, sleep apnea and many forms of cancer.
