Go on a diet, India tells USAmericans

[S.A.M.]

Instead of blaming India and other developing nations for the rise in food prices, Americans should rethink their energy policy and go on a diet, say a growing number of politicians, economists and academics here.

Criticism of the United States has ballooned in India recently, particularly after the Bush administration seemed to blame India's increasing middle class and prosperity for rising food prices. Critics from India seem to be asking one underlying question: "Why do Americans think they deserve to eat more than Indians?"

The food problem has "clearly" been created by Americans, who are eating 50 percent more calories than the average person in India, said Pradeep Mehta, the secretary general of CUTS Center for International Trade, Economics and Environment, a private economic research organization based in India with offices in Kenya, Zambia, Vietnam and Britain.

If Americans were to slim down to even the middle-class weight in India, "many hungry people in sub-Saharan Africa would find food on their plates," Mehta said. The money Americans spend on liposuction to get rid of their excess fat could be funneled to famine victims instead, he added.​

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/13/business/food.php

Hehe

The numbers:

Americans eat an average of 3,770 calories per capita a day, the highest amount in the world, according to data from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, compared to 2,440 calories in India. They are also the largest per capita consumers in any major economy of beef, the most energy-intensive common food source, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The United States and Canada top the world in oil consumption per person, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

 

[John99]

Is this some kind of a joke?

For one thing there are more Indians living in U.S than...oh god, i dont even know but they are all over the place - believe me. I am not complaining because they are nice people and dont bother anyone. IOW they are not arrogant like certain people would be led to believe if they went by reading some posts here by users who may be Indian.

Another thing to consider is as far as the food goes lets face it Indian food does leave a little to be desired so it's not like people would be inclined to over eat. I cn tell you that there re plenty of chubby Indians in U.S.

Oil- Canada and U.S are very cold places to live.

 

[S.A.M.]

The gas prices are higher in India than in the US.

 

[John99]

How do you feel about populations that are bursting at the seems?

 

[S.A.M.]

You mean like the 60% obesity in the US?

Can you see the irony in a fat nation complaining to a poor nation about eating too much?

FYI, current gas prices in India are $5.77 a gallon or about Rupees 52 a liter.

 

[S.A.M.]

Why do the biggest consumers complain about shortage and prices?

 

[lepustimidus]

Because they are the biggest consumers? Duh.

 

[Carcano]

But back on topic. Why do the biggest consumers complain about shortage and prices?

Americans dont know what a shortage is.

There are millions of people in poor countries who eat little more than grain, and live very close to the edge of survival.

Grain prices are closely determined by fuel and fertilizer prices.

Americans will simply stop buying Cheez Doodles...while the third world will simply starve.

 

[skaught]

Hmm, how about instead of funneling the money we funnel the gelatinous slosh from the liposuctions directly into the mouths of hungry indians?

HEY! I was gonna say that!

 

[skaught]

Survival of the fittest...

 

[Asguard]

MOD HAT:
Sam, Dr Lou Natic

Knock it off. Sam either this was a serious thread or you should have posted it in free thoughts

 

[Zephyr]

Survival of the fittest...

You mean fattest?

 

[Dr Lou Natic]

MOD HAT:
Sam, Dr Lou Natic

Wtf?
You dumb arsehole, don't mod what you can't understand.

 

[francois]

You mean like the 60% obesity in the US?

That's not correct. 2/3rds of the population are overweight, not obese. I'm 6' at 190 lbs. I have a BMI of .25; I am overweight. Even though my body fat is around 12% which is normal.

1/3rd of the population is, as you say, obese.

Granted, that doesn't change the fact that we are fatasses. It's disgusting. The cost of this predicament is undoubtedly humongous.

 

[lepustimidus]

You can eat heaps of calories, and still be malnourished...

 

[clusteringflux]

 

[lepustimidus]

And I still don't understand why S.A.M is bemused regarding the U.S.A's attitude regarding food prices. If I am the major purchaser of grain from company X, and company X then informs me of an increase in the price of grain due to the shortage, no doubt I'm going to go 'WTF?'

But this thread is clearly just another lame attempt to poke fun at the U.S.A. I would expect no more from some poser from a second world shithole.

I wonder how India would fare with the U.S.A as a trade partner?

 

[lepustimidus]

I thought it might be appropriate to point out that obesity isn't exactly an indication of a good diet. It's actually the lower socioeconomics that are more likely to suffer from obesity and cardiovascular disease in the West.

 

[S.A.M.]

And I still don't understand why S.A.M is bemused regarding the U.S.A's attitude regarding food prices.

Hmm because they are a bigger cause of the high food prices?

Politicians and academics in India cite various other reasons: diversion of arable land in the United States and Europe into ethanol production; trade subsidies by the United States and Europe; and the dollar's decline.

Subsidies to Western farmers have undercut agricultural production in fertile areas of Africa for decades, Kamal Nath, India's minister for commerce and industry, said by telephone. Meanwhile, he added, Americans waste more food than people in many other countries, in part because they buy in such large quantities.

The United States is responsible "many times more" than India for the world food crisis because of its higher food consumption, said Ramesh Chand, an economist with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, which advises India's government on farming policy.

And they already eat waaay too much? Not to mention the colossal waste?

And they are blaming developing countries?

 

[Nasor]

Criticism of the United States has ballooned in India recently, particularly after the Bush administration seemed to blame India's increasing middle class and prosperity for rising food prices. Critics from India seem to be asking one underlying question: "Why do Americans think they deserve to eat more than Indians?"

Umm...how did the Indians infer that anyone thought they don't deserve to eat? No one ever said they are doing anything wrong. It's elementary economics that if more people want something (like meat), it's going to cost more. Indians and Chinese are rapidly increasing the amount of meat that they import, so prices go up. It's amazing how some people can perceive any statement of fact as a criticism. It's like humans go out of our way to try to be insulted by things.