37% of Ukrainians are overweight
There is hardly any other problem that would have as many proven solutions as the problem of excessive weight. Researchers have estimated that the humanity has invented over ten thousand diets enabling people to indulge in food without any consequences for the figure. However, the fact remains that obesity has increased to epidemic proportions not only in the US, but also in the former Soviet Union. For example, according to gazeta.ru, every second adult in Russia is overweight. According to Russian nutritionists, by indulging in potatoes and sausages the population does not receive the required amount of proteins and dietary fiber. Meanwhile, the Russians consume no more than three-quarters of the minimum daily amount of 400 grams of fruits and vegetables recommended by the WHO.
However, as far as nutrition is concerned Russia and Ukraine face similar problems, according to the WHO. For example, medical and social research of the Ukrainian Institute of Social Health suggests that 37% of city residents are overweight, of whom 17.5% suffer from obesity. As a result, Ukraine ranks among Europe’s leading countries according to the number of overweight people. Meanwhile, experts forecast that in the near future 5-7% of budget funds allocated for health care will be spent on the treatment of overweight patients, who often suffer from diabetes and heart disorders.
Currently, nearly one million Ukrainians suffer from sugar diabetes; cardiovascular disease is our most frequent killer; and Ukraine ranks fifty-second on the human development index that measures life expectancy. Doctors claim that such a situation is in part due to the Ukrainian’s dietary habits and excessive weight. Simultaneously, the question as to why people get fatter in Ukraine has two seemingly contradictory answers: “life is hard in Ukraine” and “life is getting better in Ukraine.”
The first answer is by no means a revelation. According to the State Statistics Committee, the intake of meat products has declined by 56%, dairy products by 45%, and fish products by 38% as compared to 1990. A UN study has shown that an average Ukrainian eats only 33 kilograms of meat, 124 kilograms of fruits, and drinks 210 liters of milk per year. The daily calorific needs are satisfied with easily digestible carbohydrates, that is, potatoes, farinaceous foods, and pasta. Such dietary habits do not make for a slim figure. Moreover, they cause many disorders relating to vitamin deficiency. For example, vitamin C deficiency (90% of Ukrainian suffer from it) can lead to anemia. Vitamin B deficiency can cause mental disorders, and vitamin A deficiency can impair eyesight.
As for the second answer, psychologist Olena Dobronravova believes that the factor of prosperity has caused some Ukrainians to gain weight. Empty stalls in shops have been replaced with a wide array of beautifully packed foodstuffs, which causes many to behave like a child in a toyshop. That is, people go on a shopping spree without knowing what is good for them. Ms. Dobronravova believes such behavior stems from a subconscious fear resulting from the still fresh memories of meat queues. Such people find it hard to control their appetite, since they are in a hurry to taste everything. Hence the weight gains.
Moreover, experts believe there is another psychological problem in Ukraine that causes overeating, namely, constant mental and emotional stress. Scientists have found that a constant feeling of discomfort causes a yearning for food, that is, a person uses tasty food to overcome a feeling of failure. Considering the fact that, according to a study of the Institute of Sociology of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, 40% of Ukrainians are not adapted to the new social conditions, while 34% are dissatisfied with the quality of their life, this seems a quite plausible explanation.
However, the number of overweight people is on the rise throughout the world. For example, according to the WHO, the number of overweight Brazilians rose by 10% in the past two years. Meanwhile, 25% of men and 50% of women suffer from obesity in the Caribbean. Experts claim that in recent years people began to burn 1,000 less kilocalories per day. While forty years ago an average adult used to burn 3,000 kcal, now due to the sedentary lifestyle and technical progress an average adult burns 2,200 kcal at most. Such a situation calls for some radical measures. For example, a US airline company has adopted a rule whereby all obese individuals are required to buy two tickets, since sitting next to such a voluminous passenger can be distressing. Moreover, the management of some US companies has taken an even firmer stand, refusing employment to excessively obese people.
Understandably, there are no reasons yet for such radical steps to be taken in Ukraine. Experts believe there is a need for an information campaign, since despite a wealth of information in magazines the Ukrainians still do not know what healthful nutrition is all about. Research conducted by the Institute of Cardiology named for Strazhesko suggests that 45% of Ukrainians cannot assess the quality of their daily menus, 10% do not know how much the weigh, 60% do not take heed of the nutritionists’ recommendations, and 40% of families consider it inappropriate to think about what they should eat and in what amounts.
