In Africa, the urban poor battle with weight matters

Who says obesity is a disease for the rich?

It is estimated that about half of the urban population in Africa is either overweight or obese and by 2025,  three quarters of the global obese population will be in poor third world countries.

A new study, Overweight and Obesity in Urban Africa, demonstrates that waistlines on the continent have been expanding seven times faster among the poor than the rich.

The study tracked data from several African countries including Kenya, Malawi, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Niger and Burkina Faso.

Lead researcher Abdhalah K Ziraba blames it on the easy access to greasy food in the slums.

Poor urban women in Kenya lead the heavyweights club with 38 per cent considered obese, closely followed by those in Ghana and Niger at 35 per cent.

This could turn out to be a weighty problem as obesity is a well recognised risk factor for various chronic health problems such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain cancers.

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Nude cyclists get ‘misguided’ warning

Two men caught riding around nude at the seaside resort of Whangamata, on the northeastern coast of New Zealand, got off with a warning to wear protective gear on their heads. 

According to the BBC, local policewoman Cathy Duder was unfazed when she came across the two, both in their early 20s and decidedly sober.

“They were more shocked than I was, trying to cover up their bits and pieces with their hands,” she said.  

However, they should have been covering up elsewhere. Ms Duder issued them with a reprimand for not wearing helmets and then sent the pair, who claimed they only wanted to experience “total freedom,” directly home.

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Israeli professors take lectures to new level

Big cuts in Israel’s budget for higher education have forced professors from one university in Jerusalem to deliver lectures aboard public transport.