68. Obesity

For millenia people like you and I have been living on the edge of a abyss - hunger, poverty, starvation, death and famine was never far away. Now in many regions of the world this situation has changed so dramatically that enemy no 1 is....OBESITY. We eat to much!

What has changed?

Economic freedom, technology, trade and growth.

There are however still some areas in the world where this level has not yet been achieved. The people of North Korea, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, and other countries that have repressive regimes are still in dire straits. Some countries where human suffering is high, like Cuba and some Latin American countries, are too held hostage by socialist dictators and it will be some time before they too will be able to benefit from the fruits of liberty.

Many erstwhile Communist countries have discarded their antiquated way of thinking and millions of their people have stepped over the poverty line - so much so that the Vietnamese Ministry of Health has issued a warning that people shouldn't be working so hard for flat screen TVs and Cellphones! (I'll be checking the reference for this one).

There seem to be a clear relationship between Economic Growth and other freedoms experienced in a country - governments and policy makers should take note of these and craft their public actions along these lines - enabling the populace to help themselves to the rich takings of economic prosperity - even though they may become fat and happy as a result.

Charl Heydenrych

19 October 2015