Melbourne is pretty cold at the moment (by Australian standards anyway) and spring seems a distant possibility. Singapore is, as ever, hot and humid. The contrast is startling.
As too, is the contrast between the "fat" Singaporeans and the slender ones. Yesterday I did my obligatory march down Orchard Road to shop (duty calls!) and saw strong evidence of the high body fat percentage in many Singaporeans - male and female. Whilst the women may still fit into a size 10 pair of jeans, their wobble is evident. In contrast, there are many other women who have the typical Asian small frame carrying just the right amount of weight. Nothing skeletal, no protruding bones (a la runway models), just a whole lot of normal.
What's the difference? In my in-depth scientific survey (one afternoon's shopping expedition!) I believe the overweight Singaporeans have embraced the bounty of Western fast food on offer. After seeing all the cakes, sweetened drinks, ice creams, chocolate on offer, I'm not surprised. It doesn't seem that the composition of traditional Singaporean foods has changed. There are just so many "extras" on offer. If shopping is a national sport, then so too is snacking.
Perhaps the slender Singaporeans are eschewing the "I'm in a cafe....I'll have a cake" mentality and listening to their bodies more closely. Sadly, the chubby Singaporeans may already be in the grip of the Western devils (fat and sugar) but there's some good news on the horizon. The government is aware of the issue and is taking steps to educate and motivate the population.
I'm off now to have some beautiful tropical fruit with my breakfast. Today is a public holiday in Singapore marking the end of Ramadan. Eid mubarak!
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