Its not just the fast food places. It is "fast food" in general. The traditional Chinese diet has been self prepared food for all of history. They now have hundreds of prepackaged food available. Most of them are prosessed wheat and corn products. Fast food places like MCDonalds, KFC, and Pizza Hut are pretty expensive for the Chinese budget. They certainly play a factor but from what I saw it has more to do with the processed and prepackaged convenience foods coupled with lack of education on nutrition issues. Fast Food restuarants are special. If I would ask my friend where they wanted to go for thir Birthday 99% of the time they would say McDonalds or KFC or a similar type place(they have Chinese fast food places too like Dicos) At first I was like "I am NOT taking you to McDonalds for your Birthday". They didn't understand. ITs expensive. A meal for two at MsDonalds can cost the same as a nice Chinese restuarant. When I was leaving China the last two meals I had were McDonalds and KFC (much to my dismay). My friends took me here as farewell meals. Not only did they take mne there but they ordered ice cream floats, deserts, the works. Seriously, two days worth of calories in one meal. McDonalds posts their calories and nutrition into on the packjages there like theyr do in the USA but I dont think anyone pays attention because frankly, they dont understand what it means.

I saw the greatest percentage of obesity in the big cities. In the cities they are plagues with the same problems as the US. Fast pased living, very few home cooked meals replaced by quick, easy, low nutrition convenience foods. LOTS OF FRIED FOODS! Even in the cities there are street vendors selling fried seafood, fried bread items, fried vegitables. Also baozi(buns with meat) and jiaozi (dumplings with meat) all fast, low nutrition food. There are mom and pop convenience stores everywhere selling potato chips, ice cream, noodles, bread items. Again, low nutrition convenient food. The big cities also have mass transportation systems. Lots of buses, taxies and even subways. Additionally 25,000 people a months are buying cars. People are making more money. But really, its not just the rich kids who are getting fat. Just like in america, its the poor kids too. It comes down to the calorie rich nutrition poor food choices that are readily available .


One other factor, many people still view obisity as a symbol of properity, especially in men. I have meat on my bones. Comnpared to CHinese women I am a big girl. I would constantly get conpliments from people about it. Especially older people. I had one student a tthe Kung Fu school who was really fat. He was constantly easting. In the cafeteria he would go back for thirds and fourths. His father owned the restaruant near the scholl just down from my apartment. I went in ther one day and was speaking with his auntie. She was telling me that his father wants him to be fat and is constantly telling him to eat. The kid was a total brat. Not one of my favorites. The auntie even said she couldn't stand him. Its true what is said about the single child being spoiled. But thats an entirely different subject I wont even get started on. haha!

"We must BE the change we wish to see in the world"-Gandhi