We have come a long way from the days when having a rounded figure or a portly stomach was a sign that we were wealthy and well fed.

The size you are is fast becoming an issue. In America, the latest statistics show that an amazing one in three people is obese. Childhood obesity has doubled in the past 20 years giving rise to fears that the current generation is at high risk of Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.

Leela works full time, has a five-year-old son and weighs 92 kilos. She says that she has no time to take care of herself because if she’s not at work, she’s caring for her son or her home. She says that she feels the social pressure not to eat, but has a biological urge to do so. Her doctor told her that she was obese, gave her a diet sheet and advised her to take some exercise. Glad as she was to be offered help, she did not have the inclination to change her situation. The long hours that she worked made it difficult for her to stay on track with exercise and if she had free time she tended to spend it with her son. Because she found life so tiring, she felt the need to eat for energy.

There are many problems that Leela is dealing with, not the least because she does not really have time to take care of herself. She does recognize that she has an emotional attachment to food — if she has a bad day, she eats for comfort, and if she has a good day, she celebrates with food. And so she continues to gain weight.

The food environment is big business today; more money is made from readymade meals than from fresh vegetables and fruit. Our food supply has been enriched with sweeteners, salt, chemicals and coloring. One size portions encourage us to eat more food. The environment in which we live is the perfect recipe for obesity.

But in the end, whatever the reasons or causes, if we find ourselves obese like Leela, we cannot blame others. We have to take personal responsibility for our health. If you find yourself obese, you have to accept that your weight has reached danger level and you cannot put the problem on hold. It is an issue that has to be dealt with today.

Recipe of the Week

Chinese Cabbage, Carrot and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped ginger

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced Chinese cabbage (pok choi)

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots

1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, blanched and cut into small pieces

freshly ground black pepper

3/8 cup low-sodium soy sauce

Method

Heat a skillet or wok large enough to accommodate all the ingredients over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, peanut oil and ginger, and stir quickly for 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high. Add the cabbage, then the carrots, then the broccoli, stirring quickly after each addition. Season with pepper. Add the soy sauce and cook until the vegetables are slightly tender.

Ask Alva

Could you tell me if the calories in dry fruits and fresh fruits are the same? When you say “include fruits in your diet” are dried fruits like dates, apricots, figs, or prunes good enough? Abdallah S.

A portion of apricots has 80 calories if dried, but only 30 calories if fresh and the same holds good for most dried fruit. Fresh dates also have fewer calories than dried, but they are both very good for you. There seems to be more sugar in the dried variety. I really would recommend that you try to include freshly squeezed orange juice and some fresh fruit in your diet as the healthier alternative. If you would like a full copy of my healthy eating guide, just email to [email protected]. Alva