Article October 4, 2004 Issue

WEIGHING IN FROM BERLIN

By Klaus-Hendrik Herr

The per capita amount of sugar consumed per year in Martin Luther's time, 500 years ago, was equal to that which is used today to sweeten two cups of coffee. Eating habits, as well as dietary needs, have been changing all over the world and over a long period of time. But never before in Europe have problems with obesity and overweight received as much attention as they are at this moment.

Many people blame eating habits and lack of exercise for the increasing obesity in the population. Another significant aspect of today's eating habits is time. Where restaurant owners in Germany once served regular customers every day at lunch time, they now often see these same people hastening by with sandwiches in their hands. The snack mentality is also affecting the family in that parents and children sit down less and less often at the dining table to share a home-cooked meal together. No food business wants to miss the chance to capitalize on the trend toward eating on the run. Here in Berlin, people can satisfy the desire for a quick bite not only at McDonalds and other hamburger joints, but at thousands of snack bars, Wurstbuden (sausage stands), Chinese fast-food places, pizza stands, sushi booths, and soup bars. And then there are "fingerfood" snacks for any time in between.

The German government has recently initiated action to fight the rapid rise in the numbers of children and teens who are overweight, as well as the associated health risks. But for some Germans it's as much about beauty trends as it is about actual body size. Overweight can also connote the uneasiness a person feels about his or her own body when it differs, sometimes dramatically, from what the media and advertising portray as good and beautiful.

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