Samoans getting Zumba fit, but obesity still on the rise
Physical activity in Samoa has increased…Yet obesity and other “first world diseases” are still on the rise, with the government declaring them a “national emergency”.
Dr Walter Vermeulen, who runs weekly nutrition seminars, said he often saw people who complained they had been exercising for years and had not shed any weight.
“Exercise alone will not make you lose weight,” he said.
Instead, he prescribes exercise in combination with a “whole-foods, plant-based diet”.
“Corned beef has now been elevated to a status food, driving farmers to use their revenues from the sale of their health-promoting [vegetables] to buy pounds of tins of corned beef.”
Photo: Processed meat fills shelf after shelf in Samoan supermarkets, and is often blamed for rendering 80% of adult overweight or obese. (Supplied: Iona Salter)
I looked up Dr Vermeulen as I liked his message and found an article by him titled WFPB without Borders. I thought WFPB…WTF?
Google told me it means Whole Food Plant Based. Of course!
There is a whole nutritional institute based on this principle. Dr Vermeulen joined it after watching the documentary Forks Over Knives. When he found personal benefits from the diet he adopted this principle professionally as well.
(If only there was Google in 1985 so I didn’t have to ask my mum what ‘wanker’ meant…)
Forks Over Knives movie
WFPB: GFP, GFA, GFTE!
( Whole foods plant based: Good for people, good for animals, good for the environment!)
SPAW is a New Zealand run animal aid organisation working on Pacific Islands. We recruit industry professionals and work with local agencies to run professional veterinary care and mass spay/neuter clinics within communities on our neighbouring Pacific Islands. SPAW is a NZ based registered charity.
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