On Tuesday, May 6, 2003, at 10:50  AM, Jens Wilkinson wrote:

> I think that the key at least in Japan, and actually
> as far as I know in Korea and China as well, is that
> in fact the diet is not really completely dominated by
> rice. People typically consume a piece of fish and
> vegetables along with a bowl of rice, and in fact many
> younger Japanese now mostly eat McDonalds anyway...

Depended on income, local custom of course. A big part of the poor diet
in the past was simple lack of calories, undernourishment. That is
still a problem here with some young women. I often see sadly emaciated
girls. I was a high school teacher a few years back, it looked to be
pretty common in that age group, don't see it much in adults.

As for McDonalds! A LOT of young men eat convenience store food every
meal. Had a guy over once, we gave him a banana. He said in surprise
how long it had been since he had eaten one, they are too expensive in
the convenience store for him to buy.  The Weston Price type facial
distortions are so common as to be the norm rather than the exception.