Castro's Diet and Exercise Plan

Ronald Bailey | September 25, 2007

In his "documentary" Sicko, Michael Moore failed to cite one of Cuban socialism's true health triumphs--the reduction of heart disease and diabetes among Cubans during the 1990s. A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University finds that the Cuban economic collapse had a health upside. As the study's abstract reports:

Cuba's economic crisis of 1989-2000 resulted in reduced energy intake, increased physical activity, and sustained population-wide weight loss...The crisis reduced per capita daily energy intake from 2,899 calories to 1,863 calories. During the crisis period, the proportion of physically active adults increased from 30% to 67%, and a 1.5-unit shift in the body mass index distribution was observed, along with a change in the distribution of body mass index categories. The prevalence of obesity declined from 14% to 7%, the prevalence of overweight increased 1%, and the prevalence of normal weight increased 4%.

In the press release reporting the study researcher Manuel Franco notes:

"Future steps towards prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes should focus on long-term population-wide interventions by encouraging physical activity and the reduction of caloric intake."

By "population-wide interventions" I suspect Franco doesn't mean the imposition of backward socialist economic policies. At least I hope he doesn't.

Comments

sv|9.25.07 @ 5:19PM|#

every morning a giant screen containing Dear Leader's face leads us and our comrades in calisthenics.

|9.25.07 @ 5:20PM|#

This is why the superfit North Koreans worry me so profoundly.

|9.25.07 @ 5:21PM|#

By "population-wide interventions" I suspect Franco doesn't mean the imposition of backward socialist economic policies. At least I hope he doesn't.

He does.

1863 calories/day is getting close to the minimum. How about we call it the "Better Living Through Poverty/Starvation" program?

Paul|9.25.07 @ 5:22PM|#

Wasn't there a particular population around World War II that also saw a dramatic drop in obesity?

Episiarch|9.25.07 @ 5:23PM|#

population-wide interventions by encouraging physical activity and the reduction of caloric intake

It all depends on what he means by "encourage". Knowing these types, I would assume "government force".

|9.25.07 @ 5:28PM|#

I think he means more studies and press releases.

What do the authors do, again?

|9.25.07 @ 5:31PM|#

"Future steps towards prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes should focus on long-term population-wide interventions by encouraging physical activity and the reduction of caloric intake."

Wow, eat less and exercise more. I'm pretty certain our government has been encouraging that. At least since the JFK administration.

|9.25.07 @ 5:34PM|#

Or maybe it was eat more and exercise less. They really should spend more of my tax dollars getting the message out.

|9.25.07 @ 5:35PM|#

The manifestation of the Nanny State. What best serves the hive, is best for all.

|9.25.07 @ 5:37PM|#

By "population-wide interventions" I suspect Franco ...

wants fascism?

Oh, wrong Franco.

|9.25.07 @ 5:43PM|#

What do the authors do, again?

Authors do it slowly...

|9.25.07 @ 5:46PM|#

So, which is better for weight loss and exercise--fascism or Communism?

SIV|9.25.07 @ 5:51PM|#

Wasn't there a particular population around World War II that also saw a dramatic drop in obesity?

German public health officials significantly reduced obesity in the Jewish population.

Stalin wiped out obesity-related problems in the Ukraine in the early 30s.

Socialists are better than capitalists on this issue.

|9.25.07 @ 5:52PM|#

This was one of the great benefits of the Cultural Revolution; all those overfed Party functionaries were freed from their desks, and allowed the happy luxury of working in the fresh air.

Ahhhh!

|9.25.07 @ 5:54PM|#

By "population-wide interventions" I suspect Franco ...

wants fascism?

Oh, wrong Franco.

"Oh shit, another Franco" might be better.

Mad Max|9.25.07 @ 6:00PM|#

"Wasn't there a particular population around World War II that also saw a dramatic drop in obesity?"

From zero to Godwin in no time flat!

|9.25.07 @ 6:18PM|#

From zero to Godwin in no time flat!

Nope. Took a whole 20 minutes.

|9.25.07 @ 6:20PM|#

You know, the Nazis used to make the Jews wear a certain piece of flair back in the 30s.

|9.25.07 @ 6:31PM|#

Before any further discussion, I feel it necessary to remind everyone that the BMI is total Bullshit!

Paul|9.25.07 @ 6:48PM|#

You know, the Nazis used to make the Jews wear a certain piece of flair back in the 30s.

It's true, joe. This is no laughing matter. In one way or another, we're all working for Chotchkies.

The Chinese Cultural Revolution was the bomb when it came to reducing unwanted flab.

Russ 2000|9.25.07 @ 6:53PM|#

the proportion of physically active adults increased from 30% to 67%

They're inflating the figures by counting those rowing to Florida.

JBinMO|9.25.07 @ 7:12PM|#

"What best serves the hive, is best for all."

When I was in colledge, that was defined as facism. The people exist to serve the state.

Paul|9.25.07 @ 7:38PM|#

When I was in colledge, that was defined as facism. The people exist to serve the state.

That's certainly how Mr. Hitler defined it.

Here the state must act as the guardian of a millennial future in the face of which the wishes and the selfishness of the individual must appear as nothing and submit. It must put the most modern medical means in the service of this knowledge. It must declare unfit for propagation all who are in any way visibly sick or who have inherited a disease and can therefore pass it on, and put this into actual practice. Conversely, it must take care that the fertility of the healthy woman is not limited by the financial irresponsibility of a state regime which turns the blessing of children into a curse for the parents. It must put an end to that lazy, nay criminal, indifference with which the social premises for a fecund family are treated today, and must instead feel itself to be the highest guardian of this most precious blessing of a people. Its concern belongs more to the child than to the adult. --Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

So put on your helmets, quit smoking, lose some weight-- you're burdening the rest of us.

|9.25.07 @ 8:45PM|#

The Chinese Cultural Revolution was the bomb when it came to reducing unwanted flab.

It was the Great Leap Forward that really melted off the pounds.

Although the Cultural Revolution got plenty of sedentary people to adopt a more active lifestyle.

BruceM|9.25.07 @ 10:54PM|#

This just in - those forced to clean latrines with toothbrushes have cleaner than average latrines.

|9.25.07 @ 10:56PM|#

Dear Mad Max,

The same thing happened in Holland when the Germans invaded during WW II. The Dutch could no longer eat butter, cream, and nice cuts of meat in the amounts they were formerly accustomed to.

Nothing like a diet of whole grain bread, cabbage, and rutabaga to clear out the arteries.

|9.25.07 @ 11:49PM|#

Beards folks. You don't gave a beard, yer gonna die.

|9.26.07 @ 5:46AM|#

hmm..lots of hyperbole here.

What happened in 1991-2ish? End of soviet union. which means end of subsidies for Commie Cuba. Which means that the reduction in obesity and so forth was not an imposition of more government intervention, but a reduction of government intervention occured.

There is and was still plenty of reprehensible government interventionin Cuba, but this is what happened when subsidies were removed.

Now if only we could do that here State-side. Likely corn-sweetener and other heavily subsides fatteners would icnrease in price and people would thin up....withless government intervention.

|9.26.07 @ 5:49AM|#

some sourcing for the above comment:
http://globalpublicmedia.com/articles/657

Yes Cuba does seem to be somewhat less repressive today than 20 years ago.

|9.26.07 @ 6:15AM|#

Maybe they could sell this from a tourism angle.

Cuba! Fat camp island for wealthy Europeans!

|9.26.07 @ 6:47AM|#

Nothing like a diet of whole grain bread, cabbage, and rutabaga to clear out the arteries.

I don't know about arteries, but such a diet would certainly clean out something.

|9.26.07 @ 9:40AM|#

Julio Franco has somehow managed to stay in great shape despite his wealth.

SPD|9.26.07 @ 10:31AM|#

Like the saying goes, you can never be too repressed or too thin.

Starvin Marvin|9.26.07 @ 10:36AM|#

[thinking] you know, this paunch won't help in scorin' the chix...