U.S. Should Go on Diet of its Own, India Says
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 05:03PM 
Instead of blaming India and other developing nations for the rise in food prices, Americans should rethink their energy policy and go on a diet, say a growing number of politicians, economists and academics here.
Criticism of the United States has ballooned in India recently, particularly after the administration of President George W. Bush seemed to blame India's increasing middle class and prosperity for rising food prices. Critics from India seem to be asking one underlying question: "Why do Americans think they deserve to eat more than Indians?"
The food problem has "clearly" been created by Americans, who are eating 50 percent more calories than the average person in India, said Pradeep Mehta, the secretary general of CUTS Center for International Trade, Economics and Environment, a private economic research organization based in India with offices in Kenya, Zambia, Vietnam and Britain.
If Americans were to slim down to even the middle-class weight in India, "many hungry people in sub-Saharan Africa would find food on their plates," Mehta said. The money Americans spend on liposuction to get rid of their excess fat could be funneled to famine victims instead, he added.
Developing nations like China and India have long been blamed for everything from the rising cost of commodities to global warming, because they are consuming more goods and fuels than ever before.
Reader Comments (1)
DEAR ALL
ONE THING WE CAN NOT DENY THE MIDDLE CLASS INDIAN FAMILIES ARE GETTING MONEY
EXECESSIVELY THAN THE PAST YEARS. NOW THEY ARE ENJOYING THEIR LIFE IN EATING
FOODS AND IN OTHER SOURCES AND IT ANY WAY DOES NOT EFFECT THE WORLD FOOD CRIS
IS. MR.BUSH HAVE TO UNDERSTAND. THE WRONG INFORMATION PASSED TO HIM.
THANKS AND REGARDS
RAMESH.M