Abkhazia reports an increase in overweight people

A study conducted by experts from the Moscow State University’s (MSU) Institute of Anthropology revealed that many people in Abkhazia fall into the ‘overweight’ or ‘obesity’ categories (under the Broca formula), an unusual phenomenon for the local community.

The experts who conducted the study assume that the reason for this lies in a new lifestyle.

“The well-known phenomenon of longevity among the Abkhazian population wasn’t really linked to unique natural conditions, but rather to the people’s ability to successfully adapt to them, i.e. their lifestyle and norm of nutrition,” said Yelizaveta Kokoba, a researcher at the Institute of Anthropology at MSU.

Kokoba referred to a traditional local diet which actually corresponds to one that is recommended by many nutrition experts nowadays and focuses on reducing the consumption of animal fats and meat products in spring and summer, maintaining a well-balanced ratio of vegetable, meat and dairy products, and cutting down on salt and sugar.

“Nontraditional foods make up over half of a local resident’s total food intake. People have started eating much more meat, including in the form of sausages and smoked foods. Sweet foodstuffs and pastries are consumed in larger quantities than before. Another important factor is that older traditions prompted restraint and moderation in food, which has also changed nowadays,” said Kokoba.

The study will be made available in the near future.

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