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Ciku Kimeria is a Kenyan author "Of goats and poisoned oranges" - (https://www.amazon.com/goats-poisoned-oranges-Ciku-Kimeria-ebook/dp/B00HBBWPI6), development consultant, adventurer and travel blogger (www.thekenyanexplorer.com). She writes both fiction and non-fiction focusing on African stories that need telling. She has worked on diverse pieces for various international and local publications including Quartz, Ozy, The East African etc. She has travelled to 45 countries – 16 of them in Africa. 153 countries to go and 63 territories!
"Of goats and poisoned oranges" has been extremely well received in Kenya and beyond. It tells the story of a Kenyan middle aged power couple and their complicated marriage. The novel explores issues of greed, revenge, betrayal and murder. It runs from the 1960s to 2013. It has been described as “Wicked, funny, poignant, wacky, human, a big ball of fun and danger”, “A unique and captivating book”, “Fun and intriguing”, “Impossible to put down once you start reading.”
She recently moved to Dakar, Senegal from Kenya to work on her second novel. She also works at as the Africa Communication Manager at a leading global strategy consulting firm.
She holds a B.S. in Management Science from MIT with minors in Urban Planning and International development studies.
Fast Food, Obesity, And Its Rise On The African Continent
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), especially hypertension and diabetes, are increasingly becoming leading causes of death in Africa. By 2030, it is estimated that they will be the leading cause of death on the continent. This is a great contrast to what most expect, thinking that infectious diseases will be the major mortality factor on the continent. Such diseases, previously thought of as diseases of the affluent, are increasingly affecting a larger proportion of the population in African countries.
Part of the crisis is a result of the growing middle class in African countries, the aspirational aspect of consuming western foods and the deliberate efforts by western fast food companies to penetrate further in such markets — markets considered the last frontier of growth for their brands.
In Ghana, a place that suffered severe food shortages as recently as the early 1980s, attempts at curbing obesity have butted up against long held societal views: girth can be a welcome sight here. To many, weight gain is an acceptable side effect of a shift from hunger to joyful consumption.
“People march their sons and daughters to buy KFC and buy pizza and they like to show them what we can afford” ... KFC isn’t just food .... “It’s social status”.
African countries are ill-equipped to deal with the health crises that will result from the increased consumption of fast food, the subsequent obesity issues and the related health issues.
Research shows that people who eat more fast food are more likely to gain weight and become obese, and nutrition experts here express deep concern at the prospect of an increasingly heavy and diabetic population, without the medical resources to address a looming health crisis that some say could rival AIDS.
The article raises a very important question that even developed countries are struggling to answer. How can we prepare for the impending health crisis or at the bare minimum ensure people know about the risks of changing food habits?
