The problem of overweight officers is now so great that the authorities in Mexico City have brought in a new eating plan, cutting a cop’s daily menu offering from 4,000 to 2,500 calories.
The Mexican capital of nearly 9 million citizens is one of the most populous cities in the world, requiring a police force of 70,000 officers, three quarters of whom are overweight.
The task of slimming them down falls to Dr. Alfredo Peniche, who heads the police department’s medical program and is now keeping an eye on how many calories overweight officers consume.
He said the new menu on offer at eateries provided by the police department now includes meals like chicken fajitas, steak with mushrooms and nopales (prickly pear) and beans.
Previously, the meals consumed by the force’s 1,300 heaviest officers added up to 4,000 calories per shift, now under the new austerity plan they add up to 2,500 calories.
Although they realize officers will probably snack between meals while on the beat, the authorities hope the measure will instill better eating habits.
Peniche told Mexico City Journal of the New York Times, that a culture of snacking is strong in Mexico, and the police officers are no exception; the authorities have accepted this, but they still hope the officers will gradually adopt better eating habits.
Last year the Mexican Health department reported that prevalence of obesity among Mexicans was second only to the United States, and particularly among young Mexicans, due not only to eating too much but also being too sedentary.
Mexicans also consume too much salt, twice the limit indicated by the World Health Organization, resulting in high prevalence of high blood pressure, heart disease and kidney failure.
There is some evidence that the new austerity program is working, and some officers are slimming down. However, there are still too many snacking out on the streets, where there is no shortage of vendors selling tempting tacos, quesadillas and tortas, with sugary drinks aplently.
While the idea of a tubby cop sneaking out to the taco vendor to supplement his austerity program diet with something more filling might raise a smile, the Mexico City police department’s medical team are seriously worried about the problem.
Being overweight not only reduces job performance, making it virtually impossible to catch up with a fleeing crook, it also increases the risk of several conditions that can cause premature death, including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Nora Frias, a senior official, told reporters at the press conference held to announce the austerity program, that the message they are trying to get across is “if you eat one sandwich today, if you eat three tacos today, then balance it all with some vegetables”, reported NYT’s Mexico City Journal.
Source: Mexico City Journal (NYT).
Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD