DR. JUAN FRANCO
- He is a doctor out of University of Mexico
- Works in Tijuana
- Dr. Franco makes house calls
- It is incredibly important for a doctor to understand the environment in which their patients live
- A shock when he began seeing his patients’ homes and lifestyles firsthand
OBESITY IN MEXICO
- It’s a misconception that Mexicans need to/should eat grains
- Ate primarily meat and fish (protein), then introduced grains and legume
- Mexicans do not have the gene for diabetes
- It is a cuisine choice
- Some Mexicans culturally find it difficult to quit grains
- It really is a choice – there are good, healthy alternatives to rice and other things
- Kids in Mexico are being born 10 or 12 lbs because their mothers are pre-diabetic and consuming so much sugar during pregnancy
- Some young girls develop breasts at a very young age (6 or 7) because of the extra fat and estrogen that comes from grains and sugars
- This is a symptom of metabolic syndrome
- The SAD has misinformed America and Mexico, too
- Economics do play an important role in the obesity issues
- However, once families learn that moderate protein and high fat is good, people of low-socioeconomic status in Mexico can still make it work!
- People really do not want to lose tortillas, etc.
- Juan Franco advises food restriction depending on where people are metabolically
- 20g of carbs /day for someone very metabolically damaged, as opposed to 60-80g of carbs for a little weight loss
- It’s mainly about making fats a staple food and educating people
- Juan Franco advises food restriction depending on where people are metabolically
