Chavez gives 'fat people' dietary advice

ArticleData Array ( [Article] => Array ( [article_id] => 1132157 [headline] => Chavez gives 'fat people' dietary advice [abstract] => President Hugo Chavez advised his supporters in a televised speech to exercise and eat healthy to trim their waistlines. [keywords] => Venezuela Chavez [content] =>

Call it the Bolivarian battle of the bulge.

President Hugo Chavez said in a televised speech on Friday that "there are lots of fat people" in Venezuela and advised his supporters to exercise and eat healthy to trim their waistlines.

"I'm not saying fat women, because they never get fat," he added.

"Women sometimes fill out."

The 55-year-old leader said he himself has lost nearly 9 kilograms by exercising and eating a healthy diet.

But Chavez, who still appears heavier than when he first took office in 1999, acknowledged that he could lose a few more kilograms.

"Doing sit ups," he said. "Eating well. One has to learn how to eat."

Chavez suggested rice pasta instead of spaghetti made from wheat, and recommended drinking soy milk, saying soy products help fight aging.

Chavez said his diet and exercise have made him feel stronger and "ready to continue commanding the Bolivarian Revolution" - the name he has given his socialist-inspired political movement.

[start_date] => 14 November 2009 | 01:55:09 PM [comments_allowed] => 0 [source] => AAP [commentCount] => 0 [video] => [image] => Array ( [caption] => Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez advised his supporters to 'exercise and eat healthy'. (Getty Images) [useRegularImage] => 1 [media_library_id] => 133032 [site_id] => 1 [media_library_group_id] => 0 [media_usage_id] => 0 [filename] => site_1_rand_1992478425_hugo_chavez_091114_b_getty.jpg [title] => Hugo_Chavez_091114_B_getty_1992478425 [description] => file:site_1_rand_1992478425_hugo_chavez_091114_b_getty.jpg [type] => [height] => 338 [width] => 450 [source] => [video_hi] => [video_lo] => [section] => [display_order] => 0 [create_date] => 2009-11-14 16:11:50 [active] => 1 [media_usage] => Article Large [usageWidth] => 300 [usageHeight] => 225 ) [imagePath] => http://media.sbs.com.au/news/upload_media/ [audio] => [reporter] => [relatedLinks] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [id] => 1027232 [label] => Venezuela bans Coke Zero [display_order] => 1 [type] => Article ) [1] => Array ( [id] => 1116136 [label] => Chavez urges short showers to conserve water [display_order] => 2 [type] => Article ) ) [relatedArticles] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [article_id] => 1027232 [headline] => Venezuela bans Coke Zero [abstract] => The Venezuelan government of U.S.-critic President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday ordered Coca-Cola Co to withdraw its Coke Zero beverage from the South American nation, citing unspecified dangers to health. [content] =>

The Venezuelan government of U.S.-critic President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday ordered Coca-Cola Co to withdraw its Coke Zero beverage from the South American nation, citing unspecified dangers to health.

The decision follows a wave of nationalizations and increased scrutiny of businesses in South America's top oil exporter.

Health Minister Jesus Mantilla said the zero-calorie Coke Zero should no longer be sold and stocks of the drink removed from store shelves while the government investigated its ingredients.

"The product should be withdrawn from circulation to preserve the health of Venezuelans," the minister said in comments reported by the government's news agency.

Coca Cola said Coke Zero contains no harmful ingredients, but that it will stop production and remove the product from shelves during the ongoing investigation.

"Coca Cola Zero is made under the highest quality standards around the world and meets the sanitary requirements demanded by the laws of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela," the company said in a joint statement with its local bottling company.

Despite Chavez's anti-capitalist policies and rhetoric against consumerism, oil-exporting Venezuela remains one of Latin America's most Americanized cultures, with U.S. fast-food chains, shopping malls and baseball all highly popular.

Mantilla did not say what health risks Coke Zero, which contains artificial sweeteners, posed to the population.

Coke Zero was launched in Venezuela in April and Coca-Cola Femsa, the Mexico-based company that bottles Coke products locally, said at the time it aimed to increase its market share for low calorie drinks by 200 percent.

The bottler was plagued with labour problems last year in Venezuela when former workers repeatedly blocked its plants, demanding back-pay.

The government this year has seized a rice mill and pasta factory belonging to U.S. food giant Cargill and has threatened action against U.S. drug company Pfizer.

Chavez has also nationalized a group of oil service companies, including projects belonging to Williams Companies and Exterran.

[content_type_id] => 3 [site_name] => World News Australia [articledate] => 11 June 2009 [articletime] => 11 June 2009 [display_order] => 1 ) ) [comments] => Array ( ) ) [winston] => test )