Learning Journal 6

I read an article written by a guy that went to Tonga on an assignment to figure out why the problem of obesity is getting worse in the Pacific Islands. His discoveries didn't surprise me all that much. It was definitely more informative. One part did make me think however. He said that one of the reasons that the obesity problem has gotten worse is because things that used to keep them active are no longer practiced. Gates explained, "Fishing and farming used to keep Tongans active but fish stocks are low and the seas crowded with foreign trawlers, so few bother to venture out; and farming seems to be a dying art (the only farmer I met did it primarily as a hobby)". This made me think about how many things are caused because of other people getting in others way. It doesn't necessarily relate to the article I read but it made me think about problems that could have been stopped or contained if people just stayed in their own areas and didn't encroach on others space. If those "foreign trawlers" stayed in their own waters then Tongans would have continued to be active and fish. Maybe obesity wouldn't be such a huge problem now. They would have stayed active and had fish in their diets. I don't really know exactly where I'm going with this thought cause I apparently can't transfer this thought to paper very well. But it is interesting to look around and see what things could be different if people stay where they are supposed to. Just an interesting thing to think about....