The Spanakopita’s Last Stand?

Travel Blog • Joanna Kakissis • 09.26.08 | 10:14 AM ET

Three-quarters of Greek adults and two-thirds of Greek children are overweight because of the decline of the famously healthy Mediterranean diet, writes Elisabeth Rosenthal in The New York Times. Just 20 years ago, Greeks were still regularly eating famously healthful staples like whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish and goat milk. But as Greek lifestyles grow more hectic and convenience trumps wholesomeness, fast food and high-fat, high-sugar processed snacks have invaded Greek cuisine.

The result: Supersized young Greeks with obesity-related illnesses and shortened expected lifespans.

“If we continue like this, we’re going to become like Americans, and no one wants that,” 44-year-old Dimitris Loukakis told Rosenthal.

Ouch.

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