CHINESE VENDOR SELLS PIGS FEET IN BEIJING, 1998-12-09 (photo)

A Chinese vendor sits behind a heap of pigs feet for sale in a central Beijing market December 9. Although China has sucessfully provided most of its 1.2 billion people with adequate food, improper diet in both urban and rural area is affecting people's health. The consumption of meat in cities has sharply increased over the past two decades, with statistics showing 14 percent of Chinese urbanites suffering from obesity and 10 percent from high blood pressure. Experts advise Chinese to eat less pork, which currently accounts for 70 percent of all meat consumption. NB/JJ