NPR

Pork Tacos Topped With Fries: Fuel For Mexico's Diabetes Epidemic

Mexico knows how to fight infectious diseases. Tackling a chronic condition like diabetes is a new — and daunting — challenge.
A chile-rubbed pork taco is topped with french fries in the Merced market in Mexico City. The taco costs 10 pesos — less than 50 cents. Cheap, high-calorie food is contributing to Mexico's obesity problem.

Anais Martinez is on the hunt in Mexico City's Merced Market, a sprawling covered bazaar brimming with delicacies. "So this is the deep-fried tamale!" she says with delight, as if she'd just found a fine mushroom specimen deep in a forest.

The prized tamales are wrapped in corn husks and piled next to a bubbling cauldron of oil.

"It's just like a corn dough patty mixed with lard, put in a corn husk or banana leaf, steamed and then deep fried," says Martinez of this traditional Mexican breakfast. "And then after you fry it, you can put

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