Very true, in my mother's generation overweight people in China were seen as 'freaks', as in circus freaks. This was even when there was enough food to feed everybody, most people remained in shape because

1. The food was whole. 2. People were very active, particularly where my mother grew up(Shanghai), mothers usually got up at 5am to get the fresh produce from markets everyday, people walked around a lot, bicycles were a luxury item.