Squatting While Eating Is Unhealthy
In Shaanxi Province, there is a local custom known as one of the "Eight Oddities": "Sitting on a stool but choosing to squat." This refers to the habit of people, both adults and children, preferring to squat while eating—whether under trees in villages or in courtyards—regardless of location. This is actually an unhealthy habit, as it not only impairs digestion but also increases the risk of food contamination, leading to illness via the mouth.
Squatting while eating compresses the abdomen, hindering normal gastrointestinal motility and obstructing gas movement, resulting in discomfort such as upper abdominal bloating. When dining together, people chatter and discuss various topics while squatting, creating lively scenes. But prolonged squatting puts pressure on the abdomen and lower limbs, impairing circulation. This leads to leg fatigue, numbness, increased gastric motility and tone, requiring more blood flow—thus reducing blood supply to the stomach and weakening digestive function. In contrast, sitting comfortably on a chair allows abdominal muscles to relax, unrestricted blood flow, and regular, efficient gastrointestinal function—highly beneficial for digestion.
Additionally, when squatting, bowls and plates are placed on the ground or low tables. People walking around or wind blowing can stir up dust, contaminating food with bacteria, viruses, and parasite eggs, easily causing disease. From a hygiene and health perspective, squatting while eating is an undesirable habit that should be corrected.