Obesity Is Up--Again

Posted by Barbara Pytel Sep 14, 2007

I remember traveling in Western Europe and watching people do "window shopping" after supper--for hours! Toddlers were bundled up in strollers in January and both parents were walking while the stores were closed. After a month of traveling, I returned to find that I had lost weight in spite of eating quite well.

Exercise

So, why are we gaining so much weight? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in 2006 that the lack of exercise is a huge factor. 22 percent of Americans did not engage in any physical activity in the past month. None. [msnbc.msn.com, August 27, 2007]

The honor of most obese state goes to Mississippi this year. 30 percent of the population is considered obese. West Virginia and Alabama are right behind Mississippi. Hats off to Colorado, our leanest state, with only 17.6 percent of the population being obese. At the top of the charts for exercise is Minnesota. [msnbc.msn.com, August 27, 2007]

What is Obese?

If your BMI, body mass index, is over 30, you are obese. Normal is 18.5 to 24.9 and overweight is 25 to 30.

Schools

Schools are cutting recess across the country to have more time to teach reading and math. School lunches are predominantly carbohydrates--more economical. Kids go home to electronic devices and sit instead of playing at the park. Parents give their children rides to and from school when they live only 3 blocks away.

Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas decided to do something about obesity in his state. Huckabee lost weight himself and wanted to improve the health of students. The Arkansas Plan is being considered by other states.

This all adds up to a society that will be driving up medical costs at a younger age because obesity increases chances of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and many other costly conditions.