Plans for Reducing Obesity in America

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 -- Adult obesity rates increased in 37 states in the past year, according to the fifth annual report released Tuesday by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH). Adult obesity rates rose for a second consecutive year in 24 states and for a third consecutive year in 19 states. No state saw a decrease, says the report.

Though many promising policies have emerged to promote physical activity and good nutrition in communities, the report concludes that they are not being adopted or implemented at levels needed to turn around this health crisis.

More than 25 percent of adults are obese in 28 states, which is an increase from 19 states last year. More than 20 percent of adults are obese in every state except Colorado. On the contrary, in 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent. In 1980, the national average of obese adults was 15 percent.

Now, an estimated two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, and an estimated 23 million children are either overweight or obese.

The report finds that rates of type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated with obesity, grew in 26 states last year. Four states now have diabetes rates that are above 10 percent, and all 10 states with the highest rates of diabetes and hypertension are in the South. The report also found a relationship between poverty and obesity levels. Seven of the 10 states with the highest obesity rates are also in the top 10 for highest poverty rates.

"America's future depends on the health of our country. The obesity epidemic is lowering our productivity and dramatically increasing our health care costs. Our analysis shows that we're not treating the obesity epidemic with the urgency it deserves," said Jeff Levi, executive director of TFAH.

"Even though communities have started taking action, considering the scope of the problem, the country's response has been severely limited. For significant change to happen, combating obesity must become a national priority," said Levi.

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"Combating obesity must become a national priority." I couldn't agree more with Mr. Levi.

But how to best combat it is as huge of a national debate as abortion, the coming election, and tax increases. Heck, we spend so much time debating the issues that their is little time or money left to actually solve the problems we face.

Here's the truth, whether Americans want to face it or not. We eat too much fast food, restaurant food and over processed "convenience foods." We drink too many soft drinks, juice drinks and "sports"/"energy" drinks that are loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Even the seemingly healthy product "Vitamin Water" is loaded with the crap! And we sit on our widening rear ends hours on end (pardon the pun) doing NO or not enough physical activity. The average person watches more TV in a day than they exercise.

The reason we are in this obesity pandemic mess is easy to to see and simple to fix, but that would mean giving up our comfortable "American" lifestyles. We would actually have to cook and prepare healthy meals at home.

• Rather than popping open a box of cereal for yourself and little Billy before work or school and sending him off to learn fueled with sugar in his engine-- get up 20 minutes early and make a healthy breakfast of whole grain pancakes w/ fresh fruit, egg white omelets with ONE yolk and lots of fresh vegetables.
• Rather than relying on budget strapped schools to feed your child, save their money for books and teachers salaries and pack your child's lunch! Make a healthful sandwich on whole grain bread, put tomato and lettuce on it. Pack a piece of fruit, a few healthy homemade cookies (see recipe below),and a bottle of water. Pack yourself the same lunch, and spend your lunch hour at your desk improving your productivity and increasing your income rather than trolling the food court at a nearby mall looking for the tastiest junk to shove in your mouth. Here's a recipe that will let you not only make the healthy cookies by taking sugar OUT, you will be putting more fiber IN! Your kids will never know if you sneak something so good for them in something so tasty.
• Take a baseball bat to every soda machine that offers anything other than water. That's a little extreme, but it certainly would speed up the soft drink industry and Bill Clinton's lame "self-imposed" time-line of getting rid of high-fructose laced beverages by 2010. Honestly, what the hell is taking them so long? Just refill it with a healthier option the next time it is empty, or machines that need replacement because too many frustrated people who care about the health of ourselves and our kids took bats to the machines!?!
• Turn the television off and get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day! You, and little Billy!

We are not an obese society because not enough people 'have called Jenny yet.' We are an obese society because McDonalds and Coca-Cola sell more food to Americans than anyone else and simply put, their products suck when it comes to wanting to end the obesity crisis. Cut those two things out: fast food and soft drinks for one year and I am willing to bet everything that obesity rates would be cut in half.

Come on America, are you willing to prove me wrong? NO fast food and NO soft drinks for ONE YEAR. Let's just see what it does for our bottom line.

I can almost see the headlines now:

Master Motivator Julia Havey offers a challenge to American's that would cut obesity rates in half in one year's time. The plan called for total and complete abstinence from fast food and soft drinks for one year. America took the call to action and followed the simple plan and cut government spending on obesity related causes by $30 BILLION dollars. Consumer spending increased because people earned more money because of increased productivity, which was due to their decreased weight and needed new, smaller sized clothing for themselves and their children. Sporting goods sales doubled and McDonalds and Coca-Cola are out of the junk food business. Coca-Cola's Dansani water line is the best selling beverage in the world and McDonald's sells grilled chicken salads with healthy, low-fat dressings, apple dippers without the option of caramel which negates any health value they may have, to millions a day. The companies have revamped their image from enablers of obesity to champions of health! And then, I woke up!