The findings are startling: 69% of us adults are either overweight or obese-and 36% are just plain obese.
And when it comes to our kids, 32% are either overweight or obese, with 17%--or more than 12.
5 million--in the obese category, meaning 30 pounds or more over their healthy weight.
In response came USA Today's piece, "Multiple Strategies Needed to Fight Obesity," that starts off by quoting an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report: "Taming obesity in the USA needs an all-hands-on-deck strategy so that schools provide 60 minutes of physical activity a day, fast-food restaurants offer healthier fare for kids, and communities build recreational spaces that encourage activity...
" Advertisement Some parenting advice might be helpful, too, as food choices, like so much else, start at home.
Most know calorie-laden fare when we see it, everything from doughnuts to slices of cheesy, meaty pizza and yet...
When it comes to sweets alone, our children, on average, consume about 322 calories every day from added sugars-16% of their daily caloric intake-and 65% of these added sugars are provided at home in the form of sodas, muffins, cookies, and sweetened cereals.
Moreover, teens who drink sodas and energy drinks take in about 327 extra calories a day.
Consider this, too: says the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a large order of movie theater popcorn-no butter added-costs us 1,200 calories, the equivalent of four slices of pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut.
Meanwhile, if the status quo doesn't change, the CDC suggests that 42% of us will be obese by 2030.
Also worrisome is that, according to the IOM report, estimated costs for such obesity-related illnesses as type 2 diabetes and heart disease come in at about $190.
2 billion annually.
Indeed, Emory University professor Kenneth Thorpe says that obesity has actually been a major contributor to high health costs for the past twenty years.
The situation is so alarming that this week, HBO is airing its documentary, "The Weight of the Nation,"and put out a same-titled book.
Calling obesity an epidemic, it advocates such remedies as the removal of sugary drinks from our diets, better regulatory policies, and access to quality schools and parks, as well as a health system that emphasizes prevention, not just treatment.
The good news is that our Montgomery County schools are already doing their part with healthier lunch time offerings and plenty of physical education and health classes.
Some, like the Methacton School District, are also participating in the federal "Walking School Bus" program, where groups of children periodically walk to and from school accompanied by trained adults instead of taking the bus.
This saves on district transportation costs, eliminates parental safety concerns, and gets kids out there and on the move even before the school day begins.
The bonus: it also builds a sense of community.
Meanwhile, Montgomery County's Obesity Action Team, now in its seventh year, is on the case, too.
Says team chair Courtney Grove, "Out ultimate goals is to shift our focus beyond schools to the entire community.
" And that's more essential than ever before.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, in the 2008-09 school year, some 34,156 of Montgomery County's school-age children-29%--were either overweight or obese.
As part of its goal-reaching efforts, the team has now launched a pilot program with four local pediatricians who will share the "5-2-1-0" message with their patients: "5+ servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of screen time, one hour of physical activity, and zero sugar-based beverages.
" That's good advice at any age and brings us back to the home front: 1.
Stop the sugar craze in all its many forms, including corn syrup, glucose, honey, and molasses.
Indeed, it's said that typical American fare contains as much as 35 teaspoons of added sugar every day.
2.
Eat at home rather than dining out.
A recent Rand Corporation study found that 96% of chain restaurant meals exceed the Department of Agriculture's recommendations for calories, sodium, fat, and saturated fat.
Plus, appetizers average 813 calories vs.
674 calories per serving for main dishes.
3.
When dining out, request the salad dressing on the side, turn down the bread and butter, and have half of your entree placed in a doggy bag beforehand.
Avoid cream sauces, too, and pass on dessert-or, at the very least, share it with your companion(s).
4.
Read labels and buy healthier fare when grocery shopping; doing so is actually cost-effective.
Carrots, broccoli.
oj, eggs, and beans give you far more nutritional bang for your buck than do chips, ice cream, cookies, and cakes.
Best bet? Go with CSPI's top 10 best foods: sweet potatoes, mangoes, unsweetened Greek yogurt, broccoli, wild salmon, crispbreads, garbanzo (chick peas) beans, watermelon, butternut squash, and leafy greens.
5.
Get your zzzz's.
A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and follow-up study found that those who slept less than 7 hours a night were more likely to be obese than those sleeping more than that.
In fact, getting six hours a night increased the odds by 27%, while sleeping only two to four hours a night upped those chances by 67%! Keep in mind, too, that 5- to 10-year-olds need as much as 11 hours of sleep, while teens benefit from 8-1/2 to 9-1/4 hours every night.
6.
Put exercise on the to-do list.
You'll not only look better, you'll be healthier, too.
As the Cleveland Clinic's Dr.
Gordon Blackburn explains, "Most authorities agree that aerobic exercise (rhythmical activity employing large muscle groups...
i.
e.
walking, cycling, swimming, dancing) performed at least three times a week (and preferably most days of the week) at a moderate intensity is necessary to gain a cardio-protective benefit.
" Enough said...
And when it comes to our kids, 32% are either overweight or obese, with 17%--or more than 12.
5 million--in the obese category, meaning 30 pounds or more over their healthy weight.
In response came USA Today's piece, "Multiple Strategies Needed to Fight Obesity," that starts off by quoting an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report: "Taming obesity in the USA needs an all-hands-on-deck strategy so that schools provide 60 minutes of physical activity a day, fast-food restaurants offer healthier fare for kids, and communities build recreational spaces that encourage activity...
" Advertisement Some parenting advice might be helpful, too, as food choices, like so much else, start at home.
Most know calorie-laden fare when we see it, everything from doughnuts to slices of cheesy, meaty pizza and yet...
When it comes to sweets alone, our children, on average, consume about 322 calories every day from added sugars-16% of their daily caloric intake-and 65% of these added sugars are provided at home in the form of sodas, muffins, cookies, and sweetened cereals.
Moreover, teens who drink sodas and energy drinks take in about 327 extra calories a day.
Consider this, too: says the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a large order of movie theater popcorn-no butter added-costs us 1,200 calories, the equivalent of four slices of pepperoni pizza from Pizza Hut.
Meanwhile, if the status quo doesn't change, the CDC suggests that 42% of us will be obese by 2030.
Also worrisome is that, according to the IOM report, estimated costs for such obesity-related illnesses as type 2 diabetes and heart disease come in at about $190.
2 billion annually.
Indeed, Emory University professor Kenneth Thorpe says that obesity has actually been a major contributor to high health costs for the past twenty years.
The situation is so alarming that this week, HBO is airing its documentary, "The Weight of the Nation,"and put out a same-titled book.
Calling obesity an epidemic, it advocates such remedies as the removal of sugary drinks from our diets, better regulatory policies, and access to quality schools and parks, as well as a health system that emphasizes prevention, not just treatment.
The good news is that our Montgomery County schools are already doing their part with healthier lunch time offerings and plenty of physical education and health classes.
Some, like the Methacton School District, are also participating in the federal "Walking School Bus" program, where groups of children periodically walk to and from school accompanied by trained adults instead of taking the bus.
This saves on district transportation costs, eliminates parental safety concerns, and gets kids out there and on the move even before the school day begins.
The bonus: it also builds a sense of community.
Meanwhile, Montgomery County's Obesity Action Team, now in its seventh year, is on the case, too.
Says team chair Courtney Grove, "Out ultimate goals is to shift our focus beyond schools to the entire community.
" And that's more essential than ever before.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, in the 2008-09 school year, some 34,156 of Montgomery County's school-age children-29%--were either overweight or obese.
As part of its goal-reaching efforts, the team has now launched a pilot program with four local pediatricians who will share the "5-2-1-0" message with their patients: "5+ servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 hours or less of screen time, one hour of physical activity, and zero sugar-based beverages.
" That's good advice at any age and brings us back to the home front: 1.
Stop the sugar craze in all its many forms, including corn syrup, glucose, honey, and molasses.
Indeed, it's said that typical American fare contains as much as 35 teaspoons of added sugar every day.
2.
Eat at home rather than dining out.
A recent Rand Corporation study found that 96% of chain restaurant meals exceed the Department of Agriculture's recommendations for calories, sodium, fat, and saturated fat.
Plus, appetizers average 813 calories vs.
674 calories per serving for main dishes.
3.
When dining out, request the salad dressing on the side, turn down the bread and butter, and have half of your entree placed in a doggy bag beforehand.
Avoid cream sauces, too, and pass on dessert-or, at the very least, share it with your companion(s).
4.
Read labels and buy healthier fare when grocery shopping; doing so is actually cost-effective.
Carrots, broccoli.
oj, eggs, and beans give you far more nutritional bang for your buck than do chips, ice cream, cookies, and cakes.
Best bet? Go with CSPI's top 10 best foods: sweet potatoes, mangoes, unsweetened Greek yogurt, broccoli, wild salmon, crispbreads, garbanzo (chick peas) beans, watermelon, butternut squash, and leafy greens.
5.
Get your zzzz's.
A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and follow-up study found that those who slept less than 7 hours a night were more likely to be obese than those sleeping more than that.
In fact, getting six hours a night increased the odds by 27%, while sleeping only two to four hours a night upped those chances by 67%! Keep in mind, too, that 5- to 10-year-olds need as much as 11 hours of sleep, while teens benefit from 8-1/2 to 9-1/4 hours every night.
6.
Put exercise on the to-do list.
You'll not only look better, you'll be healthier, too.
As the Cleveland Clinic's Dr.
Gordon Blackburn explains, "Most authorities agree that aerobic exercise (rhythmical activity employing large muscle groups...
i.
e.
walking, cycling, swimming, dancing) performed at least three times a week (and preferably most days of the week) at a moderate intensity is necessary to gain a cardio-protective benefit.
" Enough said...