Judging by the long lines at the supermarket two hours before kickoff, Americans seemed more concerned about Super Bowl XLV than the national obesity problem. Spirits were high and carts were brimming over with the price-hiked special party trays always in abundance before special events; the wings, the chips and dip, the pizzas. To be fair, there were a few fresh veggie platters on display but they appeared to be the only ones that weren't selling out faster than Nick Collins' 37 yards to glory interception in the first quarter.
Aaah, tradition! Sports seem to be the American way all right and aside from mega profits for advertising airtime, scrambling for a front row seat in anticipation of half time flubs, is nearly as important as actually watching the football game.
Poor Christina Aguilera, isn't she the same entertainer who saved the day at the NBA finals last year, after Anita Baker double dribbled while singing the National Anthem at Boston Gardens? Now after flubbing the words to the Star Spangled Banner at SB XLV at Cowboy Stadium in Texas, Xtina is charged with saving not only face, but also restoring our faith.
It reeks of Scrooge, but Americans are spoiled. Even in tough economic times, we get to escape the depressing facts caused by financial strife and world problems by chilling out over a football game and dissing pre-game festivities and the halftime entertainment. And, we get to do it over guacamole and beer. All seems like great fun.
Healthy escapism is a good thing, reduces stress and is one of those little things that make life worth living. As long as we don't make a regular diet of gorging on Super Bowl goodies, we should be fine. But are we?
America leads all other countries with just over 30% of the population categorized as obese and nearly an additional third as being overweight. Being overweight puts people at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer and high blood pressure, just to name a few.
Since 1970, the percentage of overweight children in America ages 6 to 19 has tripled and is predicted to rise. Being overweight is the most common nutritional disorder of U.S. children and adolescents and a growing problem according to pediatricians. There are a number of factors contributing to overweight children, with sedentary activity taking the lead.
"Screen time" is the term coined as the amount of time a person spends in front of a computer or television screen, which means they are physically inactive.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 34 percent of adults age 20 and older are obese, and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimates that around 220,000 obese Americans underwent bariatric surgery, a common type of weight-loss surgery, in 2009.
Perhaps America would be all the better for if we worried less about a singer botching our national anthem and infused a real spirit of national pride by keeping the weight off.
Aaah, tradition! Sports seem to be the American way all right and aside from mega profits for advertising airtime, scrambling for a front row seat in anticipation of half time flubs, is nearly as important as actually watching the football game.
Poor Christina Aguilera, isn't she the same entertainer who saved the day at the NBA finals last year, after Anita Baker double dribbled while singing the National Anthem at Boston Gardens? Now after flubbing the words to the Star Spangled Banner at SB XLV at Cowboy Stadium in Texas, Xtina is charged with saving not only face, but also restoring our faith.
It reeks of Scrooge, but Americans are spoiled. Even in tough economic times, we get to escape the depressing facts caused by financial strife and world problems by chilling out over a football game and dissing pre-game festivities and the halftime entertainment. And, we get to do it over guacamole and beer. All seems like great fun.
Healthy escapism is a good thing, reduces stress and is one of those little things that make life worth living. As long as we don't make a regular diet of gorging on Super Bowl goodies, we should be fine. But are we?
America leads all other countries with just over 30% of the population categorized as obese and nearly an additional third as being overweight. Being overweight puts people at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer and high blood pressure, just to name a few.
Since 1970, the percentage of overweight children in America ages 6 to 19 has tripled and is predicted to rise. Being overweight is the most common nutritional disorder of U.S. children and adolescents and a growing problem according to pediatricians. There are a number of factors contributing to overweight children, with sedentary activity taking the lead.
"Screen time" is the term coined as the amount of time a person spends in front of a computer or television screen, which means they are physically inactive.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 34 percent of adults age 20 and older are obese, and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimates that around 220,000 obese Americans underwent bariatric surgery, a common type of weight-loss surgery, in 2009.
Perhaps America would be all the better for if we worried less about a singer botching our national anthem and infused a real spirit of national pride by keeping the weight off.