What can be done about America's obesity problem?

The single biggest contributor is an unhealthy diet, but several major factors contribute to this.

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(SALEM, Ore.) - In 2011 the developed world hit a strange turning point. It was the year when there were more obese people in the world than underweight individuals.

After so long spent battling starvation, which remains a serious danger in some places, this might seem like good news, but it’s not. That is because the shift was driven not by a big decrease in famines but by a major increase in obesity, and obese people are often not healthy.

In fact, many obese people are actually undernourished – although they’re getting more calories that they need, they’re not getting the right nutrients. In the US, obesity masks and exacerbates a range of other health problems as well as causing damage by itself. It’s a problem that needs to be solved, both for the well being of individuals and for the economic health of the nation.

The cost of obesity

The most common reason given for wanting to lose weight is to look more attractive and boost self esteem, but in fact there many other positives: needing less sleep, having more energy, breathing more easily, having fewer aches and pains and finding an assortment of day-to-day tasks much easier to do.

People who can successfully shed those extra pounds – or even just some of them – reduce their risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and several types of cancer. Over the years, this can save a small fortune in medical bills.

It also reduces other costs by making it easier to walk instead of drive and decreasing the risk of coming to rely on expensive disability aids and adaptations; and it makes it easier to remain independent for longer in later life.

The difficulty is that losing weight is not easy. It requires ongoing effort from each individual, and support services have to work hard to ensure they can provide suitable motivation, information and assistance.

Managing diet

• Upbringing – children whose parents are obese are more likely to become obese themselves, but research tells us this isn’t all down to genetics. Some Salem schools have hooked up with the National Farm to School Network so kids can discover healthier eating that way.
• Lack of information – many people struggle to find out what’s healthy and what isn’t. The Oregon Nutrition Education Program is designed to help with this.
• Poverty – some people struggle to afford healthy food. Government initiatives can help with this and individuals can try solutions like buying direct from farmers or growing their own vegetables.
• Lack of time – time pressures can encourage people to resort to unhealthy TV dinner style meals. A better approach is to cook food in bulk on days off and freeze portions of it to eat later.
• Stress – everybody feels the need for comfort food sometimes and, unfortunately, both obesity and dieting can increase stress levels. The best way to avoid this is by chewing gum or eating bulky but low-calorie snacks.

The importance of exercise

To stay fit, adults should aim to exercise like this for at least two hours a week, but it’s fine to split that into half hour or even 20-minute sessions.

Because exercising when carrying excess weight can strain the joints, it’s a good idea to take advantage of modern innovations like Znergy fabric, which can add to the protective power of a traditional knee supporter or similar garment. These technologies make exercise more comfortable and reduce the risk of having to take days off due to injury.

Getting sporty in Salem

• Softball – there are recreational leagues for children, adults and seniors that anybody can get involved with.
• Dodgeball – the dodgeball leagueat the Lancaster club is great for beginners, with two levels of play: Casual and Very Casual.
• Swimming and tennis – Salem Tennis and Swim Club provides facilities for family-focused sporting fun with annual memberships that work out very well for frequent attendees.
• Fencing – for those who want to try something a bit different, Salem Fencing Club is happy to take on beginners as well as sharpening the skills of old hands.
• Hiking – there’s some wonderful countryside out there, so why not enjoy it? The Salem Hiking Meet-up group does, and welcomes new members. They’ve also been known to try a bit of mountain biking, and even snowboarding!

How obesity is tackled abroad

The EU, meanwhile, uses a simple color-coded labeling system to let consumers know which foods are high in sugar, fat etc., helping them to make healthy choices. And more than 50 countries have made it illegal to target junk food adverts at children.

Initiatives like this are making a measurable difference in the countries where they’ve been introduced. It remains to be seen whether the new US government will take note.

Source: Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.