Childhood Obesity is a Public Health Crisis

One of the biggest health stories of the year has been the rise in obesity among both adults and children in the U.S. How can we avoid becoming a statistic? I’m Wendy Corr, and in today’s Wellness Tip, I’m going to point out where we are going wrong and how we can keep ourselves from becoming part of the problem!
People putting on a few pounds may not seem to warrant the proclamation of a national emergency, or an epidemic. But obesity is a severe public health crisis. According the Centers for Disease Control, the United States has some of the highest obesity rates in the world. 68% of American adults are overweight—almost 36% are obese; and 33% of American children are overweight—17% are obese.
Experts agree that as more and more obese children become obese adults, the diseases associated with obesity, such as heart disease, cancer, and especially diabetes will surge. That will mean a lot of sick people, and the costs of these illnesses will be astronomical – affecting our national debt, as well as our personal finances.
By this point, we’ve all seen and heard enough to identify the culprits behind this epidemic: big food companies that push products packed with processed sugar; parents who unwittingly reward their children with fatty and sugar-laden foods; and a generation more concerned with Angry Birds than exercise. But progress is slow. We lose weight, then we relapse by falling prey to the temptation of junk food. So, to make ourselves feel better, we eat more.
Personal accountability is the solution. To a person, we have to turn our backs on the snack chips and ice cream, and choose nuts and seeds and fruits and vegetables and good protein.
But it takes a lot of willpower to buck the system – to ignore the colorful ads and the magical pull of sugar and salt and unhealthy oils on our taste buds. Working together, finding an accountability partner, and making the deliberate decision to create health-building habits as opposed to disease-causing choices are what will turn this epidemic around.
Thanks for tuning in to Wellness with Wendy! I’m a certified holistic nutritionist, a mom, an entertainer and a radio personality – so finding balance is the key to my life. I love sharing tips and tricks to help you live your best life – so for more health and wellness news and advice, follow my blog on mybighornbasin.com. See you again next time for Wellness with Wendy!