A friend of mine shared an article of a proposed “obesity” tax where items like soft drinks and candy would be taxed at a premium. SPLENDID idea! Lets hope something like that actually goes through…of course we battle “big business” with something like this idea. Until HEALTH and WELL BEING and true caring for our fellow outweigh (no pun intended) profit made off of junk and fast food, we’re still in a downward spiral. I believe we’ll come around. It’s sort of like the “GREEN” effort that is finally taking root. Japan is even considering some novel ideas with employers and their employees BMI, believe it or not.
Consider these facts. Obese young adults in their 20’s who are 30+ pounds overweight will have lifetime medical bills that are $5k-$21k higher than normal weight young adults and extremely obese young adults can expect to incur $15k-$29K more, according to a study in the Obesity journal.
Right now, (if I remember correctly from my son’s literary arts project on “Obesity in America”) 33% of the US population is obese, which puts them at risk for Type II diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Another third is overweight. In 20 years or so, the % of our US pop that is overweight or obese will be 90%!
Here’s something else to chew on….the June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter reported that an estimated 14% of cancer deaths in older men and 20% in older women could be attributed to excess body fat.
The Journal of Pediatrics recently published a study that showed teenage girls who spend most of their time on the internet are more likely to experience weight gain. Add to that, they also found a direct correlation between lack of sleep and alcohol consumption with increases in weight.
The girls in the study were between 14-21. The measure was recreational computer use only—not that used for school. Like adults, lack of sleep interrupts hormones which in turn can create metabolic problems.
So, are you convinced to move yet? Better yet, are you convinced to encourage your family to move with you? Here’s another fact for you from our Harvard researchers: strenuous exercise results in a 50% decrease in depressive symptoms; the SAME effective relief that patients achieve with antidepressant medications/psychotherapy.
I can vouch that exercise, even for 10 minutes, makes me a happy camper.
As you look towards 2009, expect great things: achievement, success, health and happiness. The recipe? Learn, live, grow, give…and laugh.