Lack of Physical Activity
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Department of Education have drafted a report on obesity and a comprehensive plan to promote physical activity and decrease obesity among the nation’s young people.
The healthcare agencies found that the lack of regular physical activities for young people is at the root of the problem. Nearly 35% of youth shun vigorous physical activities, and that number rises alarmingly with age. The result is poor physical health: 61% of overweight children between the age groups of five and 15 suffer from cardiovascular problems, Type 2 Diabetes, etc. And the adverse effects do not end there. They also show up on the nation’s fiscal health, with obesity eating up an estimated $100 billion (8% of the U.S.’s healthcare budget) in direct and related costs.
The inter-agency report also found that sedentary lifestyles, the promotion of electronic media, and the growing craze for computers and electronic games are the main causes of childhood obesity.
Calorie Watchers
The FDA report concludes that poor dietary habits and inactivity are increasingly proving to be the main causes of death among Americans. The FDA report says that there is no substitute for the simple formula “calories in must equal calories out in order to control weight,” according to Lester M. Crawford, FDA deputy commissioner.
The FDA has also offered a few recommendations to combat what they call “the nation’s obesity epidemic.” Their recommendations include:
- strengthened food labeling
- educating consumers about healthy diets and weights
- encouraging restaurants to provide calorie and nutrition information
- making sure food labels accurately portray serving sizes
- revising and reissuing guidance in order to develop obesity drugs
- working together with other government agencies, non-profits, industries, and academic institutions on obesity research
- “Read it before you eat it-Always look at the Nutrition Facts”
- “Calories count and fat matters-Always look at the Nutrition Facts”
- “Do you know the serving size?-Always look at the Nutrition Facts”
- “What you eat is what you are-Always look at the Nutrition Facts”
- “If you read labels for things you put on your body, why wouldn’t you read labels for what you put in your body?”
The warning bells have been rung, and the battle plans have been discussed. A few strategies have been implemented. However, winning the war against obesity will occur only when the FDA’s concerted efforts, along with complementary efforts by other U.S. healthcare agencies and the government’s healthcare system, are met with equal support from society. Hopefully, these efforts will have significant impacts on reversing the current obesity trend.
Reference:
Mokdad, A., et al. “Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000.” JAMA 291 (2004): 1238-1245.
