Wellness Wednesday~
After
attending the “Weight of the Nation” conference in D.C last week, I have had my
eyes opened to our nation’s epidemic, the silent killer: obesity. Overweight and obese people have an
increased rate of heart disease, heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden
cardiac death, angina, and abnormal heart rhythm more often than those that
maintain a healthy body mass index.
HBO'The Weight
of the Nation.'
In 1985
not one state had higher than 15% obese rate; today we are at 36%. That means 2
out of 3 adults are overweight or obese. Since 1980 we have tripled the
percentage of overweight or obese Americans. Even our armed forces are having a
hard time finding “a few good men/women” that are fit enough to join!
CDC
reported that 17 % of our children are overweight or obese, which increases
their risk of becoming asthmatic and/or diabetic.
It has
been estimated by the CDC that 9% of all annual medical expenditures are
obesity related; that equals to 147 billion dollars a year! So what’s the
solution? Let’s start by empowering our community to take control of their own
lives. It is recommended that children should get 60 minutes of physical
activity a day to help maintain a healthy weight. Adults should get 250 minutes
a week, which equals to a little more than 30 minutes a day!
No one is forced to sit in front of a TV and watch
2-3 hours of programs. It comes down to choices;
most people have the ability to choose to get off the couch and MOVE. Chose NOT
to eat the whole pizza on Friday night, choose to eat one or two slices
instead! You don’t have to kill yourself in the gym or be on the latest diet...
just move! The new “wonder drug” is to
get ACTIVE!!
So
let’s choose as a community to “Get Well in 2012” and encourage one another to
take the stairs, walk on breaks, drink more water, and don’t bring donuts to
work!
For more wellness tips, please visit my blog at http://dcwellnesswednesday.blogspot.com/
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