Destiny's Belly

Where is your belly going, where has it been? I know that opener probably sounds like the title of an old Joyce Carol Oats story, but I can’t help but think about the obesity trends in the United States, and how many of us don’t realize the trouble we’re in.

The alarming trend hit me when I saw an interactive map at the Centers for Disease Control that tracked obesity as it increased across each of the states over the last 20 years. The dramatic increases can be seen in flashes from one state to the next until the majority of the country is covered with a reddish-orange hue, indicating that between 25-to-29 percent of adults have an Obese Body Mass Index—that’s the measure of body fat based on height and weight.

What’s really mind boggling about the growing obesity rate is that it’s based entirely on the adult population. There are no adolescents on this map…not yet. And that’s the real scary part, because you know kids everywhere have more sit-on-the-couch distractions than ever before. Couple that with the odds that many of their parents’ own bad eating habits will likely be absorbed by them, and you can’t help but wonder—what is the obesity rate going to be in another 40 years?

I can only imagine what the fad diets will be like then: “Lose 20 pounds while you play videogames!” Or, “Text message your way to a slimmer waistline and a more healthy you!” Geez, I make it sound almost as bad as the real diet plans already out there!

What can we take away from this? Adults need to be aware that their own weight loss plans can mutually benefit their loved-ones around them, especially kids. Show your children the right way to lose fat and inches on the waistline by including them in your own weight loss decisions, and I don’t mean inviting them to Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig meetings—you should already know that fad diets like that may not only be wrong for you, but are probably a bit overwhelming for children.

As always, your focus should be on maintaining a healthy weight, but remember that everyone is different. In the end, follow your gut, and you can’t go wrong…unless of course it takes you to the ice cream aisle! Stay positive and keep those weight loss numbers in the negative. nn