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Tuesday, 07 November 2006 17:16 |
 At first glimpse, a recent study released by the N.C. Division of Public Health might seem to be good news for this region. The citizens of Western North Carolina are, on average, among the thinnest in the state, according to the report.
Dig a little deeper, however, and the real picture gets bleaker. While Buncombe County has the second-lowest rate of obesity in North Carolina, that obesity rate is about 55 percent.
This hardly seems like a good sign.
While
it is a far cry from the 68 to 73 percent obesity rates common in much
of the state, having a population that is more than half overweight is
clearly an indication of a health crisis ÇƒÓ one that is quite costly in
terms of both lives and money.
Whatës worse,
the study is believed by some to be significantly understating the
problem, as it was based on a telephone survey in which participants
were asked their height and weight ÇƒÓ and many people lie about their
weight.
Americans need to wake up to the impact that obesity has on their health, medical and insurance costs and quality of life.
Furthermore, beyond the health impact of obesity, there is a serious environmental impact caused by overconsumption.
When rainforests
are clearcut to make way for cattle-grazing ÇƒÓ cattle raised to feed
Americansë insatiable appetite for cheap beef ÇƒÓ it is time to start
looking more seriously at the ethical impact of our dietary choices.
Tremendous
resources are being spent on combatting terrorism, which ÇƒÓ terrible
though it is ÇƒÓ kills a relatively small number of people each year.
Meanwhile, more
than a million Americans die annually of cardiovascular disease and
other conditions related to obesity. Perhaps itës time to fight a war
on obesity.
Imagine if the
federal government kept track of everyoneës food purchases looking for
patterns of excess eating and certain fast-food restaurant chains were
blacklisted as enemies of the state.
Of course, such
a scenario is absurd. In reality, it is up to each individual to make
responsible choices for our health and for the planet.
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