Nutrition Guidelines Aimed at Obesity Should Be Taken Seriously

The time has come for new nutrition guidelines to be released by the Health and Human Services Department. Every five years, the Department reviews and updates guidelines. In a briefing, Penelope Slade-Sawyer of HHS stated that the new guidelines will be aimed at combating rapidly increasing obesity. Slade-Sawyer told reporters that the new guidelines will be "unprecedented in addressing the obesity epidemic" (Reuters). Highlights of the report include focus on grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well as decreasing calories by eating leaner meats, eggs, and poultry.

It's no secret obesity is a major concern in the United States. According to 2008 statistics by the CDC, only one state (Colorado) had an obesity rate under 20%. My state, Pennsylvania, had an obesity rate of 28.5%. That means more than a quarter of people have a Body Mass Index of over 30. Normal range is under 25. Those are scary numbers, as obesity leads to everything from diabetes to heart failure. Especially scary are the obesity rates among children. 2008 CDC numbers estimate that 17 percent of people ages 2-19 are obese. That's a staggering number.

I am personally concerned about these stats. While I'm not obese, I've seen my BMI approach that magic 25 number. I've also seen higher-than-normal cholesterol levels on my blood work. That's something I take very seriously. I've always been an avid fruit- and vegetable-eater, as I enjoy them. But, there are also too many times I opt for fast food, largely because of convenience. Fast food places are everywhere around Montgomery County, where I live. I could have an easy ride to McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, Taco Bell, KFC, or Arby's, not to mention lesser-known fast food places. These are even more prevalent in Philadelphia or other, more urban areas. Sometimes, its hard to resist the easy service and cheap prices. A fast food meal can negate all the exercise and fruit I ate on a given day. It's counter productive.

These new guidelines are vital, both for what we will read on nutrition labels, what fast food places will have to do to adjust, and what schools will be able to serve for their lunches. Obesity is an often overlooked condition. Even if you aren't obese, like me, you still could be at risk for elevated cholesterol or any number of other things as a result of a poor diet.

I think about healthy eating all the time when I can, especially at sit-down restaurants, where nutrition facts aren't as easy to find. It's amazing how unhealthy one little meal can be. Everyone should read what HHS releases and think about their diets. Monitoring your health should be the most important part of your life. I hope that HHS releases very specific details and recommendations, and I hope that the United States can fight back against obesity. There are plenty of things in life we can't control, so we need to take advantage of what we can control.

SOURCES

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65E3FI20100615

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#County

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/index.html