One Nation, Overweight

As I was flipping through the channels tonight, CNBC had a special on called "One Nation, Overweight" that talked about the obesity epidemic in our country. As with anything related to the topic of health and wellness, I was glued to what was being said and, of course, my blood pressure was rising during the discussion of certain topics. The two things that got my blood boiling were 1) the selling of junk food in schools and 2) the development of a pill that suppresses appetite and leads to weight loss. The principal of a school where junk food is sold to help fund activities basically said it is up to parents to educate their children about making good food choices (true but... see #1 below). As usual, I could go on and on about these topics, but here are the main points I want to bring up:

1. Yes, parents do need to educate their children about healthy food, but I can think of two problems with this. A lot of parents don't know enough about what is truly healthy for their children. And what teenager that you know of, if given the options of candy and pizza, would turn down having that junk if it's available?

2. Perhaps a pill will lead to weight loss in the short term, but it does not lead to the lifestyle change necessary to live a long, healthy, vibrant life. And ultimately, every medication comes with risks, regardless of how "safe" it has been tested to be. (P.S.--I'm not anti-medication because in many cases, they are necessary and life-saving. But when it comes to choosing a pill over choosing to eat healthy foods, I object).

3. My same rationale applies to gastric bypass surgery. Which sounds more drastic to you: learning how to eat a diet of plant-based, whole foods or having a dangerous and serious surgery that results in you having to constantly monitor the amounts of food you eat for the rest of your life so you don't either throw it up (sounds appetizing!) or put your now tiny stomach at serious risk?

A positive note that I thought of after watching this show... I am a big fan of the reality show "The Biggest Loser." This season, the winner of the show began as the heaviest contestant in the show's history. He began the journey at 526 pounds. He won the show weighing in at about 240 pounds (with more weight to go). I realize this show is not real life, but he would have been a good candidate for gastric bypass surgery. However, he learned how to change his lifestyle and was successful. When you see someone who has changed their lifestyle to a healthy one, you see the utter joy in their face, as you could see in his. This is true change and this is a lifestyle we should all strive to live!