Not long ago I was trading emails with my friend Joe Turner, director of Houston Parks and Recreation. I mentioned I needed to come up with my "Perspective" for July and I was running out of material. Joe responded with one word, "obesity."
At first I thought, what could I say? You all know the issue; you know the numbers:
• More than one third of U.S. adults (35.7 percent) are obese.
• Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
• In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion and the medical costs paid by third-party payers for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those for people of normal weight (from the CDC).
But you already know this.
I started watching the four episodes (I'll admit I haven't finished them all, but I will). Here is what I have learned so far:
• We have an eating culture.
• Obesity is no longer a poverty issue.
• Obesity leads to increased risk of cancer.
• Obesity increases your risk of dementia.
• The National Institutes of Health spends more than $800 million per year studying obesity.
• It's getting worse—we are getting bigger and sicker.
Solving this problem must become a priority—it is an economic issue, a survival issue. We can take the lead in this fight; we can be the lightning rod in our communities. We represent the wonder drug, physical activity. We manage and provide the space and the programs. We are the answer.
So we know the answer, but how do we get the message out? I know many of you actively promote physical activity and eating right in your communities. I am sure it's helping, but we need to do more.
I was reading an article about obesity when I saw the line "...we don't need more programs, we need more examples." Well, that got me thinking. By the government definition, I am not obese, but I am overweight. I know this because my chest has slipped and my mid-section is more noticeable. I know what has led to my being overweight—too much good food (my wife is a great cook), a few too many cocktails after golf, and too little activity.
So in an effort to lead by example, I am going to lose 10-15 pounds by Congress. I weighed myself (185 pounds) and I will report my results in Anaheim. I have scheduled a doctor's appointment and we are working on our diet—eating healthier, smaller portions, etc. Most importantly, I will increase my physical activity (see you in the park).
So that is my plan. But it won't accomplish anything if I do this alone. What if a lot of us took up the same challenge? What if we reported at Congress that hundreds or even thousands of us shed some pounds? Would that get some attention? Could that help provide examples? I don't know, but it can't hurt.
Let us know if you are interested in "losing" with me. We'll create a Network or something so we can help, support each other, and brag about our success. I hope you'll join me.