More talk of obesity, but little action

The national conversation on obesity rates and overall health will increase, but the temptation to revert to old habits is likely to win the battle of the bulging waistline. According to Rebecca Kelly, director of health promotion and wellness at The University of Alabama, the added attention will inspire some to make better food choices, but others—not so much.

“The discussion of healthy eating is becoming more widespread as we further determine the health risks posed by obesity—especially concerning young people,” says Kelly. “We’ve seen a lot of focus on how obesity affects life expectancy, and how healthcare providers and insurance companies are adjusting rates based on their client’s likelihood of obesity. That tends to get the public’s attention.”

Unfortunately, the public won’t put that information to good use as long as the practice of making healthful choices maintains the reputation of being a chore rather than a choice.

“Right now, there are too many road blocks to healthy foods and too few deterrents to unhealthy foods,” says Kelly as she points to a vending machine. “And that’s not just fast food restaurants; there are vending machines loaded with junk food on every corner. Can we really expect people on the go to make a different choice? There has to be more options.”

Just released figures from a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention supports Kelly’s assertion. Americans are putting on weight very quickly and nearly 34 percent  of the U.S. adult population is overweight; that’s approximately 72 million people. If the trend continues, close to half of adults in the US will meet the World Health Organization criteria for obesity by 2020, perhaps as soon as 2018.

Kelly remarks on the reasons that people continue to make poor food choices, specifically noting the commitment and additional cost required of healthy eating as, “not really that significant if you look at rising health care costs for conditions associated with obesity.”

“People just need to use that top-of-mind awareness created by all these facts and figures,” says Kelly. “Otherwise, we’ll see more of the same. More talking but certainly more obesity.”