August 25, 2005
Mass Hysteria
BBC News: "US People Getting Fatter, Fast"
That was one of the top 3 headlines this morning, along with a supposed breatkthrough in the Iraqi Constitution and a breakdown in EU-China textile talks.
Money shot: "Currently, about 119 million, or 64.5%, of US adults are either overweight or obese. According to projections, 73% of US adults could be overweight or obese by 2008..."
Nearly two-thirds of my fellow adults are either obese or overweight?! Well, if you can call me an adult. But, suddenly, with the revelation (to me, at least), that 64.5% of my fellow adults in this country are overweight or obese, my own problems with maturity seem as fleeting as a one-night stand.
I was most surprised, though, by the fact that I'd never heard of this problem before. Well, clarifcation: it doesn't take a lot of looking-at-the-general-public to realize this society has a problem with excess. But, I didn't realize that problem encompassed two-thirds of the adult population! Surprised that such epidemic news had escaped my usually-sensitive radar to the headlines, I thought I'd do some more reading up on the subject and scanned other headlines from US sources.
Nothing.
Well, almost nothing. Most of the headlines that popped up were from foreign news services. Domestic news services either buried the news in an insignificant locale or cushioned the blow. My favorites:
1. Minneapolis Star-Tribune: "Minnesotans Aren't the Fattest in the Land"
[Since when is variations on a theme of "We're not the worst!" suitable for a cheer? What's next?... Perhaps the Ugandan government, jumping up and down in unison, joyfully belching, "At least WE don't have as many AIDS cases as South Africa!"]
2. Chicago Tribune: "Waistlines Expanding Fastest in the South"
[Ah, south-bashing! I've been known to skinny-dip now-and-then in that inviting pool. But, don't partake in excess, lest it come back an reflect that nearly a quarter of Illinoisans are obese.]
3. Chicago Sun-Times: "South Will Rise Again -- If It Can Get Off Couch"
[Ah, more south-bashing! Dip your wick again and you win a hefty plate of pan-fried chicken, mashed potatoes with sausage gravy, fried okra, and a hefty slice of pecan pie!]
4. USA Today: "Obesity Ranking of States is Disputed"
[Fine. Kill the messenger.]
5. Corvallis [Oregon] Gazette-Times: "Twenty-One Percent of Us are Obese? Fat Chance."
[Oh sure. Look a gift horse in the mouth. At least you're not Mississippi, with 28.1% obese.]
6. Orlando Sentinel: "Slimming Down? No, We're Still Gaining."
["No, my children! The new trend is MORE, not less! Back to the bandwagon!"]
7. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: "Arkansas is Cited in War Against Fat"
[Hours later, an innocent spelling error sets off a chain reaction, culminating in the formal declaration of war by the state legislature and Governor Huckabee against "that ungodly haven in the War on Fat, the sovereign African nation of Burkina FATSO."]
Sure, we can bicker over semantics - over definitions of "obese" and "overweight." And we can pick over every last case until we argue the findings down to more "acceptable" numbers. But, where would that leave us?
Oh yeah. With a lot of people eating too much, drinking too much, and taking no exercise. Right back where we started.
In this case, I'll trust my gut feeling - we're getting fatter. I cautiously patted my own belly as evidence, uncomfrotably shifting my feet as I recalled days where I was thinner. Sure, my docter laughed at me when I asked her if I was overweight. But, I could lose a few pounds without risking my health in any way. If I could, and if two-thirds of American adults are obese/overweight, I'm willing to bet you could to.
Posted by James at August 25, 2005 09:01 AM