I know I said I’d go running today, but I’m just so exhausted from a day of classes. I know I said I’d work out today, but I’d have to drive to the Sanderson Center and I don’t want to lose my parking space. I know I said I’d take an aerobics class today, but I really feel like taking a nap.
Haven’t these thoughts, or similar thoughts, gone through your head at some point? As I sit here munching on Cheerios, it’s not too difficult to think of a topic that is pertinent and should be of concern to college students.
Overweight and obesity have become two of the more pressing health issues of today. Today, approximately 30.5 percent of Americans are considered obese and 64.5 percent considered overweight. These numbers are shocking, but even more so is the fact that obesity and overweight in children and adolescents has risen rapidly over the past decade. Today, 15 percent of children aged six to 19 years old are measured as overweight, and 10 percent of children aged two to five are now overweight.
It may seem that society is combatting this issue with fad diets like Atkins, South Beach and the Zone Diet. The Atkins diet has been in existence for almost 35 years. New studies have shown that the long-term risks of the Atkins diet are coronary heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, due to the high protein-high fat approach.
The most successful healthy weight loss approach is the one that’s been around longer than any other: a sensible balance of low-calorie foods from every food group, combined with daily exercise. You may think your daily walks to and from class are exercise enough, but the American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five to seven days a week. It’s easy, while in college, to make excuses about exercise and take up unhealthy eating habits.
Interestingly, a new study has found that being fit may be more important than being thin. It shows that a lack of physical fitness is a larger risk factor for heart disease than being overweight or obese. Many people with high metabolisms may use that as their reasoning for not exercising, but no matter which weight category, people who exercise moderately are less likely to develop heart disease than those who are more sedentary.
Health risks of overweight and obesity include diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, heart disease, certain cancers, stroke and arthritis. Even with this knowledge, so much of our world is expanding to cater to those with weight problems. Not only is there plus-sized clothing, but now there is plus-sized furniture. Developments like these will not encourage plus size people to start trying to live a healthier lifestyle.
Though scientific studies have shown that America has an obvious weight problem, our efforts to combat it aren’t enough. The fact that McDonald’s now serves salads and Wendy’s offers fruit and milk with their kids’ meals isn’t going to turn the number of obese Americans around. The first step is recognizing that a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet can and will lead to health problems in the long run. Exercise and a balanced diet is the only combination that is going to prove successful.
Next time you’re debating whether to go exercise, think about your future. It may seem like a stretch, but every time you make a decision like that, habits are formed and getting into the habit of not exercising will put you right on the path to health problems later in adulthood. Don’t look at it as a grueling task-exercise can be fun.
Take a friend to an aerobics class at Sanderson. Go for a jog in the pleasant late afternoon weather. You’ll find it’s much easier to stay in shape than it seems, and find yourself much happier, healthier and more relaxed for it.
Erin Clyburn is a sophomore English major. She can be reached at [email protected].