HBO Documentary Films: The Weight of the Nation Trailer

PARENTING - Advice from a former obese kid

“I know that recognizing the joy of the outdoors at that early age was probably the biggest reason that my major fitness overhaul wasn’t something I have had to start from scratch since,” says Max Greenberg. (James Brosher-AP) 

As a kid, I took solace in food and led a mostly sedentary life. This landed me well north of 200 pounds sometime after middle school. Year after year, my parents plied me with rewards, begged, occasionally threatened — to no avail.

It eventually took many hours of focused exercise (and countless uneaten cupcakes) to shed that dangerous weight. But a much subtler change in behavior ensured that, while I might periodically struggle in years to come, I wouldn’t get myself...

Unstructured outdoor play is an important complement to more focused exercise, building habits where youth soccer practice — which usually ends when one’s youth soccer career ends — might not. A study published in the September edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed adult supervision may actually lower the likelihood of physical activity (adult safety concerns tend to put a damper on kids and inhibit freedom) and that, for the youngest children, more organized play may mean less total activity. Read More

Article Link: Advice from a former obese kid
By Janice D'Arcy

Overweight and Obesity - U.S. Obesity Trends $$$450 billion annually

National Obesity Trends

About one-third of U.S. adults (33.8%) are obese.
Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.
[Data from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES)]


Trends by State 1985–2010

During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States and rates remain high. In 2010, no state had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty-six states had a prevalence of 25% or more; 12 of these states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia) had a prevalence of 30% or more.
The animated map below shows the United States obesity prevalence from 1985 through 2010.

Percent of Obese (BMI > 30) in U.S. Adults
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2010 State Obesity Rates
State	%	State	%	State	%	State	%
Alabama	32.2	Illinois	28.2	Montana	23.0	Rhode Island	25.5
Alaska	24.5	Indiana	29.6	Nebraska	26.9	South Carolina	31.5
Arizona	24.3	Iowa	28.4	Nevada	22.4	South Dakota	27.3
Arkansas	30.1	Kansas	29.4	New Hampshire	25.0	Tennessee	30.8
California	24.0	Kentucky	31.3	New Jersey	23.8	Texas	31.0
Colorado	21.0	Louisiana	31.0	New Mexico	25.1	Utah	22.5
Connecticut	22.5	Maine	26.8	New York	23.9	Vermont	23.2
Delaware	28.0	Maryland	27.1	North Carolina	27.8	Virginia	26.0
District of Columbia	22.2	Massachusetts	23.0	North Dakota	27.2	Washington	25.5
Florida	26.6	Michigan	30.9	Ohio	29.2	West Virginia	32.5
Georgia	29.6	Minnesota	24.8	Oklahoma	30.4	Wisconsin	26.3
Hawaii	22.7	Mississippi	34.0	Oregon	26.8	Wyoming	25.1
Idaho	26.5	Missouri	30.5	Pennsylvania	28.6

"According to the recent McKinley Quarterly report, the economic impact of obesity, including the $160 billion health care cost (much of which is related to obesity related issues), is $450 billion annually. An increasing contingency suggests primary interventions such as tax deductions for measured activity participation and health insurance sponsored physical activity programs should replace the awareness campaigns, whereas others believe taxing the obese or creating more personal financial burden for their health care is the answer."