The news is not
encouraging! The Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), the federal agency directing public health in the
United States, recently issued its most unfavorable report ever on America’s
obesity epidemic . . . with the hypertension, immobility, arthritis, heart
disease and diabetes which accompanies it.
Overall, 38% of U.S. adults are obese,
with another one-third overweight. These two conditions are based upon the
relationship of weight to height, known as body mass index (BMI). A person is overweight with BMI between 25 and
29.9; obesity is reached at a BMI of 30.
If you want to check on yourself or anyone else, the calculation is
easily done. Simply divide weight in
pounds by height in inches squared, and then multiply the result by 703. For you math buffs, the formula is:
BMI = 703 X MASS(lb) ÷ [HEIGHT(in)]²
Though the CDC has
waged its war on obesity over the past three decades, they claim it’s unclear
why the problem continues to worsen, despite countless studies trying to pinpoint
the problem. It appears that, despite
hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to support clinical trials and
observational studies by numerous foundations, professional societies and
governmental agencies, it remains a mystery why Americans continue to add
pounds.
As you might guess,
I have a few thoughts on this matter. In
our quest for well-being, we must first consider how our bodies react to what
we ingest and the activities in which we engage¾or fail
to engage. One of the more heavily
promoted businesses in America is the diet industry. The desire to be thin constitutes a national
obsession, with no limit to the books, articles, and programs promoting weight
loss. Bookstore shelves are filled with such
titles as Eat More, Weigh Less Diet
and Eat, Fast & Stay Slim. The most sought-after female fashion models
are clearly skeletal, and the eating disorders of anorexia and bulimia are
common, with sufferers frequently featured on TV talk shows in all their
emaciated horror. Is it any wonder so
many persons fall victim to fad diets which do nothing of value?
Consumption of food¾the
intake of calories¾is
only half the equation. Bodily activity¾the
burning of those calories¾is
the other half, the two as inexorably related as yin and yang. Attendant to these are individual factors
such as appetite, metabolic rate, and physical limitations. The goal for each of us: to optimize our
bodily appearance and function over a lifetime in a prudent manner. That, of course, requires development of
reasonably sustainable eating and exercise habits. More specifically, any program requiring
abnormal effort over a prolonged period of time will fail. The clear significance: "Diets" do not work. So the obvious question becomes: "What,
if anything, does work?" You’re in luck, because something does indeed
work.
Over the years my
reading included such best sellers as The
Drinking Man's Diet, Dr. Atkin's New Diet Revolution, and The Beverly Hills Diet, to mention just a
few. Some of the books and articles
contain a strain of reasonableness, while in others the recommendations are
literally off the wall. Of them all, one
author was clearly ahead of his time.
That man, the late Nathan Pritikin, truly revolutionized the world's
thinking with his Live Longer Now,
first published in 1973. Eventually the
medical community came to accept his concept of a regimen high in complex
carbohydrates while low in fats, sugars, salt, and caffeine. Although that book is now out of print, a
more recent work, The Pritikin Program
for Diet & Exercise is available.
It lays out a program that can promote a long and healthy tenure on this
earth.
The second half of
the quest for health involves a commitment to physical activity. As expected, there’s no limit to the number
of books and articles offering the ultimate exercise program, with each title
suggesting its own view of nirvana. If
you’re not intrigued with Stretch
Yourself for Health & Fitness, perhaps The Superstar Workout will suit you better. Then again, Hanging Out: The Upside Down Exercise Book may strike your fancy,
unless a time shortage drives you instead to Thirty Days to a Beautiful Body.
As with books on diet, some of the exercise programs seem reasonable,
others make little or no sense and more than a few are potentially
dangerous. And while on the subject of
danger, be aware that many persons in the physical fitness business,
particularly health club counselors and high school physical education instructors,
are sadly out of their element. It’s at
your risk that you accept their counsel.
So again the
question: Is there a guide on physical fitness by any author in which you may
place confidence? This surely is your
lucky day; the book is there to be found.
The author is Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D., and the approach outlined in his
book, The Aerobics Program for Total
Well-Being formed the basis of the Royal Canadian Air Force exercise
program. Though long out of print, it
can still be found, and is as close to must
reading as you’ll find. The essence of
his method is selection by the participant of one or more exercises of choice,
in which the benefit of each activity can be assessed by an easily measured
point system. Dr. Cooper’s concept is a
technique to encourage life-long activity.
I know it works, for I’ve been a devotee for decades.
A final word: As
you age, ailments will come your way.
They’ll be less debilitating if you maintain an easily carryable weight
along with useable muscles and an efficient circulatory system. Although each of us will eventually conclude
our visit to this small planet, the time we spend here will be far more
sustainable if we treat ourselves kindly.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
If you enjoy this weekly Straight Talk by Al Jacobs, you’re invited to check out my monthly Financial Newsletter, as well as my new book, The Road to Prosperity
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
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