A Price to Pay for Nationwide Obesity Crisis
Obesity has become an epidemic and it’s putting both health and wallet at risk – particularly for women. Doctors have been asserting that obese people incur higher medical bills but there is more to this than meets the eye. A recently released study proved that obese women have higher costs as compared to men.
Researchers from the George Washington University have looked into costs of being overweight. In this study, they have also included different factors such as employee sick days, lost productivity, and the need for extra gasoline as well. From the study, they’ve found that a woman’s annual cost of being obese is $4,879 while an obese man costs $2,646.
School Children Taking Healthy Lifestyles Oath
After elections, public officials gather together to conduct their oath taking and hopefully start serving their statesmen or countrymen. Similarly, students like fourth-grader Jaidyn Robinson of the Krotz Springs Elementary School have also lined up to take on a pledge. But the only difference is, she isn’t vowing to serve the state or the country, she is taking on an essential lifestyle pledge for herself.
Indeed, it was a promising day for all the elementary students at Krotz Springs. They took on a pledge that will change what they eat and what they do for the sake of good health and proper nutrition. “This will help me get in shape. I’m excited about this program,” an excited Jaidyn said.
Trader Joes and Healthy Vending are Fast Growing Retail Trends
Trader Joe’s foods is another store, other then Apple’s retails stores, where there is always a queue. On a July morning, at 7.30, there is already a crowd at Trader Joe’s new outlet, in Manhattan’s Chelsea Neighborhood. The shoppers in the queue talk about their favorite foods from the store while another woman talks about the store’s West Coast and East Coast outlets. A customer says that Chelsea will benefit from the chain though there are so many existing grocery stores already, including Whole Foods. Chelsea has some posh food boutiques as well.
Trader Joe’s is a unique grocery store; the store has a relaxed fun atmosphere that makes shopping exciting culturally and not just a chore to do. The store has stocked shelves with an appealing combination of low cost, yuppie friendly staples like cage free eggs and organic blue agave sweetener as well exotic luxuries that are affordable like Belgian butter waffle cookies or Thai Lime and chili cashews, which are hard to find anywhere else. At the store, the employees, give stickers to your kids, are dressed up in weird trademark Hawaiian shirts and also give a refund if you’re not happy with a purchase- this is done with a smile.
Organic Business Continues Upward Growth
Experts predict that the whole segments of the grocery market could go chemical free. There is an increasing demand for Organic produce. Organic produce has grown from $128 million cottage industry in 2004 to nearly a $1 billion a year, with assistance from the supermarkets. 60% of sales come from Supermarkets. In the past one year, almost two out of three shoppers have purchased organic produce.
Andrew Monk, who has co- authored a report on the organic industry said for some years, organic produce was looked at, as an alternative option but now people are now considering it as part of daily food routines. Andrew is also a director of Biological Farmers of Australia. In organic purchases, fruits and vegetable remain high on the list, followed by raw ingredients like sugar, flour, canned goods, dairy and eggs.
Obesity in America Needs to be Addressed
In America, obesity has already become an epidemic that puts the health of numerous American children at risk. Many of these children won’t live longer due to obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, circulatory disease, sleep apnea, arthritis and so many more. Family income as well as the government’s funds will be spent on obesity-related problems and even dreams will be shut out.
Just as childhood obesity begins at home, so does its prevention or reduction – it must start and be carried on within the four walls of the home. Even if the baby is still inside the mother’s womb, expectant mothers should diligently monitor their weight as this will likely affect the baby’s weight as well. In fact, recent studies have already implied that excessive, prenatal weight gain significantly raises the possibilities that the child in the mother’s womb will be struggling with obesity.
In the August issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a study focused on assessing the dietary patterns of early childhood. Based on the study, children, ages three to four who take in less greasy foods and more of the dark green and deep yellow vegetables were less likely to be overweight at age eight. All the more, this type of diet paved the way for the children’s healthier and stronger bones at age eight.
Top Ten School Snack Vending Trends Revealed
Top ten snacks trends report has been released by the Food Channel in collaboration with CultureWaves, Mintel International & the International Food Futurists.Kay Logsdon, who is the editor in chief of the Food Channel said these trends are intended to encourage back-to school snacking. She added that they also indicate what the eating fad is today- people consuming smoothies and energy bars as replacements for meals and having small bites throughout the day, without having a full meal.
The top ten school snacks are:
Milk is Once Again Cool for School Vending and Nutrition
Since time immemorial, milk has been every child’s favorite. But milk tends to be out of the picture when children are already 11 years old. At this age, children drink more soda than milk.
In fact, America’s milk consumption fell from 20 gallons a year per capita, compared the early 1990’s 25 gallons. School lunchrooms used to be milk’s home because kids drink milk during recess time. But kids no longer drink milk as much as their parents want them to.
Finally, Healthy Lunch Programs in Schools
Families across Western Pennsylvania and around the country are struggling financially because the economy is in a recession. More children go to bed with hunger or they have to adjust to eating cheaper, less healthy foods. The Congress is just dilly dallying, though many children depend on school and summer lunch programs as a primary source of food. The Act which funds all school meals, the Nutrition Act seems to be going nowhere; it’s in legislative limbo.
The new bill will upgrade current nutrition standards; more students will have access to reduced and reduced cost lunches and local framers can sell their produce to schools for the lunches. Though there is strong bipartisan support, Congress is not serious in enacting new legislation especially with the current law sets which will become ineffective by September end. Question is why is the bill being stalled, with all those important provisions? It is because of time and money.
Childhood and Adult Obesity Becoming a Major Public Health Threat
When kids eat too much and exercise less, tendency is they become obese. When obesity could not be controlled at a younger age, there’s a greater possibility that obesity continues on until adulthood. Subsequently, America is in panic.
In 2000, obesity rate was zero and in 2007, it was three. But obesity rates skyrocketed in 2010. In fact, more than 75 million adult Americans are officially obese and recent government data also shows that nine states had obesity rates of 30% or more compared to last year’s rates. Because of this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have referred to obesity as an “epidemic” and “a major public health threat” as well.
Childhood Obesity: Ask Not Who’s to Blame, But Ask What You Can Do About It
Studies indicate that “childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years”. F\In addition to this, “the prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008”. Furthermore, “the prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%”.
Indeed, the numbers are increasing and will be increasing more and more each year if nothing is done to resolve the issue of childhood obesity. Who is to blame for all these? Should parents be blamed for overfeeding? Should teachers’ school administrators be at fault for allowing the selling of unhealthy foods in middle school vending machines?