Obesity and personal responsibility
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| Photography by Joluise |
The AusDiab study was funded through a National Health and Medical Research Council grant and followed 11,000 Australians for 12 years. Researchers found the incidence of diabetes remained very high, with almost 270 adult Australians diagnosed each day, and people aged 25-34 were gaining more weight than other age groups. Patients with diabetes were also found more likely to suffer other conditions as well. Prevalence of depression in patients with diabetes was 65 per cent, which was much higher than those without diabetes.
The report found that the average gain in waist circumference over the 12 years of the study was 5.3 centimetres and it was greater in women than men. "They've stopped doing exercise they did as a young single person - they've taken on a lot of family responsibilities - but they don't yet feel any great connection or risk of developing diseases such as diabetes.
Obesity is on the rise in most western countries and action needs to be taken now. As we all know, being overweight leads to a range of illnesses (such as diabetes) and shortens lives — deaths that are preventable. We all need to take personal responsibility and make some simple lifestyle choices such as: eat healthy fresh foods, cut back on junk foods (overly processed foods), reduce alcohol consumption, avoid smoking and get outside and exercise . . . the evidences shows it make a huge difference to our health and life expectancy. We don't want our children to think "fat" is the new norm.
Sadly so many adults don't take responsibility for what they eat and do and we all pay for it.
Sadly so many adults don't take responsibility for what they eat and do and we all pay for it.
Almost everything I cook is made from scratch and its very satisfying (and cheaper than buying things in cans) and as a result we have never felt better. I have been doing this for quite a while now and I don't even think about opening up a can of something — and it hasn’t added much more time to my cooking and like most women, I don't have a lot of spare time for cooking anyway.
As for exercise, I do need to do more —this is one area that is lacking and I need to work on it. Just need some warmer weather!
For those who home-school — do you incorporate a physical education program where you include outdoor activities like running, sport activities etc.. (different from general play)? Is it every day? Its certainly part of school curriculum and I think a very necessary part too. If we don't introduce some form of physical activity when young, children are less likely to particular in these sorts of activities when older and according to the report, its young people who are stacking on the weight.
Physical activity is important for all of us, not only for the body, its very good for the mind.
Off for a walk!!
PS I found this interesting - its so important to always check the information on any processed foods and drinks. As seen below, what might look "healthy" contains as much sugar as Coca-Cola.
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I am still doing my 6 miles each day! And the children never lack for exercise. Got so many benefits!
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you get a bike too? =)
love,
Betsy
Excellent - children love to run about and if you can give them lots of space they just love it. I have lots of lovely spaces to go walking at lunch time, just need to put on the walking shoes. !!!
DeleteThis is so important. I think most people are ignorant (sometimes wilfully) about what they eat or what it is doing to their body. I also think it's bad to see a mother who is taking care of her health but still feeds her children rubbish because that's easier than battling with the children to get them to start eating more healthy foods.
ReplyDeleteProcessed food is such a scam. Yes, it fills your stomach but (i) it's often not really food because of all the chemicals etc it contains, (ii) it's not providing your body with nutrition or true fuel to live on, (iii) your body is starved even though you're eating regularly, because of the lack of nutrition, and (iv) processed food costs a LOT more than real food from scratch.
We send our children outside to play/run/exercise as often as possible. In the winter, that's pretty much anytime all day. In the summer, the rain or heat can prevent much outdoor playing, but we give them activities to do inside (make them run around indoors!) to make up for that. Our two families (Kath's and mine) arranged to do a P.E. program together this year, and the children love doing exercise together! It's not just the exercise that's important, but Vitamin D from the sunshine is very important for health, too. :)
The other probably with processed food is the taste, kids get so use to the taste that they forget/or never have the opportunity to taste really foods made with fresh ingredients. When they are expected to eat real foods they often don't like the taste as it isn't covered in salt or sugar or artificial flavourings.
DeleteYou are right - processed foods is far more expensive than a trolley load of veg/fruit but it doesn't seem to stop families from buy these foods even when they can't afford them. I find it fascinating to watch what people are buy when I am waiting to be served at the supermarket - it is quite interesting.
Sunshine is really good for you as long as you don't get too much on delicate pale skin like mine.
I watch people at the grocery store, too. Sometimes I'm completely horrified and wish I could go up to the person buying the food and offer to go through the store and point out the foods that really are food, and give them cooking lessons!!!!! I especially hate it when they have children who are obviously being fed the rubbish they have in their trolley.
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