travis' brain dump

Go watch the video first:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2008/06/23/kyung.fat.busters.cnn

Japan is definitely taking the fight against obesity to a new level. New laws out there are now making it mandatory for citizens to be measured and monitored. So much for those plus sizes, now your waistline has a limit and being over that has some consequences to not only you, but your employer as well!

While most American’s see this as a mandatory waistline as infringing on personal rights and privacy, taking steps to ensure the health of it’s citizens seems to be  necessary step for Japan. Think about the savings on their health care costs…  By focusing efforts on getting healthy and prevention of health issues, it’s far more cost-effective and practical in the long-run than our current system of ‘treating’ the symptoms of poor health and weight related health problems.

Take the risk of acquiring type-2 diabetes for example. A MAJORITY of the people who suffer from this disease suffer because the onset was directly related to being overweight. How about heart disease? Again, being overweight DRASTICALLY increases risks for the onset of this health issue.

I’m not saying everyone has to run out and get rail skinny as that’s just nasty. (not to mention extremely unhealthy as well) Being more aware of ones health and making a solid effort to improve upon that is incredibly vital to a long, healthy life.  Even if you’re not able to exercise due to a medical condition, there is always the choice to eat healthy. And yes, there are those who do eat healthy and do have a little extra weight… at least you’re trying. 🙂

What absolutely escapes me is how people can be consciously aware of their overweight conditions, do nothing about and instead complain about it while scarfing down a bucket of Ben and Jerry’s or some KFC. C`mon people.

While I don’t see the extreme’s the Japanese government is taking as a solution to our problems I do think there should be some type of greater encouragement and motivational techniques employed to get American’s to be a little healther. According to the CDC in 2006, only four states had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Twenty-two states had a prevalence equal or greater than 25%; two of these states (Mississippi and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.

WOW PEOPLE!!!