thoughts on the news of the day: bmi

hmmm…..

            If Michele Obama’s daughter is overweight, is there any hope for me? She has been in the forefront of encouraging exercise and diet in an effort to improve health of children in this country. Recently she found out that her daughter’s BMI (Body Mass Index) was creeping upward.  A high BMI is problematic in children because it indicates overweight which develops problems such as high blood pressure, liver disease and diabetes.

            First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated the first anniversary of her “Let’s Move!” campaign against childhood obesity last month.  She said, “Over the past year, we’ve seen the first signs of a fundamental shift in how we live and eat. We’ve seen changes at every level of our society from classrooms, to boardrooms, to the halls of Congress.”  The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids act signed into law last year, initiatives like Let’s Move Cities and Towns, and preventative measures like BMI and obesity screenings have all contributed to awareness of a growing problem in the United States.

            Sure, we know the reality of the situation, that if you eat more and exercise less, you will gain weight.  And it gets worse the older you get.  We know that reality, but still we are tempted constantly to eat that cookie, or those chips or drink that soda.  So my question, again, is:  “If Michele Obama’s daughter is overweight, is there any hope for me and for all of us who battle weight on a daily basis?”  Maybe there’s more to it than just diet, exercise and self control…..  maybe we need a truly fundamental shift …..

            hmmm…..