Everyone knows that her husband has a plan of how he wants to improve the health of our country.  However Michelle Obama, wife of the current US president, is also trying to leave her mark on the health of our country.  She has recently begun an initiative fighting childhood obesity, an epidemic in today’s world.

      An article in USA today stated, “About 32% of children and adolescents are obese or overweight, government statistics show. Almost 20% of children ages 6 to 11 and 18% of those ages 12 to 19 are obese. Such children are at a greater risk for weight-related health problems such as high cholesterol and diabetes, and they have an increased chance of becoming obese adults.”  Teaming with groups such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, steps are being made to help the health of today’s children.  Among these idea are:

•Put schools within easy walking distance of residential areas.

•Improve access to outdoor recreational facilities.

•Require physical education in schools.

•Enhance traffic safety in areas where people could be physically active.

•Enhance infrastructure supporting walking and biking.

•Discourage consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks.

      Deborah J. Wray, associate professor in the department of kinesiology at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth agrees that these methods will help keep the children more fit.  She address the recent fad of obesity boot camps by saying, “Many of these camps are designed to get kids in shape in a six-to 10-week period, but they are short-term fixes, just like diets."  Real change she believes will take much more time than that.  "Short-term camps will not work in the long term. It takes at least six months of continual practice to create a behavior change." 

      These pushes to improve the health of our children may lead us to look at our own situations and how we can change our lives to become healthier.  Just a few things to consider in closing…

• Recently the exercise and wellness credit was dropped from the requirements of all BYU students.  Was this a wise decision?
• Should exercise and even nutrition classes be required for all students at BYU?
• Do you think children are given enough chance to exercise and learn the benefits of doing so?
• If not, what needs to be done to change that.

Article by Tyson Higgins

References:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com  
“Obesity Boot Camps Not The Answer; But Gym Class Is.”www.usatoday.com 
Michelle Obama to launch initiative fighting child obesity