per the Guardian, on obesity in the U.S.:
Dr Alan Penman, an epidemiologist with the Mississippi department of health, prefers not to use the word epidemic. "That implies something that comes and goes," he says. "What we have here are normal adaptations to the kind of environment we now live in. It's Darwinian. Everyone is at risk, if not actually affected, because we have created what some people have called an obesogenic environment. The Americans have done it very well, better than anyone. And it's not going to go away for generations."
It's sad but true. It would take generations to undo the bad zoning (no sidewalks, no town centers, no where to walk to, even if you could) and the farm subsidies that have made the U.S. so incredibly fat. (a big plate of corn fed beef and high-fructose corn syrup for all my friends!)
The question remains: will we fix the problem (undo the above) or will we simply tax high-sugar and high-fat food? I know which one *I* think will happen. Especially with Big-Gubmint-Boy in charge.
"You can't just put out messages saying, 'Eat Less. Exercise More,' " says Penman. "That only works for the worried well. You have to create an environment where people make those choices without thinking."
Posted by nicole at May 02, 2002 08:50 AM