How to Fight Obesity in America

America's obesity problem is obvious. With approximately 34 percent of the population considered obese, there is little doubt that it's time to fight obesity in America. (See Reference 1.) Finding the right way to encourage healthy behavior in Americans is a challenge -- many know the ways to lose weight, but don't want to start a diet and exercise program. In many cases, people simply feel that they don't have the time or money to eat healthy and exercise regularly. By increasing the access to the tools that you need to live a healthy lifestyle, we can fight American obesity.

Instructions

• 1

  Educate the population on healthy behaviors. Americans receive a lot of conflicting advice about what type of diet to follow. Many foods that you may think are healthy -- such as granola -- may actually be quite high in calories and sugar. Consumers should have access to information on how to read nutrition labels and how to choose the right foods to eat.

• 2

  Promote healthy behavior in schools. Healthy habits start from childhood. Since most children spend a majority of time in school, it makes sense that schools play an important role in the health of the American population. School lunches should feature whole grains, lean proteins and fresh fruits and vegetables. Fried foods should be rare if available at all.

• 3

  Make healthy foods available at affordable prices. In some cases, it's difficult to purchase healthy foods at a low cost. Those who do not have cars or easy access to public transportation do not have much choice in the stores that they can shop at. With limited choices, some are forced to turn to low cost convenience foods instead of healthy produce.

• 4

  Create public spaces that encourage exercise. Exercise is an important part of the obesity equation. Cities should aim to create public spaces that allow residents to easily exercise for free or for a nominal cost. For example, you could create a community sports center or create walking, jogging and bicycle paths in the park. You can also create fitness centers in public parks that allow users to train muscles through pull ups or other strength building exercises.

• 5

  Encourage people to decrease screen time. Watching too much television may mean that you are not getting enough exercise. Additionally, you may snack in front of the television and not realize how much you are eating. Using the computer and playing video games are just as bad. Instead, consider creating more community events, such as festivals, sports leagues or games and contests. This can encourage people to spend less time in front of screens and start getting active.