The skinny on fat
A new report on obesity named Colorado the least obese state in the nation. Good news, and not too surprising — our gorgeous scenery and ample sunshine make outdoor activities a pleasure few can resist. Our ranking for kids isn’t quite as high: 10th. Ahead of us are Utah, Minnesota, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont.
While that’s still pretty good, it’s clear there’s still room in the state for improvement. As the report, compiled by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, notes, “reversing the childhood obesity epidemic is a critical ingredient for delivering a healthier population and making health reform work.”
Unfortunately the economic crisis is only likely to make matters worse because nutritious food is often more expensive. But the report does give our state kudos for having nutritional standards for school lunches.
One thing I especially like about the report is its emphasis on obesity as a community problem (as opposed to a failure of will). And it takes a community to solve it — by providing healthy food and opportunities for physical activity in schools and increasing the availability of these in the community. For adults, employers can provide opportunities and incentives for wellness, and local governments can provide infrastructure that encourages walking and biking over driving.
In the end, I’d say the Durango area — with its abundant parks, trails, bike paths, farmers markets (Wednesday market at the fairgrounds starts today!) and infinite activities for kids — offers a pretty good model for the rest of the country to follow.
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