Alternative Ways to Avoid Obesity

Fun activities for a healthy lifestyle

by Elizabeth Olson and Catherine McNiff

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The United States National Center for Health Statistics released a report in 2008 indicating that almost 73% of Americans are overweight, obese, or extremely obese. Even more disturbing are results showing that the percentage of overweight or obese Americans 20 years and older rose from 23% to 34% between 1980 and 2006.

In 2011, obesity is still a problem in the U.S. In fact, the weight of our nation, and especially the rounding of our children, has become a hot topic in the Oval Office.

Get Moving

An anti-obesity initiative, Let’s Move!, was launched by First Lady Michelle Obama in Feb. 2010. During her speech introducing the program, Obama explained her mission to combat the “epidemic of childhood obesity in America” which has caused a tripling of youth obesity rates over the last three decades, and has left one in three children overweight or obese. The First Lady wants to turn this tide so that the children born today will grow into adulthood free of high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, and chronic disease—all negative health problems that are linked with being overweight.

Five Steps to Success

1. Improving childhood nutrition through education

2. Empowering parents and caregivers through improving nutritional information in food marketing

3. Healthy food in schools based on the new food pyramid mypyramid.gov

4. Access to healthy, affordable food at reasonable prices

5. Increasing physical activity at school, at home, and in the community

What You Can Do

Have fun! Engaging in sports and incorporating physical activity into your lifestyle can help diminish the prevalence of obesity and help family bonding. The following list includes fun indoor and outdoor activities to avoid weight gain without having to go to the gym, according to the weather.

Cold Weather Activities	Calories Burned per hour*
Snow shoeing	563
Ice skating	493
Cross-country skiing	563
Downhill skiing	422
Shoveling snow	422
Warm Weather Activities
Kayaking	352
Swimming	422
Gardening	352
Tennis	493
Anytime Activities
Take the stairs instead of the elevator	563
Adventure vacation	varies
Rock climbing	700
Yoga	298
Set up an exercise program on the Wii Fit	varies

* Calories burned per hour for moderate activity of persons that weigh 155 lbs.

Source: Mayoclinic.com

Information Please® Database, © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

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