Weighing In on Summer

By Helen Vollmer, President

 Ah, the lazy days of summer.  The kids are off from school and the rest of us are relaxing as best we can during vacation and long weekends.  I don’t know about you, but when I think about time off,  the word “indulgence” comes to mind.  And that’s the problem.  The empty calories of summer just start piling up:  cheeseburgers, potato salad, fried chicken, cookies and for something fruity and good for you-- that perennial favorite, a vodka-spiked watermelon.  Whether it’s nachos and a hot dog at the ballpark or treating the family to ice cream cones on a 100+ degree day, summer is a constant battle of “I need to lose weight,” versus  “I deserve that bag of chips.”  And the proof is just how good (or bad) you look in that bathing suit.

Unfortunately, the real  proof is the health of Americans in general and the fact that more than  one-third of U.S. adults are now classified as obese. Not overweight — obese.   In the recently aired HBO special, “The Weight of the Nation,” lots of shocking facts give heft to the truth.  We, as a nation, are fat.  And it’s taking its toll not only in how tight our blue jeans are, but in the escalation of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer and kidney and liver failure brought on by our self-induced obesity.  Our productivity and wellness, as well as that of future generations , is at stake.

There are lots of reasons our weight has gotten out of control:  the efficient overproduction of certain foods and the lack of government subsidies for healthier alternatives, the supersizing of portions at restaurants, food manufacturers answering to shareholders and parents who insisted we clean our plates.  We have all had a hand in this proverbial cookie jar of overindulgence.

But with awareness comes support and change.  Schools of public health, such as at UT Health have developed amazing programs to combat obesity among people of different cultures and economic backgrounds.  Organizations such as the Whole Kids Foundation are dedicated to improving children’s’ nutrition and wellness one school salad bar and garden at a time (did you know that kids who have access to school salad bars eat three times the fruit and veggies than kids without such access?).  Mayor Bloomberg of New York is pushing through a ban of sugary soft drinks above 16 oz. in public outlets, modeling the government’s tax on cigarettes to successfully steer us away from the harmful.  The First Lady has long been an ambassador for healthier eating and is currently touting her new vegetable garden book.  And while 36 percent of all adults get no form of physical activity, I am told that health club memberships are on the rise.

Summer makes me more aware of the battle of the bulge.  And awareness, if nothing else, is a start.  Instead of a bag of potato chips, I’m thinking sweet, succulent tomatoes off the vine or maybe a crisp, crunchy apple.  When you’re done you can sing out this summer, “Apple core.  Baltimore.  Who’s your friend?   _______.  “  Enjoy a healthy summer, friends.