Association says obesity fought better with population-based approach

The war on obesity in America can be fought better with a population-based approach, according to a recent scientific statement published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The statement said that in order for Americans to lose weight and get healthy, it would take a broad range of strategies at the local, state and federal levels.
Dr. Alan Blaker — an interventional cardiologist with Pee Dee Cardiology Associates, who practices at McLeod Health — said he thinks the problem is one that should be taken seriously by the country as a whole.

“It’s a community-wide problem,” he said. “Not just this community, but the larger nationwide community. (Obesity) has a huge impact on the individual health, and the overall health, of our population.”

Blaker said the obesity epidemic also takes a toll on the country’s economy, through more doctors’ visits and more time missed at work.

He said the fast-paced American way of life is partly to blame for the epidemic.

“It’s easy to eat out,” he said. “It’s easy to get fast food. I think that people, in general, walk less and exercise less and, to some extent, technology has made it easier somewhat and increased the weight of the average American.”

Dr. Curt Charnes, a family practitioner with Pee Dee Family Physicians at Carolinas Hospital System, said he thinks not all the blame should be placed on technological advances that make life easier.

“There are several different reasons (for rising obesity rates),” he said. “One is that we’re just not doing as much as we are used to. It starts at childhood.”

Charnes said when he was young, parents sent their children outside to play, but that just doesn’t seem to happen much anymore.

“Now kids aren’t really encouraged to go outside and play,” he said. “I think physical education in schools is on the decline. They’re just not getting as much (exercise) as they used to.”

It’s that lack of focus on physical activity in childhood that leads adults to a sedentary, high-fat lifestyle, Charnes said.

“It starts off (in childhood) and, as adults, I think everybody is just busy with work,” he said. “They’re not taking the time to eat right.”

Parents often are working full-time to meet the financial needs of the family, and in the time crunch, fast food is a quick fix, Charnes said.

“It is just easier to swing by the local fast food place than to go to the grocery store and prepare a meal,” he said.

According to the American Heart Association’s Web site, 65 percent of Americans older than 20 are overweight, putting them in a higher risk category for serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, depression and breast and colon cancer.