Convenience or Curse?

by Nicki Anderson

When you think of modern-day conveniences, things such as remote controls, automatic washers and dryers, computers, and maybe even fast-food restaurants come to mind.

There is no question that great advances have been made in technology over the last 50 years, all designed to make life easier. But do the benefits of these advances outweigh the drawbacks when it comes to the health of our country?

This year it was reported that obesity-related illnesses are costing our country more than $93 billion. To date, one in three Americans is overweight, and obesity reportedly has hit epidemic proportions. And when it comes to our children, the picture doesn't look much better. Childhood obesity increased from 5 percent in 1964 to about 13 percent in 1994, and today it's about 20 percent and rising.

One major health threat for our kids is early development of Type II diabetes (adult onset). Type II diabetes can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, stroke, limb amputations and blindness. Those kids who develop diabetes not only face a shorter life expectancy but a dramatic decrease in their quality of life. As for adults, obesity-related illnesses are climbing as well, stemming from inactivity and poor nutrition.

Although obesity is on the rise, simply moving more and eating healthier, you may be able to play a role in reversing this trend. So the question becomes: In a country that promotes fast food, Internet and TV and relies on modern technology, how can we stay on top of making healthier choices for ourselves and our families?

Historical look at health

Let's start by taking a closer look at how obesity and inactivity has evolved.

If we look back a couple of hundred years ago, people had to work for their food. Kids toiled side by side with their families, working the farm if you will. Be it hunting for the family dinner or going to the well for water, planting or harvesting, sustenance was far from convenient. From early morning to late in the evening, men, women and children were physically active. Hundreds of calories were expended through daily chores that were necessary to run a household. There was no such thing as mindless snacking while watching MTV or the Late Show. 

With the evolution of the food industry, naturally raised, whole  foods often have been replaced with processed food, thus losing much of its nutritional value while adding fat, sugar and preservatives. Granted, though going back to milking cows and hunting for dinner is less than appealing for many of us, it is important to understand how everything has shifted from an active lifestyle to basically no activity along with low-quality nutrition.

As recently as the '60s and '70s, walking was still a common mode of travel, and if you had time to sit and watch television you actually had to get up to change the channel.

With the introduction of computers, video games and cable TV, inactivity has become commonplace, pulling in both children and adults. Combine inactivity with the abundance of oversized portions and too much snack food and you have the recipe for obesity. Our culture tends to view saturated, high-fat food as a normal part of our diet.

Recent research shows that in the United States there are more than 170,000 fast-food restaurants and 3 million soft-drink vending machines. It's pretty clear that eating poorly is far more convenient.

Take action

So what to do? It begins with eating healthier foods and becoming more active. But the more difficult question is where to start? Following are some suggestions on ways you can begin exchanging less healthy choices for more healthy ones.

• It's all about education when it comes to nutrition and healthy living. Be it a park-district class, a class at the local hospital or meeting with a dietician, you need to learn how to eat well so you are able to make lasting changes that make sense for you and your family.
• Transitioning to healthier fare in the home needs to be done in baby steps. For example, you can replace potato chips with baked tortilla chips that contain no hydrogenated fat. Begin adding more fruits and veggies to the family diet. 
• I know you've heard it a million times before, but limit TV and computer time. Take a 15-minute walk after dinner. And don't forget that you can add extra activity through obvious choices such as parking farther away from your destination, taking the stairs vs. the elevator, and seeking out opportunities to walk or bike vs. driving.
• Make trips to fast-food restaurants far and few between. Soup and sandwiches are significantly better than most fast food, and the prep time in minimal.
• Plan ahead. By planning ahead and shopping for what you need you will be more likely to stay on top of healthy nutrition. Prepare your fruits and veggies ahead of time so that they are ready when you are.
• Start a garden in your backyard or even an indoor garden.
• Recognize the fact that exercise is a must, and sound nutrition is its closest ally.

Some of these ideas may seem obvious, but given the current health status of our country, we can no longer avoid the warning signs. If we have to go back to basics, so be it. Modern technology certainly has its place, but it's important not to let it find its way to negatively impacting our health. After all, if you have your health, you've got everything.