A “big” problem overcomes America

Eating is a part of everyday life, but how much is too much?

Obesity is a growing problem in America (no pun intended).

When a person has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, he or she is considered to be obese.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of obesity has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. Since 1985, the obesity prevalence in almost all states increased from less than 10% to almost 30%.

But this problem has been around much longer. After World War II, President John F. Kennedy recognized that obesity had become an issue among teens and children. To remedy this situation, he called for a national physical fitness program.

Kennedy continued what former President Dwight D. Eisenhower began in 1956 with the President’s Council on Youth Fitness.

Even now, figures of authority are aware of the obesity in America. The First Lady, Michelle Obama, recently visited New Roots Community Farm in San Diego, CA where she spoke about the need for a healthy diet.

With her Let’s Move campaign, Mrs. Obama plans to decrease the amount of obesity in children while improving their overall heath. She wishes that children become more physically active, and she also wants healthy food to become more accessible to low-income families.

According to Culinary Arts teacher Marsha Johnson, many low-income families resort to “junk” foods because of cost. However, even though these foods cost less in price, they might cost more when it comes to life.

Many attribute the growth of obesity to the fast food industry, whose low costs and easy access allow families to eat more (whether it’s unhealthy or not) for less.

“I think it is the core of the problem. We have bought into the mentality that fast food is okay. If we want to point a finger, then we need to fix our fast food,” Johnson said.

Instead of spending time waiting in line to buy a high-calorie/carb hamburger, Johnson says that that time could be spent making a 20-minute stir fry at home.

And a recent television show agrees with this idea. Airing on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) network, “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” has started to make a difference throughout the United States.

With his quirky British accent, Chef Jamie Oliver, also known as “The Naked Chef,” travels to Huntington, West Virginia, in hopes to make a difference in the district school cafeterias.

Oliver approaches the obesity problem by changing the diets in young children. He advises parents not to serve chocolate milk to their kids because it actually contains more sugar than soda.

“Jamie presents a diet that is simple, affordable, and easy to prepare. He emphasizes that families can eat good food and healthy food,” Johnson said. “He meets American families where they are.”

No matter what the financial state of the family is, Oliver does not make preparing a good, healthy meal difficult. He doesn’t over-complicate being a good cook.

And in Johnson’s words, “nothing is more important than having our kids eat well.”