Kraus' Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society 10th Edition by Daniel McLean, Linda Dayer-Berenson, Brian Luke Seaward, Amy Hurd

تمرين 21

The Obesity Epidemic in the United States
Travel internationally to places such as Europe and Asia and it is easy to see that people in these countries are much more physically fit than are Americans. The United States ranks first in obesity rates followed distantly by Mexico, England, Slovakia, and Greece. a The terms overweight and obese both mean that a person's weight is greater than what is considered healthy. A person who is overweight weighs more than normal for someone of the same age, height, and build. b Obesity is a condition where too much fat is stored on the body. The amount of fat stored on the body is measured by body mass index (BMI). BMI is the ratio of weight to height of a person. Someone who is overweight has a BMI of 25-29.9, whereas an obese person has a BMI of 30+. c
The statistics in this chapter show the impact of obesity on the physical child. Several other issues are associated with obesity as well. Here are a few examples:
Kids younger than 6 years spend an average of 2 hours a day in front of the television. d
Older children spend 5.5 hours a day in front of a screen-television, DVDs, computers, and so forth. e
A television in the bedroom increases the likelihood of obesity for children. f
A child's risk of obesity increases if one or both parents are obese because they have similar eating habits and attitudes toward being overweight.
Women who are obese by the age of 18 are more likely to be infertile. g
Common mental health issues such as anxiety and depression may increase a person's risk of being obese. h
Studies on people with disabilities and excess weight are limited. However, CDC statistics show that adults with disabilities have obesity rates 58% higher than adults without disabilities. Children with disabilities have obesity rates 38% higher than children without disabilities. i
So, what is being done about this A quick search of the Web can uncover hundreds of different programs and a surplus of advice for helping children and adults be healthier. One such program comes from the Leadership for Healthy Communities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing policies to support healthy eating and active living. j This group works with agencies such as the American Association of School Administrators; Council of State Governments; and National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families to develop an action plan to make communities healthier. Note that omitted from this list is the National Recreation and Park Association or any other recreation-related entity, even though many areas for improvement suggested by the group are recreationrelated. Some suggestions to build healthy communities include the following:
1. Expand trails, bicycle lanes, and connections. Cities with trails, sidewalks, and walkways see an increase in physical activity in their communities. Furthermore, people are more likely to walk or ride their bikes to locations when they have a safe route to do so. A study found that in highly walkable neighborhoods people took twice as many walking trips as those in less walkable communities. k
2. Increase access to recreation facilities and open spaces, including parks and community gardens. People who have access to these amenities are more physically active than those who do not. It was found that people with greater access to a facility were 43% more likely to exercise regularly than those without good access to facilities. l In a study of low-income areas (where obesity is higher than in the general population), people who lived within 1 mile of a park were 38% more likely to exercise regularly than those who lived farther away. m
3. Support farmers markets. Farmers markets provide fresh, and oftentimes organic, produce at reasonable prices.
4. Support community gardens. Community gardens can provide a space for people to grow their own fruits and vegetables, and they are also a way to improve vacant lots.
Review the Leadership for Healthy Communities Action Strategies Toolkit (references below). Select five or more ideas that could be implemented in your community to make it healthier.