U.S. States to Get More Money to Control Obesity
How do you solve a problem? Study it, brainstorm and develop a course of action? Or, do you throw a bunch of money at it and hope for the best?
That's what the United States government intends to do to stop obesity. The amount of cash to be doled out is "significant," said one official.
It's basically fighting fire with fire. Yesterday, it was reported that obesity costs the U.S. healthcare system $147 billion a year.
This is all part of President Obama's economic stimulus package, which will also include $2.5 trillion overall of the healthcare industry, and looks to improve programs that provide schools with more fruits and vegetables, and to encourage grocery stores to sell fresh produce in low-income communities.
Physical education is on the docket too, such as encouraging walking, biking and public transportation systems that shuttle people to activities, for example a Californian program which buses girls to dance lessons.
I don't know about this, usually when you throw money at something, you just end up spending more money--kind of like a 1980s coke habit.
Via Reuters.
11 Comments
Add Your Comment
ADVERTISING
New
- FROM DIET BLOG
- On-Off Fasting: Does It Work?
- 400 Calorie Fix
- 5 Factor World Diet
- Quick Giveaway: Powerhouse Weight Loss Game
- FORUM
- Low Carb Atkins Diet- Tips to Cut the Carbs.
- How Can I Gain a Healthy Weight and Keep it?
- How Do I Eat Healthy at University?
- Starving Myself and Exercising, But Not Losing an Ounce?
Categories
| Body Image Celebrities Diet Pills Diets Exercise |
Fast Food Funny Stuff Success Stories Teens and Kids Tips and Tools |
RSS Feed
Follow @DietBlog on Twitter
Uhm, does the government REALLY have any other way of solving problems? No. But I actually don't see the problem with this.
As long as they truly spend the cash on the stuff mentioned, all is well. I mean, a free bus ride to dance lessons? Why the heck not?
Who said money can't solve problems? It sure can, that's why charities fund raise $$$! It's a tool, and just like any other tool, it all comes down to how you use it.
ReplyObesity is no brainer. You control the problem by controlling the people. Can a communist help? They'd know what to do, right? People's stomachs and taste buds are out of control. I'd like to see the government try and stop the greediness.
ReplyWe don't need government funded programs that make it easier to sell fruits and vegetables to schools, we need school officials to only accept healthy options for their kids.
More spending won't solve the problem. It all comes down to personal choice, and Americans will continue to choose the easier, wrong choice instead of the harder, right choice. We've dug a hole so deep, I'm starting to think it's impossible for massive reform, especially through government intervention.
I'm going to continue to do something about it, even if the situation continues to look bleak.
ReplyBuild sidewalks and then stop busing kids to nearby schools. Encourage walking.
Make roads bike friendly. Encourage cycling.
Remove vending machines selling junk food and junk beverages from schools and government buildings.
ReplyWhen the government can control their own obesity than they can worry about mine.
I doubt there can be an assessment on how much obesity costs.
Yum Yucky, I can only hope you are being sarcastic.
Let's keep America free.
ReplySarcasm is my middle name and a free America is beautiful, but I do dare the government to stop the greediness. I don't think they will. I consider obesity a growing cash cow industry, and there's money to be made. Terrible, but true.
ReplyI have such mixed feelings on this. We all know that people have to WANT to get healthy & fit YET many parents don't practice it in the home where kids can learn.
I could only hope that putting fruits & veggies in schools would help & at least physical education would get them moving. I had it when I was a kid & was overweight still BUT I was moving & learned to be active..... I would have been fatter otherwise!
More complicated then the surface level.
ReplyThey need to make Physical Education a requirement in schools. How about a tax credit for getting your hormones leveles tested to make sure that isn't a contributing problem to your weight issues?
ReplyObesity is a national epidemic in America, making affordable health coverage difficult to provide. Obesity is one of the fastest growing health threats, leading to heart problems, diabetes and a host of other medical problems. Tackling obesity is a two-fold proposition including healthy eating habits and increasing physical activity. Rather than following fad diets or pre-packaged diet programs, funding programs to teach real-life nutritional meal preparation and eating habits can prevent and reverse obesity. Incorporating physical activity into your daily lifestyle is another terrific way to prevent and reduce obesity, which will help lead to affordable health coverage for American families.
ReplyWhile I'm usually against just throwing money at issues to solve problems, I don't have an issue with this. However, I would hope that the government would try and figure out a way to provide affordable dance lessons in addition to the transportation. I also think it's very important that grocery stores provide fresh fruit in low-income areas, as there is a very high obesity rate for low-income communities. Healthier food is more expensive than junk, and if the fruit looks like crap and has been sitting there for days, what incentive is there to purchase it? Using money that provides programs and services isn't a waste. Now, if the government were to buy the girls dance shoes without providing the lessons, maybe THEN we could talk about wasteful spending...
ReplyI have lost 10 of the 25 pounds I want to lose. In addition to following the healthy eating habits espoused by weight watchers, I am using some of the positive thought changers I found in in the little book, GRACE ON THE GO: QUICK PRAYERS FOR DETERMINED DIETERS. Here are 2 of my favorites:
Reply(1) When feeling bad about succombing to temptation: "Failure is not the same as quitting. Though I may have failed, I will not quit. Strengthen me to start again."
(2)When facing temptation: "I am not trapped in my eating behavior. I can choose how I think about myself. I can choose how I deal with life's ups and down. I can choose what works for me in how I eat. I am not swayed by others' choices. I can choose. And if I need to, I can choose again."