don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

Satire's my weapon, but I'm too discrete to run amuck, and tilt at all I meet. Alexander Pope, "Satires, Epistles and Odes of Horace," 1738

You probably have heard by now that 64 percent of Americans are overweight. Since we learned about the extent of this problem from the US Surgeon General a year ago, new studies have revealed the depth of the crisis. Youth, for example, are particularly affected. Federal data indicate that 10 to 15 percent of American kids are seriously overweight, a doubling over the past two decades. Random testing for known biochemical markers, such as elevated cholesterol and blood pressure, indicate that 25 percent of these children are facing serious obesity-linked illnesses.

A new study suggests another dimension to the problem -- national security! Based on research at the University at Buffalo (UB) and The Johns Hopkins University, America might have a harder time dealing with the Evil Ones than expected due to a dwindling source of qualified recruits for the Armed Forces. The authors of the UB/Hopkins study suggest that Uncle Sam might have to rely on youth too chubby to fight! This conclusion appears with the study description in the October 15 issue of The American Journal of Medicine. It makes one wonder, "What kind of a superpower are we, anyway?"

In an unrelated development, efforts are underway to transform deer season due to unfit deer. It seems the once sportingly elusive creatures have become fat, lazy and overabundant in recent years. Worse, at least for those warrior-types among us who like to shoot animals, they are not nearly as interesting any more as prey. With habitats disappearing due to urban sprawl, deer have this disconcerting habit of grazing on suburban lawns, parks and other open spaces, which sort of detracts a bit from the thrill of the hunt. Who wants to blow away Bambi, especially if she does not move a lot more than the surrounding trees?

In response to such challenges, a New York organization called the "Deer Management Partnership" seeks to create a set of ethics for a new era in the sport of hunting. The Partnership materials describe a "new ecology" of the hunt. These avant-garde predators believe "hunting must be about more than killing, and that the killing must, above all, be as painless and cruelty-free as possible if hunting is to survive." (See "Killing With Kindness," New York Times, December 2, 2003.) One member of the Partnership was quoted as follows, "No one wants to see a deer gut-shot." I suspect that most citizens, few of whom could imagine any circumstances when they would want to shoot a deer, will not be impressed. The fact is deer hunting still seems cruel, unnecessary and not very sporting, wherever the critters are shot.

The researchers at UB and Johns Hopkins, concerned with unfit human youth, noted a significant difference in military weight limits for women versus standards set for men. It seems the former are higher and more difficult to meet. Whereas only 13 percent of young men are likely to fail military weight requirements, the more stringent parameters for women eliminate 17 percent of female candidates. Thus, men are more likely to gain acceptance to the military than are women. What's with that? It seems there is a need to renegotiate these standards, and maybe look at new strategies for motivating both young men AND women to become and stay fit.

How many of our overweight kids, like suburban deer, will continue to graze to their peril, putting themselves in harm's way for all manner of medical ills and social hazards associated with obesity? Many critics of the military have noted a disproportionate representation of the underclass in the enlisted ranks. One reason for this, rarely noted, is that African-American young men are more fit than their white counterparts. In the study cited above, 11-19 percent of black men and 35 - 56 percent of African-American women were over the weight limits. However, things were much worse for whites -- 15-20 percent of men and 12-36 percent of women would not be eligible for military service. The percentage of overweight Latins was 13-24 and 26-55 for men and women, respectively. However, the researchers claimed these data were but the tip of the proverbial iceberg. "The study didn't take into account other conditions related to poor lifestyles, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high blood cholesterol, not to mention those who never exercise or are heavy smokers. Being physically fit is not just a public health issue. As a society, we need to be physically prepared to respond to natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or any other emergency." (New York Times, Dec 2, 2003)

It seems to me that new and different strategies are needed to inspire overweight youth to develop healthier lifestyles. Since national security is so big these days, perhaps a call to patriotism is in order. Maybe bumper stickers with the usual patriotic slogans could be distributed after completion of exercise routines in schools across the country. Maybe overweight youth should be invited to carry flags in parades -- on marching routes at least three miles long. I dunno -- something needs to be done, else America, despite all our nukes and battleships and bases everywhere, may not be able to properly defend its worldwide interests.

As for the deer and the new breed of humane hunters, maybe these people also could use some new challenges that would serve a larger need. Instead of shooting deer, could these people be persuaded to focus on portly American youth -- not to shoot them, of course, but to work with them in positive ways? Rather than the humane destruction of Bambi and her brothers and sisters, how about guiding young people? The hunters could, for example, lead exercise-deficient youth on nature walks to photograph deer and other wildlife instead of shooting them. Would that not be a better, more likely way to obtain the oft-described "intangible, almost mystical" pleasures of time in the woods that hunting provides?

Our overweight youth could certainly benefit from hours spent roaming about wooded areas, seeking game with Nikons and other tools for "capturing" the moment. In 2002, the CDC had $5 million to spend on obesity interventions for children and adults. I think a few dollars ought to be directed to the Deer Management Partnership to round up some kids too fat to protect us from Evil Doers -- and connect them with obese deer in some creative ways. It won't solve the problem, but it might give hunters something more socially beneficial to do than blast helpless, overweight creatures.

Be well and please try to look on the bright side.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of lifestyle habits. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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