Obesity could prevent the United States from meeting its goal of increasing the average life span and quality of life by 2010, said former Surgeon General David Satcher in his keynote address at the Siciliano Forum on Wednesday.
Now, three years before the goals should be met, Satcher said the American public might not increase its average life span or eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. All goals were set to be achieved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at the turn of the century. Together, the goals are called the Healthy People 2010 initiative.
“I think the obesity epidemic is the biggest threat to Healthy People 2010,” Satcher said. “It is projected that this will be the first generation of children that could expect a lower life expectancy than their parents, and this is due mostly to the obesity epidemic in the U.S.”
Listed among the major causes of death in America are cardiovascular diseases and cancer-related illnesses, ailments Satcher said are often related to obesity, a condition that could be prevented.
Satcher added that less than half of the U.S. population of adults are at a healthy weight, and since the 1970s, Americans have continued to grow in size.
“Determinants to an individual’s health revolve around people’s access to health care, genetics, environment and lifestyles,” Satcher said. “There is a constant interaction between these four categories. Policy and intervention strategies can only encourage change in environment, lifestyle and one’s access to health care.”
Satcher has written a prescription for Americans that he feels could combat the obesity epidemic if people follow it.
Satcher recommends that to stay healthy, people should:
?Participate in moderate physical activity at least five days a week for 30 minutes a day.
?Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
?Avoid toxins such as tobacco, illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol.
?Engage in responsible sexual behavior.
?Participate in relaxing and stress-reducing activities daily.
Jarad ReddekoppFormer Surgeon General David Satcher leads students and factuly members down the gold medal mile walk to his keynote address on obesity in America.