Well, we've finally done it. We've turned a big corner, there are now more overweight people than starving people on this planet of ours. We are in the midst of a crisis and getting heavier. Maybe you have a few pounds to lose and you think to yourself, "Am I part of this crisis? But, I'm a conscientious person, how did I become part of a national epidemic?"
Last week, I was with a group of friends and the conversation turned, as it often does, to weight control. The style of low cut jeans and a snug T-shirt presents what is known as "muffin tops" or the fluffy, fleshy bump that hangs over the belt edge of jeans. It was mentioned that most young girls today are sporting these "muffin tops." I was then asked why there are so many overweight teenagers at La Cañada High. The answers to these questions are the same: The world has changed gradually and slowly restructured the style in which we live. In short, technology snuck up on us. Why should a kid ride his bike over to his friend's house when he can call him on his cell phone? Why should he go out and play ball in the hot sun when he can play it on a video game inside where it is nice and cool? As kids, we baby boomers had far more opportunities to move and use our bodies. If fed the same diet, kids today are at a higher risk for becoming overweight. They simply don't have the same calorie burning potential that we had back in the day. Technological advancements are visible all around us including right around our bellies.
