New health guidelines stress exercise, diet, and laughable disassociation from reality
Posted on:: January 13th, 2005
The government is urging Americans to exercise for an hour every day and to switch to a diet that emphasizes whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. In addition, the government says that we ought to speak Latin at home, only watch PBS, and sprout wings. Advised but not mandatory: Wolverine-like knuckle implants.
Categories: Uncategorized dw
The government health guidelines are supposed to be based on our best knowledge of what we need to do to be healthy. Are you saying that they should give us watered-down guidelines just because most people won’t follow the real ones? What’s the point of that? I’d rather know what I should be working toward, even if I fall short, than to be given some watered-down pap influenced by the processed food manufacturers.
I’m saying Americans are fat, lazy slugs. And, yes, I am most certainly speaking for myself.
Leslie,
“the real ones” are “the real ones”.
Materialism over idealism, to be over must be.
Being permanently unhappy for what things should be and are not will lead us to nihilism, not to improve.
Well, yes, it’s true that if you have “impossibly” high standards, some people might just give up totally instead of trying to at least meet them halfway. But the question is, how do you decide how far to water them down? How do you find the optimum point between encouraging people and not asking enough of people? Maybe you should just give them the truth and see if they can handle it.
Sure, most Americans are fat, lazy slugs. Myself included. It’s a constant battle to treat my body right. But the rewards of good health are a strong motivator for me.
Leslie,
I lean toward your idea of presenting the truth and letting people deal with it as they may.
More important than presenting “best guesses” on amount of exercise or calories to be consumed, it would make more sense to more strongly advertise the dangers of obesity and inactivity.
Considering metabolic differences, differences in people’s definition of “moderate,” and even definitions of “exercise,” maybe we should start by better highlighting the effects of doing nothing.
David,
I also see your point. To suggest a standard that is well-nigh impossible to meet, we might as WELL ask people to hold their breath for ten minutes, run a two-minute mile, and even watch PBS every day.
I think the best place to combat the problems of obesity may be our schools. Kids need to learn to recognize a healthy lifestyle early – and establish the habits that will carry them through life. Recess and physical education are every bit as important as the more standard school fare. PLUS…schools offer a captive audience….
…and just for the record. I am NOT a fat, lazy slug. And I don’t exercise an hour per day. And my BMI tells me I’m obese while my body fat index tells me exactly the opposite. Standardized tools and solutions are often less effective than highlighting the problem and letting people search for the best solutions themselves.
Tim
You bring up the piece that is missing from the FDA: Body Fat Composition. Down with the BMI. I am also obese occording to it, along with many professional athletes.
However, it took the FDA years to turn the food pyramid upside down to right the wrong. How long will it be for them to get over lbs and turn to a better indicator?