What in the world am I talking about?  Well, recent studies show that Michigan is the fattest state in the country.  I don't know about you, but as a Registered Dietitian, I certainly am not proud of this fact.

Obesity is a major health problem that is now affecting our youth.  Children, at a very early age, are becoming more and more obese because we as the adult community are allowing this to happen.

I have a story to tell you...during my first job as a new Dietitian, I had the opportunity to counsel two very young boys.  Their ages were five (5) and three (3).  Both children were extremely overweight, and the oldest was about to have his second open heart surgery.  Both had developed health problems associated with obesity, such as:  high blood sugar and heart disease.  All due, in part, to poor diet and no physical activity.

I have recently become a member of the Michigan Action For Healthy Kids (MAFHK) coalition, and  we met in Lansing to discuss how we, as health care professionals, teachers, parents and principals, are going to "LOSE" the title of being the fattest state in the country.

"Children today are eating:  more calories, larger servings (can you say 'supersize?'), eating more food outside the home, eating more convenience foods, less fruit, fewer vegetables, and less milk"  (MAFHK)

We all know the steps.  Eat less (and in moderation) and exercise more.  Plain and simple...right?  Well if that is the case, why are we not doing it?

My son's school has been a part of a research project in which all the children were given a pedometer, which measures how many steps taken in any given time period.  Unfortunately, either the pedometers were not very good, or he just wore them out, we did not get a very good indication of his physical activity.  Somedays, he registered only 3,000 steps and other days it registered over 12,000.  Now, if you know my son, the 12,000 seems much more likely.  Anyway, the batteries kept going out, and during the month, he lost the data on both pedometers.

This Coalition met to break the state up into four (4) different regions.  I will be sitting on the community for the Detroit area.  Our goal is to increase the awareness of eating properly and cutting down on long periods of in-activity.  I will continue to report on this website, how we are doing as a state, and ways in which we can continually help our children avoid the adult diseases of high blood pressure, diabetes, and kidney failure...all of which develop in our overweight population.

As parents, teachers, and other health care providers, it is our job to teach our youngsters how to eat better by being a role model.  We can start by:

Doing more family activities:  at least 30 minutes a day.

Eat more fruits and vegetables:  3 - 5 servings a day.

Drink plenty of water:  did you know that sometimes you may feel hungry when you are really just thirsty?

Come on Michigan....I challenge you!  GET UP!  START MOVING!!  DO SOMETHING!!!  and do it everyday, oh and don't forget...bring a friend, a loved one, a child, a grandchild...oh heck, take the dog too!

Eat well, stay healthy, and do your part as a role model for our children...but please remember, don't do anything overly  strenuous without your primary care physicians stamp of approval!