Sunday, June 14, 1998

The national tragedy that follows poor diet

By ALLEN REYNOLDS / Guest Columnist

Last week the American people received two powerful wake-up calls about how their diets affect their health and well-being.

Following a three-year review of 49,000 medical reports, the National Institutes of Health determined that 97 million, or 55 percent of adult Americans, are overweight or obese. Two days earlier the American Heart Association elevated obesity from "a contributing factor" in heart disease to a "major risk factor," along with smoking, high blood cholesterol and lack of exercise.

A 27-year study of 19,000 Harvard University alumni found men in the slimmest 20 percent had a 60 percent lower risk of dying of heart disease and a 40 percent lower risk of dying from all causes than those in the heaviest 20 percent. These findings were corroborated by the renowned "Framingham Heart Study" that estimated a 1 percent-3 percent increase in the risk of premature death for every excess pound of body weight.

In fact, obesity has become a major U.S. public health threat. Beyond heart disease, obesity contributes to the incidence of stroke, several types of cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. Collectively, these diseases account for two-thirds of all U.S. deaths.

The leading cause of obesity is high consumption of fat-laden meat and dairy products and inadequate exercise, particularly during our formative years. These early lifestyle flaws become ingrained lifelong habits. A 1992 USDA study found that overweight children were twice as likely to suffer from heart disease in later years.

The only effective long-term solution to this national tragedy is to act on the recommendations of leading health authorities by replacing meat, dairy and other fatty foods with wholesome grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Parents must insist that their children's schools introduce wholesome meals and nutrition education curricula available from the American Cancer Society and other health advocacy organizations. USDA must stop using the National School Lunch program as a dumping ground for surplus meat and dairy commodities.

We now know the secret of a long, healthy life. All we need is the will to act on it.

Allen Reynolds is a resident of Abilene.