People eat too much and exercise too little – at least that is the most popular, most often heard explanation for the ever-growing obesity epidemic. There are also those who say the problem is more complicated. Some have suggested that we humans are genetically predestined to eat as much as we can, whenever we can, because our ancestors were constantly threatened by starvation, back in the days when we were hunters and gatherers. Others argue that the kind of food most of us eat today is to blame, food that is laden with too much fat, sugar and salt; or that bad eating habits develop in response to chronic stress, anxiety and sleep deprivation; or that our sedentary lifestyle, the long hours we spend sitting in front of the computer and the TV, is the real culprit.
I guess every one of these theories is right – to a point. But the issues are indeed very complex. I’m reminded of the story of the elephant and the blind men. When each of the men touched a different part of the animal – the trunk, the tusks, the legs, the belly, the tail and so on – each mistakenly assumed that he had encountered the whole body. The morale of this ancient fable, of course, is easy to detect. We all see the world from our own perspective, nobody has the whole picture, and therefore we should be tolerant and respectful of other people’s opinions. (Teachers love this story.)
In this spirit, I hope I will be forgiven for adding my own two cents worth of wisdom.
Overeating as a cultural phenomenon
It is true that most of us eat way more than we need to survive and to stay healthy. But I suspect that our eating habits are not an isolated phenomenon. Excessive consumerism is very much embedded in our culture, and our dysfunctional relationship to food is just part of that.
In some ways, I think we are programmed – not genetically, but culturally – never to pass up a good opportunity. Whenever we are presented with a great deal, we have the almost irresistible urge to take advantage of it, no mater what it is. Just go to a mall near you and see what’s happening there when the sales signs go up. It is like an automatic reflex kicks in and makes us buy.
It’s hard, if not impossible, not to succumb to the ever-present temptations. I clearly remember my first visit to America. I went to see New York City. Walking down Madison Avenue, a sale sign in the window of a shoe shop caught my eye. In my native England, there were no sales other than winter- and summer closeouts back then, and those had only slim pickings. Here I could get a pair of good-looking shoes for a whopping 30% off, on a normal weekday in the middle of summer. How lucky I was. I ended up buying two pairs, convinced that I wouldn’t find another opportunity like this in my lifetime.
Truthfully, the shoes I purchased that day were not the best I ever had. After a while I didn’t even like them that much any more. But the experience stayed with me: At least I got a great deal.
With food it’s not any different. Especially fast food is cheap and easy to come by. That is part of what makes it so attractive. Manufacturers and vendors are keenly aware that customers want the biggest bang for their buck, and they are anxious to comply. Supersized portions are advertised as “extra value.” Soda drinks are poured by the gallon for little money and refilled for free. “All you can eat” is a sure hit with restaurant patrons. The implicit message is that “more is always better.” There is even a show on TV, titled “Man Against Food,” where the host eats gigantically oversized meals, while the audience cheers him on. What fun!
We change our eating habits and our eating habits change us
Not all food is cheap or even readily available, of course. Prices for fresh produce have skyrocketed in recent years. Often the most expensive items offer the least amount of calories per dollar. Processed foods have by comparison a much better calorie/cost ratio. People on a tight budget are frequently forced to compromise, even if it means buying nutritionally inferior groceries.
Fast food, frozen dinners, pizzas and snacks are not only more affordable than fresh foods, they are also much more convenient. These items don’t require any work or attention or even appreciation from us. We can eat them in the car while driving, at the office desk while working, or at home while watching TV and playing video game. For many people this way of eating has become standard. Home cooking is a dying art. Few families still have sit-down dinners. Regular meals are abandoned in favor of all-day munching.
The role food plays in our lives has changed. Food serves us as fuel to keep going or as comforter when we feel stressed or bored. It is only natural that we lose track of our calorie intake.
We may enjoy the convenience, but we act at our own peril. Nutrition-related health problems begin to show even in young children. Childhood obesity is dangerously on the rise. Kids get fat earlier and develop diseases formerly only known in adults. Experts are warning that if this trend continues, these children will have a much lower life expectancy than their parents. It is tragic that all this could easily be avoided.
What can be done?
A lot could be done to change all that, but there is considerable resistance, not just from food manufacturers and restaurant operators and their well-funded lobbyists, but also from government opponents and anti-regulation advocates. That is regrettable, because important and constructive messages get easily distorted in the overheated debates. It is understandable that people don’t want to be told what they can or cannot eat and drink. But we still should insist on reasonable consumer protection. To ensure that basic safety requirements are met, the government needs to set up and enforce certain regulations. Even those who fear the “nanny state” intruding on their privacy don’t want to fall sick (or worse) from avoidable food poisoning.
Teaching kids how to eat right
Health experts and policy makers agree that we must first focus on the well-being of our children. Their future is at stake. Personal preferences for food develop early in life and healthy eating habits can (and should) be taught sooner rather than later. We teach sex education in schools. Why not include dietetics? Kids love healthy foods as much as they love candy and ice cream. All it takes is to introduce them to a nutritious diet in a timely and age-appropriate manner.
School lunches should set the standard. But the quality of the food (or rather lack thereof) that is being served in many public schools is unacceptable. We must do better than that. Or are we to believe that we can’t take care of the nutritional needs of growing children in our country?
Education about health and nutrition
The vast majority of illnesses in America are lifestyle-related, which means they would be perfectly preventable. Many occur in direct connection with diet issues. It is a sad fact that most adults, let alone children, are more or less illiterate when it comes to topics of health and nutrition. Health education is preventive health care. People need to know the basic facts about the food they eat and how it affects their well-being.
Learning to resist our impulses
Ultimately, we all are responsible for our own actions, and that includes our eating habits. But abusing our health, becoming overweight and getting sick is not just a private matter. When the physical condition of large parts of the population deteriorates, it burdens all of us. It may be fun to wolf down a supersized burger or two, have an extra large portion of fries with it, or inhale a half-gallon of ice cream. But behavior like this is bound to have serious consequences. We have to think about the long-term costs and look beyond our instant gratification.
Choosing to be healthy
If we are lucky enough, we are born with good health. But staying healthy is a task of a lifetime. We should never take it for granted to be free of pain, disease and the suffering that comes with it. As an advocate for preventive health care, I believe that healthy eating habits are the best medicine we have. The food we choose to eat should give us energy, keep us healthy, help us recover from illness and slow down the natural aging process. If your food can do that, you got a great deal.
Timi Gustafson, R.D. is a clinical dietitian and author of “The Healthy Diner – How to Eat Right and Still Have Fun.”
