Sunday, September 10, 2006

Lose weight on Mercer Island

Today's Pacific Northwest Sunday Magazine in the Seattle Times had us chuckling in the middle of an article on why it's so hard to lose weight:

A TREND IN obesity research is to look beyond individuals and at environments, says Streichert of the exploratory center.

The new obesity conversation includes urban planners, architects, grocers, school boards, economists, politicians, transportation experts.

 

What if schools banned high-fat and high-sugar foods? (The Seattle School District did just that in 2004; last year, high-school students said they consumed 20 percent less soda and 13 percent less candy and chips during the school day.)

 

What if sidewalks, bike trails and nearby parks and shops encouraged people to make exercise part of their daily routine?

What if we could all afford to eat as if we lived on Mercer Island?

Obesity rates would plummet, predicts Dr. Adam Drewnowski, who specializes in obesity, economics and taste preference at the UW.

Mercer Island has its fair share of chubby people, so I'm not sure what this is saying. Maybe it's because we have so few restaurants?

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