MATILDE OLVERA

ENGLISH 2100
REPORT
March 27, 2014.
LETS MOVE PROGRAM REPORT
This report is about what can we do decrease obesity and improve our health. In
order to do it the Government has created a program called Lets Move. It has been
designed in order to decline Obesity. Lets move is an initiative presented by Michelle
Obama the first lady. This program intent to solve the obesity problem within a
generation, so children born today will grow up healthier and available to pursue their
dreams. In order to do it, It is necessary that we society contribute.
What is obesity?
An obese person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a
negative effect on their health. If a person's bodyweight is at least 20% higher than it
should be, he or she is considered obese. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25
and 29.9 you are considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or over you are considered
obese. (MNT knowledge center) page 10 (obesity chart)


What causes obesity?
Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than he or she burns.
For many people, this boils down to eating too much and exercising too little. But there
are other factors that also play a role in obesity. These may include: Age, genetics,
environmental factors, physical activity, psychological factors, illness, and medication.
(Weight loss and diet plans blog)Years ago people and children had an active life style,
but it changed when technology started developing all kinds of entertainment such as
videogames and internet. Economy issues have played a big role too. Parents are not
available to spend a lot time with their children to do sport activities and prepare healthy
meals due to the high cost of life.

Negative Effects of Obesity
Over the past three decades, childhood rates in America have tripled, and today
nearly one of three children in America are overweight or obese. The numbers are
higher in African American and Hispanic communities, 40% of children are overweight
or obese.
Being morbidly obese can compromise your health, shorten you life, and even cause
death. If you are overweight, the probabilities of developing heart disease, diabetes, and
high blood pressure increase significantly. (www.mediweightlossclinics.com) Following
we have the 10 top obesity- related diseases: high blood pressure, diabetes, heart
disease, high cholesterol levels, cancer, infertility, back pain, skin infection, ulcers,
gallstones. (American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, and the Centers
of Disease Control and Prevention)
What can we do to decrease obesity?
Everyone can do something to decline obesity in our communities. Lets move has
created some program that anyone can reach nation wide. These are the suggestions
to do from Lets Move program:
Parents- get on the right track to eat well and stay fit.
Schools- Add healthy living to the lesson plan
Community leader- Empower families and communities to make healthy
decisions.
Elected officials- take an action in cities and town.
Chefs- create healthy dishes to teach about food and nutrition.
Kids- have fun being active and eating healthy.
Health care providers- Educate and support you patients in living healthier

Success
Lets Move has been available for 4 years now. In this length of time there have
been some accomplishments. Obesity among low- income preschoolers declined, from
2008 through 2011, in 19 states of 43 states and territories studied. There is more
access to healthy and affordable food. Some Corporations as Disney, US Olympic
Committee, Presidents council of fitness, among others have collaborated with Lets
Move by promoting nutritious food and active life style.

Knowing what is obesity and the awful effects we can decline it. If we take advantage of
Lets Move we can make the difference for our families. We can develop a bound with
our family members spending time with them while taking care of our health. We have
everything to fight obesity. As adults we are responsible for this new generation. We are
the ones that can do it. Unfortunately there will be illness all the time, but we dont have
to face with early deaths of our love ones. Lets Move is available for every body Nation
wide.



(https://www.google.com/#q=obesity+chart)





Citation
Pearlman, AJ, KELLY Miterko, and KELLY Miterko. "Let's Move." . N.p., 02 12 2014.
Web. 27 Feb 2014. <http://www.letsmove.gov/blog/all>.
"Progress on Childhood Obesity." Many States Show Declines. National Center for
Cronic Disease snd Health Prevention, n.d. Web. <http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/>.













Matilde Olvera
English2010
Proposal
March 27, 2014
The Eradication of Obesity
Obesity hurts everyone, in different ways: physically, economically, and
emotionally. Illnesses caused by obesity can be deadly. Families who dont have access
to affordable healthy foods, due to poverty, are at a higher risk for obesity and
associated health issues. Subsequently, these families become a burden to employers
and tax payers whose money goes to the cure of illnesses and disability claims. On top
of that, obese people suffer discrimination because their weight.
According to the American Heart Association and centers of Disease control and
prevention in America, More than 65 million adults and 10 million children suffer from
obesity, considered one of the leading causes of life threatening diseases.
The cost of health care for an obese person is 40% higher for an average weight
person. Besides that, obesity- related direct and indirect economic costs exceed $ 100
billion annually and the number is expected to grow. Obesity is a financial burden,
especially for employers who face medical and disability claims, and work
compensation, when health issues show up with obese workers. In an average firm with
1000 employees faces $285,000 per year in extra costs associated with obesity, in
addition to the cost of obesity to business. . (Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and
Obesity, a program of the Institution for Social and policy Studies.)
The percentage of obesity is higher for children who live in poverty and cultural
minorities this is the case for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native
Americans. It is due to the high cost of life. They eat unhealthy diets and according to
the TV smarter statistics "American children aged 2-11 are watching more and more
television than they have in years. New findings from The Nielsen Company show kids
aged 2-5 now spend more than 32 hours a week on average in front of a TV screen.
The older segment of that group (ages 6-11) spend a little less time, about 28 hours per
week watching TV, due in part that they are more likely to be attending school for longer
hours." (Wire, Nielsen) (Oct 2009) Via Unplug your Kids.
When it comes to psychological issues caused by obesity according to web MD, Many
people eat in response to negative emotions such as boredom, sadness, or anger.
People who have difficulty with weight management may be facing more emotional and
psychological issues; about 30% of people who seek treatment for serious weight
problems have difficulties with binge eating. During a binge-eating episode, people eat
large amounts of food while feeling they can't control how much they are eating. These
people are discriminated for their weight and looks.( http://www.webmd.com/diet/what-
is-obesity)

There are national programs that are working to reduce obesity in Children such as, the
Lets Move program which has contributed a decrease of obesity in children in 19 states
out of the 43 states where this program is available. This program helps parents, care
givers, schools, and community to provide healthier and affordable foods, and also to
keep children more active. Some corporations have collaborated with lets move by
promoting nutritious food, making nutrition labels easier to read. The department of
health in New York has provided some information in how to reduce obesity in children
and adults. It is named Information for a healthy New York. It consists of a plan which
has set up goals for the state, some of them are to create community environments that
promote and support healthy food and beverage choices and physical activity.
Intervention for consideration, adequately invest in proven community-based programs
that result in increased levels of physical activity and improved nutrition. (Prevention for
a Healthier America: Investments in Disease Prevention Yield Significant Savings,
Stronger Communities). It doesnt tell us how they will committee people, but by
including everybody and informing them sounds like is going to work.
I believe that if programs like the New York are implemented in all the states obesity will
be declined faster. My proposal for the state, local officials and citizens is the following:
1) Schools take advantage of the federal program Lets Move.
2) Schools create a curriculum that include more physical activities, and do not privatize
with corporations that are not willing to improve their products to make them more
nutritious for children.
3) Families get the time to play with your children and take advantage of the healthy
food programs.
4) Doctors and caregivers provide counseling to your patients and lead them to federal
programs that can help them.
5) Employers open spaces for employees where they can work out, and hire a
professional who can assess your employees how to improve their health.
6) If you dont have the time to follow these options you can create programs of your
own that work better for you.
7) Be responsible for you. On your own set weekly goals such as hiking, dancing,
running, eating healthy foods, drinking more water than soda, among others that will
help to improve your health, and according to what you achieved set long-term goals.
Also look for ways to save money; one can be growing vegetables if you have a yard.
I know that even with all the programs offered, there will still be people who dont want
to try them. I guarantee that you try them, you will gain something better than weight.

By following these patterns we can have better and healthier lives in short term. It will
cost money and time, but it is a good investment because a lot of illnesses will be
prevented, economy will be more profitable since workers will be healthier, and most
important we will have a better self esteem and a long term life with our love ones.



Citation
Mozaffarian D, Roger, Benjamin EJ, Berry B j, Bordon w B, and Bravata D M.
"overweight and Obesity." . American Heart Association, n.d. Web. 1 March 2014.
<https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-
public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_319588.pdf>.
Wire, Nielsen. "Cost of health care." . N.p., n.d. Web. 3March 2014.
"Let's Move." white house.gov, CDC,USDA, ed.gov, doi.gov, n. d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.letsmove.gov/>.