Plenty of Room for Improvement

I read an article today in the Louisville Courier-Journal about the poor health of Kentuckians. The first line of the article says that "Kentucky is one of the fattest states in America. According to the article, "about 28 percent of Kentuckians are severely overweight." The results are found in a report released by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

This article is similar to a news release I read from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services saying that:

− Almost a third (30.3 percent) of Kentucky adults reported they did not participate in any physical activities or exercise such as running, golf, gardening or walking for exercise, other than their regular jobs.

− More than 80 percent of Kentuckians reported they did not consume five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

− Around 70 percent of Kentuckians are overweight or obese.

− Kentucky adults reported some of the highest prevalence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease, in the nation.


I do have to say that I do not eat 5 or more fruits or vegetables a day, but I am getting better. There is a direct correlation between weight and chronic diseases. The articles go on to say that because of our "Hefty Sizes" our health care costs are higher as well. I am not a fan of going to the doctor and have not been in many years, however my health insurance rose a substantial sum last year. If we as a society could cut out some of our fried foods and get out there a do a little exercise, it would benefit everyone.

While these numbers are not good there is plenty of room for improvement. There is a great program started by former Governor Ernie Fletcher called Get Healthy Kentucky. There, you can take the Governor's Challenge to help improve your physical health. Another cool resource is NBC's The Biggest Loser Site. There you can follow the series that begins in September. They have a tool on there to calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index). This calculator uses your weight and height to see whether your a under/over weight, normal, or obese. I plugged my numbers in a found out that I am currently at a normal rate, however at the rate I was at the beginning of the year I was overweight. I knew I needed to lose a few pounds but didn't realize I was "Overweight". While using this calculator is not fun for many, it is necessary to determine your prognosis before you can come up with a solution. I have to tell you it is a great feeling to see the pounds coming off and the pants fitting better. Keep it up. Get Healthy Kentucky!