Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Weight...or height?

Is trying to control our country's height just as plausible as trying to control our country's weight? Maybe so.



Economists estimate that excess weight accounts for 9% of the U.S.'s medical spending. And while there's no similar figure for height, it is clear that both obesity and short stature cause similar economic strain [1].


Whatever the reason as to why, higher weight and lower height are associated with chronic disease, low wages, and poor educational attainment. In the US, the shorter you are the higher risk you're at for developing coronary heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Women weighing more than 212 pounds at 5'4" tall are paid up to 9% less for their work, for example. According to survey data collected from over 450,000 adults suggests that male college graduates are, on average, more than an inch taller than men who never finished high school [1].

Is the reshaping of America both a war against fatness and shortness? How can one increase stature?

Height is not only genetic, but nurture and nature-related. Exposure to malnutrition, infectious disease, chronic stress, and poverty can abbreviate children's proper growth and height. Promoting foods which are low in calories and high in micronutrients, such as fruits and vegetables, is one feasible option. Increasing and improving education as a means of decreasing poverty and environmental stress is another. And of course, access to quality health care providers to improve prenatal and postnatal care is imperative [1].

This information is simply food for thought...and a topic that peeked my interest. Or maybe we should just throw everyone on growth hormone and run a blow-out sale on bariatric surgery!!

Kidding.

Yesterday checked out like so...

Breakfast:
1 cup steel cut oats, prepared (2 carbs)
1 Tbsp pumpkin butter (1 carb)
1/2 tsp turbinado (0 carbs)
     Total: 3 carbs

Lunch:
1 slice Buffalo Chicken Lasagna (2 1/2 carbs)
1 2% string cheese (0 carbs)
apple (1 carb)

     Total: 3 1/2 carbs

Snack:
6 ounces fat-free yogurt (1 1/2 carbs)

Dinner:
1 serving Chicken Tamale Casserole (2 1/2 carbs)

     Total: 2 1/2 carbs (low)

Snack:
4 peanut butter crackers (1 carb)

10 more days of being a diabetic...I can DO IT!!!!! Though, I am yet to look up the carbohydrate content of the INCREDIBLE pumpkin spice cappuccino I mixed with Dark Roast coffee this morning. It was worth the splurge though, I swear!!



Gina, CandidRD, is having a great give away on her site. Go here for more information!

[1]. Engber, Daniel. The Fat and Short of It. The New York Times. October 15, 2009.

3 comments:

  1. Hey Nicole!

    Thanks for the two shout outs :) I'm getting some amazing responses! I have to say though, this is an awesome giveaway ND there will be TWO winners! I ended up getting even more today, so I figured I would make two winners. You have to go to FNCE sometime, seriously.

    Regarding your post, it's so ironic that you posted about this because I was with my friend from high school, Sarah, who lives in Denver, and she's super short (under 5 feet). She was conplaining about how she doesn't want insurance to be more expensive for obese individuals because she's afraid she has an unfair disadvantage! It's hard to keep weight low when you are 4'11"

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  2. This is so interesting about you including carb counts in your post! Great way to raise awareness about diabetes. I'm glad I found your blog!

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