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Research and education about what to eat to stay healthy have not been effective —or at least not as effective as they should be. Dr. Miriam Nelson, a research scientist at Tufts University and author of the New York Times best-selling Strong Women book series, has been working in the field of nutrition and physical fitness since about 1985. During that time, the nation has become increasingly obese — more than 30 percent are in that category. Another 35 percent of Americans are overweight.
On Thursday, Nelson was in Pratt, one of eight stops she and colleagues will make on a Strong Women Across America tour, in an attempt to change the focus from individual responsibility to the larger society, and accelerate the pace of change. Pratt was chosen because of its active Strong Women program through the local K-State Research and Extension office. For more than 10 years, groups of women have followed Nelson’s weight-lifting program that is carefully prescripted to increase muscle mass and bone density.
Healthy choices should be easy choices, Nelson said. That is not always the case today. A typical grocery store aisle is filled with sugars, refined grains and sodium. So far in their 21-day tour, she and associates have found whole grain products at one restaurant, and vegetables are most typically iceberg lettuce.
More than 90 percent of Americans don’t meet federal guidelines for physical activity, which Nelson helped develop. Kids don’t walk to school because there are no sidewalks. Many jobs are accomplished sitting down and, on average, Americans spend 3.5 hours of their off-work day in front of a screen, but don’t make time for 30 minutes of exercise.
Expanding girth contributes to osteoarthritis, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, mental health issues and disability, as well as to the cost of health care. Nelson doesn’t discount personal choice as a factor in an increasingly unhealthy nation, but says that an individual’s social and physical environments must also change for lasting impact.
In her new book, “The Social Network Diet,” she shares stories about people changing themselves and changing their world. Martha lived in Atlanta, Ga., where heavy traffic made walking difficult, and friends gave little support to physical activity. When she moved to Denver, Colo., her next-door neighbor became a regular walking partner, and Martha lost weight. A woman in Los Angeles focused her efforts on planting gardens at schools and in back yards to increase the availability of fresh vegetables and fruits. A woman in Maine developed an outdoor winter sports program for kids.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,” Nelson said, quoting anthropologist Margaret Mead. She challenged women in the Pratt audience to, “roll up your sleeves and create some change.”
The team from Boston will be in Pratt through Friday, assessing resources for healthy eating and exercise and working with community members to identify and facilitate change in a positive direction.
Research and education about what to eat to stay healthy have not been effective —or at least not as effective as they should be. Dr. Miriam Nelson, a research scientist at Tufts University and author of the New York Times best-selling Strong Women book series, has been working in the field of nutrition and physical fitness since about 1985. During that time, the nation has become increasingly obese — more than 30 percent are in that category. Another 35 percent of Americans are overweight.
On Thursday, Nelson was in Pratt, one of eight stops she and colleagues will make on a Strong Women Across America tour, in an attempt to change the focus from individual responsibility to the larger society, and accelerate the pace of change. Pratt was chosen because of its active Strong Women program through the local K-State Research and Extension office. For more than 10 years, groups of women have followed Nelson’s weight-lifting program that is carefully prescripted to increase muscle mass and bone density.
Healthy choices should be easy choices, Nelson said. That is not always the case today. A typical grocery store aisle is filled with sugars, refined grains and sodium. So far in their 21-day tour, she and associates have found whole grain products at one restaurant, and vegetables are most typically iceberg lettuce.
More than 90 percent of Americans don’t meet federal guidelines for physical activity, which Nelson helped develop. Kids don’t walk to school because there are no sidewalks. Many jobs are accomplished sitting down and, on average, Americans spend 3.5 hours of their off-work day in front of a screen, but don’t make time for 30 minutes of exercise.
Expanding girth contributes to osteoarthritis, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, mental health issues and disability, as well as to the cost of health care. Nelson doesn’t discount personal choice as a factor in an increasingly unhealthy nation, but says that an individual’s social and physical environments must also change for lasting impact.
In her new book, “The Social Network Diet,” she shares stories about people changing themselves and changing their world. Martha lived in Atlanta, Ga., where heavy traffic made walking difficult, and friends gave little support to physical activity. When she moved to Denver, Colo., her next-door neighbor became a regular walking partner, and Martha lost weight. A woman in Los Angeles focused her efforts on planting gardens at schools and in back yards to increase the availability of fresh vegetables and fruits. A woman in Maine developed an outdoor winter sports program for kids.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has,” Nelson said, quoting anthropologist Margaret Mead. She challenged women in the Pratt audience to, “roll up your sleeves and create some change.”
The team from Boston will be in Pratt through Friday, assessing resources for healthy eating and exercise and working with community members to identify and facilitate change in a positive direction.
