AMES, Iowa — Be fit. Be healthy.
That was the message of CNN’s “Fit Nation” tour held at Fisher Theater on Thursday.
A panel of five authorities joined about 130 audience members in a presentation and discussion on the nation’s obesity epidemic.
Facilitated by CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the event was a time for brainstorming about possible solutions to the epidemic.
U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, served on the panel and spoke about the responsibilities that individuals, government and businesses have in addressing obesity. “The way I see is you’ve got to start with young people,” Harkin said.
He referred to the current health-care system in the United States as a “sick-care system,” where instead of focusing on prevention and wellness, there is mainly a focus on treating only the ill.
“Have you ever thought about the fact that we are building whole subdivisions now without sidewalks?” he asked.
Harkin said there a lot of things, both simple and complex people could do to start to address the problem, such as simply putting signs on elevators notifying people where stairs are located and the benefit that has.
During his presentation, Gupta, the cable news network’s medical expert, presented factual information regarding people’s views on health and fitness conducted by CNN through a Gallop poll.
Exercise was preferred at 61 percent over dieting as the method most people would prefer to lose weight and 50 years ago, 31 percent of Americans said they would like to lose weight while today 56 percent said the same, according to the poll.
ISU President Gregory Geoffroy addressed the largely student crowd precluding the event, commending the university on the job it has already done addressing the issue.
“As an educational institution, we care deeply about this subject,” Geoffroy said. “We want our student to live healthy and productive lives.“
Geoffroy also said about 80 percent of Iowa State students participate in intramural sports and physical activity, which helped to rank the institution third among America’s most fit colleges.
Though even with the ranking, Ruth MacDonald, professor and chairwoman of food science and human nutrition, addressed a question by an audience member about the lack of healthy eating options served by the dining services on campus.
“I think that as students, you have the responsibility to complain and you have the right to demand that you have the right kinds of foods that you think you should have in your dining facility,” MacDonald said.
At the end of the event, $5,000 was offered as a prize to the student or students who could successfully complete and document an idea contributing to a more fit nation. The deadline is Oct. 1, 2006.
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