Staying fit from an early age

LOLITA HARPER

Looking around the beaches, parks and community centers in

Newport-Mesa, it doesn’t seem that obesity is much of a problem.

Everywhere you turn, you see people riding bikes or

roller-blading, moms with jogging strollers or busy professionals

sneaking off to the gym during a lunch break.

It is not uncommon to see a mother of four in a string bikini,

looking as good -- or better -- than she did in high school. Or a

father of three in his mid-40s still out on his surfboard before

work. This is the land of beautiful people, nonfat mocha-latte-chinos

and sugar free frozen yogurt.

But even with our heightened nutritional awareness, Newport-

Mesans still must be careful to not promote a lifestyle that leads to

decreased energy and increased waist size, said registered dietician

and owner of Newport Nutrition, Theresa Grumet.

“It is really crazy, [obesity] is a huge problem,” Grumet said.

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States. Beneath the

flak regarding Oreo’s, McDonalds and soda allegedly packing pounds on

“unexpecting” people, there lies a truth that we, the proud residents

of the United States, are collectively fat.

Not “fat” by Hollywood standards, which would be considered a size

6 and above. Not “big-boned,” athletic or “thick” people. (All of

which I have been described as.) I mean unhealthy. Those at risk for

heart disease, diabetes or worse.

The American Medical Assn. reported that nearly 9-million

youngsters, ages 6 to 9, are now seriously overweight. Similar

studies have revealed child obesity has tripled in the United States

since 1980.

In California, nearly 40% of children are physically unfit,

according to a recent report by the California Center for Public

Health Advocacy. The study used the results of the 2001 California

Physical Fitness Test to reach these conclusions.

Remember those test where you had to sprint for erasers, run a

mile, count how many pull-ups or sit-ups you could do? Apparently,

kids aren’t performing as well as generations past.

In addition to poor performance on tests, doctors are finding an

alarming increase of Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension and joint damage

in children -- problems that were once only seen in adults, State

Health Director Diana m. Bonta said. Bonta said these children are

also at greater risk for chronic health problems later.

I was flipping through a magazine on the exercise bike the other

day and I came across a shocking statistic: the average American

child spends 38 hours a week in front of the television. Yep, 38.

That’s a full-time job.

Although dangerously overweight people are more often found in

lower socio-economic settings, there are three warning signs that are

prevalent here also.

They are: jobs and lives that are more sedentary than in the past

(white collar work, sitting at a desk all day); eating at home less

because of so many different activities (National Charity League,

AYSO, Little League, tennis and piano lessons); and the diet “yo-yo”

syndrome, Grumet said.

That’s right, even all that conscious calorie counting could be

laying the foundation for weight problems. If not obesity, an eating

disorder or poor nutrition, Grumet said. She said the media is a huge

culprit in promoting that model-waif-like figure, and that message

tends to hit certain aspects of this community like a brick wall.

“I am in Corona del Mar and I see kids with eating disorders, it

is a real concern,” Grumet said. “Many are very aware of it, though,

and take steps to correct it, or prevent it. But some people just get

caught.”

We are lucky to live in a beautiful community, where we can walk

around the Back Bay, surf, ride bikes and ride Rollerblades along the

beach, but there is a difference between having access to activities

and getting out and doing them.

“Oh sure, people want to enjoy the outdoors here but people also

make excuses,” Grumet said. “Even if we live in a beautiful area, it

is all about making [exercise] a priority.”

In a society where we have the money to buy state-of-the-art

entertainment centers, the best computers with the most RAM, Sony

Playstation, Nintendo Game Cube, DSL, DVDs, CDs and MP3s, can we

afford the consequences of sitting around on our B-U-T-Ts using them?

Perhaps people can keep those well-earned dollars and buy simple toys

such as bikes, roller skates, skateboards and athletic equipment,

which promote active lifestyles.

Last time I checked, the game of tag didn’t cost a dime and burnt

a good 300 calories.

Oh yeah, and slow down, Grumet said.

“That is kind of it, in a nutshell: Our lifestyles are too fast,”

Grumet said. “People don’t have time to plan their meals and sit down

and enjoy nice, satisfying and healthy foods.”

I also have it on good authority that a lot of people in this area

are looking for causes to get involved with: here’s one. This

community can use its wealth and influence to bring more awareness to

this epidemic.

Obviously, the overall health of our state and county is

important, but if you want a reason that hits closer to home, think

of what it will cost to treat obesity-related illnesses in those.

Imagine the taxes those money-grubbing legislatures are going to

want to take out of your paycheck to pay for the chronic health

problems of lower-income children who suffered from poor nutrition.

Think we have budget problems now?

Wait until Medicare is clamoring to pay for triple bypass surgery

for the one child in five, who grew up to have heart disease.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or by e-mail at

lolita.harper@latimes.com.