Local expert weighs in
on obesity 'epidemic'
BY PAUL COLLINS
THE CHRONICLE
The escalating obesity epi
demic is a serious health problem
for not only the United States but
many other countries, said Paul
M. Ribisl, Ph.D., chair of the
health and exercise science
department at Wake Forest Uni
versity. "It's becoming a global
epidemic," he said.
And obesity is more prevalent
in African-Americans and His
panics than whites, he said.
Obesity often leads to Type U
diabetes, which used to be called
adult-onset diabetes because,
years ago, it generally did not
begin until adulthood, often when
people were about 50 years old.
But now. because of increasing
levels of obesity and decreasing
levels of physical activity in the
population. Type II diabetes is
occurring in people at younger
ages, including teenagers and peo
ple in their 20s and 30s.
Ribisl said Type II diabetes
can lead to a host of health prob
lems. including cardiovascular
disease, which occurs throughout
the body, not just in the arteries
and heart, which c.an cause a
heart
attack, but
also dam
age to the
retina,
which can
cause
blindness,
and dam
age to the
microvas
cular sys
tem in the
feet and
Ubitl
legs, which can result in lack of
circulation, gangrene and eventu
ally amputation. It also could
damage the kidneys.
Ribisl. who has studied obesi
ty and its consequences on health
for more than 25 years, said that
one factor that contributes to a
greater prevalence of obesity
among African-Americans than
whites is that African-Americans
tend to have a different perception
of what is overweight or obese.
African-American women tend to
view a greater body weight/fuller
figure as being acceptable, and
African-American men tend to
accept women with fuller figures
more than white men do, Ribisl
said.
Socioeconomic status (SES) is
another factor that is very impor
tant. he said. Studies have shown
that people with lower socioeco
nomic status (education and
income) do not have the education
or money to eat as well as those
with higher SES. Regardless of
ethnicity, people who have limited
education and income tend not to
be as knowledgeable about good
nutrition, and they have less
money to eat well, Ribisl said. "It
costs more money to eat well -
more fruits and vegetables and
higher quality protein," he said.
African-Americans and His
panics generally have lower
socioeconomic status levels than
whites, Ribisl said.
He said he believes another
factor in the obesity epidemic is
the fast-food industry. It's often
possible to feed your family
cheaper on fast food than by buy
ing high quality food and prepar
ing it yourself, he said.
The fast-food industry makes
it easier for individuals to have
access to low-cost, easily-accessi
ble. high calorie foods, he said.
And in households where both
parents work and there isn't a
stay-at-home parent to prepare
nutritious foods, the quick and
easy alternative is to go for fast
food. Ribisl said.
He said another factor in the
U.S. obesity epidemic is that
many school districts allow the
sale of soft drinks.
And what about the issue of
"kids-spending a loLctf time watch
ing television, playing video
games or using computers instead
of being physically active?
"That itself is not dangerous."
Ribisl said. "What is dangerous is
?f they are eating and snacking
w hile they are watching TV. The
calories they consume are rarely
healthful. They are usually high
calorie," If young people were
physically active an hour a day.
they could probably watch televi
sion or use a computer without a
problem if they don't snack on
high-calorie foods while they are
doing it. he said.
A problem is that many school
districts have reduced physical
education in schools and are not
offering adequate intramural pro
grams. so many kids, especially
those who don't play on inter
scholastic sports teams, do not do
much physical activity in school,
and then they go home and are
t
inactive too. according to Ribisl.
Here are some things Ribisl
thinks should be done to help
address the obesity epidemic: I.
Parents, schools and the medical
community need to admit there is
a problem with child obesity and
work with children who have
weight problems. 2. Schools
should teach proper nutrition and
offer a balance between physical
education, intramurals and athlet
ics. 3. Parents should start teach
ing their children at a young age
about the importance of nutrition
and physical exercise, and parents
should be good examples them
selves. 41 Fast-food restaurants
should be required to label fast
foods to tell such things as calo
ries. saturated fat content and
sugar content.
I WSSU trustee will deliver Founders Day Address
SPhTIAL TO THE CHRt tNICLE
Dr. Clifford A. Jones Sr.. sen
ior pastor at Friendship Mission
ary Baptist Chuivh in Charlotte
and Winston-Salem State Univer
sity trustee, will deliver the
keynote address for the universi
ty's 11 lih Founders Day Convo
cation at 9:45 a.m. Oct. 31 on
campus at Kenneth R. Williams
Auditorium.
In addition, the WSSU
School of Health Sciences' Divi
sion of Nursing will present its
Spirit Award to Lt. Gov. Beverly
Perdue for her outstanding leader
ship in health and wellness issues.
Jones, who is celebrating his
2(Xh year as pastor at Friendship,
has been a member of the univer
sity's board of trustees since
1995. The leader of the 6.CKX)
member congregation is agradu
ate of Southeastern Theological
Seminary, where he received a
master of divinity degree. He is a
graduate of the Boston School of
Theology, w here he earned a doc
tor of ministry degree. He lives in
Charlotte w ith his wife, Carolyn,
and his two children.
His address will be pan of a
daylong sequence of activities in
conjunction with the university's
homecoming schedule of events.
The convocation pays honor to
the founders of the university for
their leadership and guidance in
charting a course for the universi
ty's future.
The day will begin with a
wreath-placing ceremony in the
courtyard of Williams Auditori
um at 8:45 am. All degreed facul
ty and staff have been invited to
participate in the academic pro
cession. The processional line
w ill form at 9: 15 a.m. in the lobby
of Hall-Patterson Building.
Photo h> CiHirtnc) Gail lord
Dozens of people were on hand for last week's groundbreaking.
Veterans
from page AI
that this is what the vets are here
to do," said Barrie Buy, who is
also member of the American
Legion.
Councilman Fred Terry, who
represents the Southeast Ward,
said the eatery is needed in the
area and will complement any
functions at the neighboring
football stadium. Only one sit
down restaurant sits on Martin
Luther King Drive between
Fifth and Sprague streets.
"If you look at the Southeast
Ward, there is not an entire sit
down restaurant in the entire
ward, so this is a good addi
tion," Terry said.
Mayor Allen Joines appreci
ates the economic investment
that the vets restaurant will
bring to this portion of the city.
"We're delighted to have
this in this area, which is start
ing to tum around, and this will
help push it on over the top,"
Joines said.
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Uncommon Wisdom