More Obesity
I took the kids camping this weekend (here) and a short hike (0.4 miles) from the campground was a beach.
I know retract any comments I've made previously about obesity not being a problem. Holy cow, almost every adult there was obese, many of them morbidly so.
I was amazed at how many people were so fat they couldn't, say, walk a mile. I've read that obesity is worse in rural areas and I believe it now. I guess in the city (even in Pittsburgh where it seems everyone drives everywhere) you have to walk some and thereby get some exercise. In rural areas, you don't have to walk at all.
The number of smokers was also disappointing, as were the beer guzzling Canadians at the next-door camp site.
posted by Dr. Andy @ 8:57 PM
3 Comments:
I think that you were writing that obesity was an overrated factor when it came to *longevity*.
There are other factors to consider, such at fitness factors, health problems, including orthopedic (sp) problems.
A few weeks ago, I had to take my wife (moderately obese) to her physical therapy appointments. The vast majority of the patients that I saw were obese.
A couple of years ago, I decided to try to do something about our church members being fat and out of shape. So I organized a 22 mile hike around a lake. 7 people were able to make it (besides myself); 6 were bone slender to begin with and one was oh-so-slightly overweight.
In other words, this event attracted the already fit people (duh). :-)
22 miles?!? I consider myself fit (marathon experience)and a 22 mile hike around a lake isn't exactly something I think I could just pick up and do...
Perhaps try a 2.2 mile hike next time and you might get some interest by those who need it. (BTW, I think it's great you set something up at all. Shows initiative.)
As far as the 22 mile hike, I had advertised it a year in advance and had put out suggested training plans and suggested hiking gear.
The reason I chose 22 miles is becasue this completed one loop of Lake Geneva (the church camp is at William's Bay, Wisconsin).
We started with a total of 30 or so; most made it to the 9 mile "drop point" and took the sag wagons back.
One thing I didn't anticipate is how slow some would be. I had walked this course in 5:15 and figured out that 6-6:30 would be plenty of time for most.
One runner (a 2:50 marathoner) jogged the loop in 3:20, two experienced hikers made it in 6:30, the group ahead of us took 7:45 and my group (rear) took 8 hours.
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