Dear Editor:

Over the past decade in Kosciusko County, adult obesity has become more prevalent, reaching an all-time high of 36 percent of all adults being obese (County Health Rankings, 2018.) Adult obesity can lead to a lifetime full of health problems. Obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. Obesity can be due to many risk factors including physical inactivity, poor nutrition habits, low socioeconomic status and the environment you live in.

I believe that this statistic is far too high in a community that has access to lakes, community centers to walk in, and safe areas for physical activity. Obesity is a health issue that can be preventable and changed if caught early enough; however, the health problems linked to obesity cannot be reversed.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no single solution to obesity. We need to create programs on a state and local level, community efforts in supporting healthy eating, being active and educating others on healthy living. Healthy living can include keeping track of weight, eating foods that are full of nutrients, keeping track of physical activity, and doing things to benefit your mental health as well.

As a community in Kosciusko County, we need to step up and promote these healthy living tactics to adults in order to reduce obesity and prevent unnecessary health issues. By creating more adult sport leagues, 5k runs, activities on the lake, and walks this could not only reduce obesity in adults but help teach children the importance of health. Let’s bring awareness, as a community, to our community leaders to implement more programs like I suggested to get people moving and get more community involvement.

Thank you,

Alli Ousley