Overcoming Obesity, With Diet and Physical Education

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To the Editor:

Re “Three-Quarters of American Adults Are Overweight or Obese, a New Study Reveals” (news article, Nov. 19):

Admittedly, the causes of obesity are numerous, but certainly diet has a major influence on who will become overweight.

The use of anti-obesity medications may be able to slow the rate of increase of those becoming obese, yet people still need to eat. Sadly, many individuals resort to easy-to-prepare and tasty ultra-processed foods that are loaded with salt, sugar and fats and that lack essential nutrients. Consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with obesity, as the article points out.

We know what constitutes a healthy diet that helps to enable those who consume it from becoming overweight. But the only way to match such a diet is to prepare healthy, accessible and affordable meals at home. Many people say they don’t have the time or wherewithal to dream up meals and then prepare them. Without more emphasis on home cooking, obesity rates will continue to soar.

Stacey Bell
Boston
The writer has a doctor of science degree in nutrition and works as a consultant to the company Epicure, which advocates cooking at home.

To the Editor:

Among the structural changes that may be needed to address the childhood obesity epidemic, it is clearly time for schools to make physical education a core subject as important as English, math or science. Good physical education gives students the knowledge and skills they need to achieve fitness over their lifetimes and motivates those who do not consider themselves athletic.

Unfortunately, P.E. is often relegated to the bottom of the curricular ladder. Physical education departments are rarely afforded a dedicated budget and P.E. teachers frequently lack specific professional development, leaving schools unequipped to deliver and students unable to receive the quality of education they deserve.