The Obesity Epidemic Rests on Gen X's Shoulders

Today's post lies at the heart of why we decided to launch a blog on health and fitness. It is something we are extremely passionate about, as it has impacted us personally in a number of ways. So much so, in fact, that I'm going to go out on a limb and ask our readers to consider sharing and forwarding this as widely as possible. As you know, we aren't selling or promoting anything other than getting people to take control of their health. I would be honored by your support.

Finally, Generation X is known for something

"X" became our label because the demographers didn't know what to do with us. We were a variable, a question mark. It seemed they felt we didn't stand for anything. Well - we do now.

F-A-T! 

We've all heard the statistics: over 30% of adults are obese in America. Diabetes is on the rise. And we, my fellow quadragenarians, are smack in the middle of it. We've even centered a top-rated reality television show around it!  If the trend of obesity and related metabolic and cardiovascular diseases is to be reversed, we will have to lead the way.

Not convinced? I'd like to share with you five reasons why Gen X-ers are the key.

40-somethings are in our prime earning years

This means we are paying the majority of the taxes over any demographic group, and we still have 20 or more years remaining in the active work force.  As a result, we are paying the lion's share of any current federal spending on health care, and will continue to do so for another two decades!  So even if the obesity crisis isn't currently affecting you - it still is.

Middle age means health costs and health concerns increase

Prostate exams, breast health screenings, oh yeah - we've all given them some thought. Annual checkups include earnest conversations about cholesterol levels and hypertension. And, for many, the idea of a gradual decline in general health is an accepted, inevitable outcome.  We pay for health and life insurance, and we all know that weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels are calculated directly into the rate they charge you.

As we continue to age, those "pre-conditions" are only going to exacerbate and cascade into new issues, making us less able to perform, possibly miss even more work for treatment and general sickness, and - yes - pay even more for the care we need as conditions worsen.  It's a spiral, and an expensive one.

The Affordable Care Act will redistribute costs to all of us

I'm an insurance guy. The principle on which insurance operates is statistical risk. Companies use complex models to estimate the total risk of their book of business and charge rates that balance the cost. Most use some form of tiering structure so that those who are statistically less risky pay less and those more likely to file a claim pay more. Nobody likes it, but its statistically fair and incredibly accurate. Universal care - love it or hate it - changes the risk pool to "everybody". As a result, people who were definite risks and therefore uninsurable before are now part of the book. Costs will go up to balance the equation.

Add to that the uncertainty surrounding Social Security and Medicare as we age, we just don't know what we can count on in terms of retirement support.

We started it

Before I explain, let me say that I am not commenting on the merits of the societal changes I'm pointing out.  They simply are a set of factors that lead us to present circumstances.

Our generation is where the obesity rise began.  From my observations, it seems clear that the women's liberation movements of the 60's that led to so many women turning to a career, changed us in some unexpected ways.  In a two-career home, time is a luxury.  Convenience foods at home and on the go became a staple of American eating and "just add water" became the standard in American cooking.

Our parents knew how to cook; they just didn't have time.  We - as a generation - grew up on those boxes with the foil flavor packets.  We have been raised with the innate assumption that cooking from scratch is "hard" and "time-consuming" and "inconvenient".  And, as a result, we have never had a handle on our nutrition.  Add to that the barrage of nonsense pop-culture pseudo-science that has been thrown at us our entire lives, and its no wonder we are clueless about nutrition.

Make no mistake, those processed, packaged foods, marketed as "healthy" are at the very center of the obesity issue.  I explain this position further in the post: "You are pre-diabetic - yes, you!"

We are raising the next, even fatter generation

Just as we are in our prime earning years, we are also in the middle of raising our families (some of us even have grandchildren already).  Obesity rates are projected to rise from an astounding 30% to a mind-boggling 50% over the next 15 years.  Costs associated with the continued trend are projected to be an additional $48-$66 billion a year, just in treatment alone.  

The First Lady of the United States is trying to mobilize America (literally) around the issue.  But the guidance is flimsy, conventional, and - well - wrong.  As parents, we know that our children build their lifelong habits at home.  If we can't manage our nutrition, our weight, and our health, how can we hope for them to?

We can FIX this!

The amazing thing about the entire problem is that it is entirely reversible!  There is NO secret! We don't need a wonder drug or to endure endless hours on the treadmill followed by a lettuce leaf and a cube of cheese.  You don't have to buy any program or subscribe to a plan.  Slim is simple!  By simply getting smart about how foods affect your body and thinking of food as fuel, you can transform your body, health, and vitality.  

We created 40SomethingFitness with a mission: to become the "bridge" between the athletic and results-oriented fitness communities, where these practices are put to use every day, and the mainstream world of our peers.  We want to help you learn for yourself how to take control of your body and stop feeling victimized and helpless to it.  At least twice a week, we will share with you our own learnings, experiences, and results in ways that make sense.  In ways that you can put to use in your own life every single day.

You will never have to subscribe to anything, buy our latest e-book, or purchase a plan or routine we recommend or discuss.  Just come back.  Start the conversation with your friends and loved ones.  Keep reading and keep learning.