Fatter Not Fitter -- The Decline of Today's Youth

I read a news story yesterday that made my heart sink. CNN reports that ten times more children and teens globally are obese today than 40 years ago. The number of obese children and adolescents rose to 124 million in 2016 -- more than 10 times higher than the 11 million classified as obese 40 years ago, in 1975 (when I was 10 years old). This equates to nearly 6% of girls and nearly 8% of boys being obese.

CNN reported on the largest study ever done in obesity, with more than 1,000 researchers collaborating to analyze weight and height data for almost 130 million people (including more than 31 million people 5 to 19 years old) in order to identify obesity trends from 1975 to 2016.

From 2005 through 2011 I ran thousands of miles across states and countries -- speaking to countless numbers of school children -- in an effort to combat the development of the statistics that CNN reported yesterday. Obesity in our world is going to have to be fought by more than just a handful of people. It truly is going to take more than a 'village' to turn things around. It's going to take the whole world. Sadly, it seems that too many people are not only thick in the waist when it comes to this issue, but thick in the head as well.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past

A Special Award From The World-Renowned Mayo Clinic

It was ten years ago when I ran through Rochester, Minnesota during my solo run across America. I was asked to be a guest speaker at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, and even got to speak to a group of children from a nearby school who were transported to the Mayo Clinic to meet me. I met many wonderful doctors doing some very important work, and some of them wanted to hook me up to machines to study me. I had completed nearly 2,000 miles of my 3,260-mile coast-to-coast journey and they were curious as to what was beneath the surface of the guy pushing a loaded jogging stroller 30 miles per day. Suffice it to say, I managed to do my visit without the doctors at the Mayo Clinic poking and prodding me. I simply outran them! :)

While there, I was given a very special award from Mayo Clinic's Project Director of their CardioVision 2020 program. The "Health Hero Award" was presented to recognize my efforts in promoting childhood health across the United States. I consider it an honor to receive that award and I truly respect and applaud the diligent work that doctors and researchers at the Mayo Clinic conduct every day.

CardioVision 2020 is the Mayo Clinic's comprehensive initiative to reduce coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Every year, more than a million people from all 50 states and nearly 150 countries go to Mayo Clinic for care. The Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Rochester, Minnesota; Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona; and Jacksonville, Florida -- and the Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past