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February 8, 2005
Obesity rooted in physical inactivity
By Theresa Hogue
Gazette-Times reporter
Health expert Barbara Ainsworth hosts lecture at OSU
It's not always good to be a leader.
Jeff McCubbin of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University can tell you that. The United States is one of the fattest nations on the globe, and we're only getting bigger.
"It's one of the areas where we're leading the world," McCubbin said, "and it's a sad fact that we're ahead."
Other countries, he said, are close behind, especially as the use of cars becomes more prevalent, physical activity decreases and diet worsens. Children are more and more likely to watch television or play video games that keep them indoors and inactive. This pattern stretches into adulthood, as more people choose to rent a movie than hit the gym.
But those who are passionate about the health benefits of physical activity want to change those attitudes, and start at an early age. Barbara Ainsworth, an internationally recognized researcher on physical activity and health, will discuss the dangers of inactivity and offer some solutions to the problem at a lecture Thursday at OSU.
Ainsworth, a professor in the department of exercise and nutritional sciences at San Diego State University, was previously a faculty member with the Centers for Disease Control at the University of South Carolina.
McCubbin, who helped bring Ainsworth to campus, said he's pleased she will add her voice to other recent speakers at OSU focusing on the issue of physical inactivity and childhood obesity. He said the increasing prevalence of junk food in public elementary schools parallels a nationwide reduction in accountable physical education time in schools. Schools are not required to deliver daily physical activity courses to students, and McCubbin said he hopes to see legislation requiring more activity for children.
"We can't blame the schools because it takes a lot of pieces added together," he said.
McCubbin encourages those attending the Thursday night lecture to take the extra time and walk to LaSells Stewart Center, in keeping with the spirit of Ainsworth's presentation.
Her lecture, "Physical Inactivity Is a Public Health Problem: What Can We Do About It?" takes place at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Construction & Engineering Hall in LaSells Stewart Center. A reception will follow.
She will give a second presentation, mainly aimed at students, Friday at 11 a.m. in Agricultural and Life Sciences Room 400, titled "Do Neighborhood Environments Promote or Constrain Physical Activity? U.S. and Regional Studies."
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