Our third question, in our series of questions for the Presidential candidates (Click here to see Question 1 and Question 2), concerns obesity.  Health care, and cancer specifically, are prominent among the presidential campaign issues being presented.  Most of the candidates hope to enact a change in our ailing health care system, and find ways to reduce cancer deaths.  Several have suggested disease prevention as critical.

Second to smoking, obesity is the leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States.  Unlike smoking, the incidence of obesity is skyrocketing, not declining.  Obesity is responsible for 20% of cancer deaths in women, 14% in men, is a risk factor for illness ranging from heart disease to arthritis, and is responsible for most cases of diabetes. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in the US. Currently, 78% of men aged 40 to 59 in the US are overweight or obese.  Our New Year's Resolutions aren't doing it!



Even more heartwrenching, is that due to obesity, it has been predicted that those of us late baby boomers will outlive our children -- our life expectancy is expected to decrease!

So our question is: What measures are the candidates going to take, to create an impact on obesity? 

We know that taking action can make a difference -- simply look at the decline in tobacco use in our country.  We know that when motivated, people can lose weight, and one candidate is a living example of this!

We welcome ideas, and comments already expressed by the candidates that may make an impact.

To start the ball rolling:

- Perhaps in addition to the Presidential Fitness Awards our children earn in gym, we could have a Presidential Fit School Program.  Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has initiated this, where, based on both dietary and fitness criteria (for example offering children a certain number of fruits and vegetables weekly), schools can earn a Governor's Fit School Award.

- Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee presented a novel idea.  A dollar worth of food stamps could purchase $1.25 worth of fruits and veges, but only 75 cents of junk food.  Since we are a sale seeking, coupon cutting society, this might work!

For further information, visit www.avoidcancernow.com.  Seeing that obesity is rapidly on its way to becoming the leading preventable form of cancer, we covered this is some depth in Chapter 6 of "Avoiding Cancer One Day At A Time: Practical Advice for Preventing Cancer."