Interview by Ibrahim Dabo (@IbDabo)
Jane Velez-Mitchell, award-winning television journalist, bestselling author, and host of “Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell” on HLN, spoke exclusively to Ib Talk Online about obesity in America and the need for people to eat healthier and live longer.
“With regard to the obesity crisis, we need to start eating more fruits and vegetables and less meat and dairy products. That’s really important,” Velez-Mitchell said.
“In terms of human health, these poor kids that are obese, it’s horrific. That’s because they are eating too much meat and dairy products such as hamburgers, cheeseburgers and milkshakes. They should be eating fruits and vegetables, and nuts and grains.”
Ib Talk Online asked Velez-Mitchell what her reaction is to young people who are not obese but cannot live without eating meat and dairy products either.
“It’s easy to say when you’re younger the road gets narrower but you can get heart disease even if you are ‘fit’. It can clog your arteries and you can get high cholesterol. You can get killed by a heart attack if you let your cholesterol level [get too high] or your arteries get clogged” she said.
National obesity trends in the U.S. are a major concern, especially as obesity affects millions of children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third of U.S. adults are obese and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) are children and adolescents between the ages of 2 – 19 years. (visit the CDC website for National Obesity Trends)
Other key figures who have been raising awareness about the obesity crisis and advocating for healthier eating habits include First Lady Michelle Obama (see press release: First Lady Michelle Obama Launches Let’s Move: America’s Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids) and public policy expert Dr. Maya Rockeymoore.
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