Where We Stand: To Your Good Health

Recently a friend told me his doctor phoned with the results of his medical exam. “Call your parents,” the doc advised, “and thank them for your great genes.” My friend is a lucky guy. But we need to understand that the things we can do something about—like diet and exercise and tobacco use—are every bit as important as things beyond our control, such as family history.

One way to take charge is through healthy habits. Too few Americans of any age get enough exercise, and our diets leave much to be desired. Obesity for those 50-plus has doubled over the past decade. Childhood obesity is at epidemic proportions. Many American kids are being supersized, with physical activity engineered out of their lives.

Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and other maladies are the inevitable result. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that one of every three 8-year-olds will become diabetic. All this is driving up costs, lowering productivity and decreasing the overall quality of American life.

Not everything is totally preventable, of course, so early detection is also important. For older adults, one of the most debilitating diseases is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in people over 65. Emily Y. Chew, M.D., an expert on AMD at the National Institutes of Health, advises that we learn the risk factors. And everyone should have regular exams for glaucoma, cataracts and other eye problems.

This all adds up to taking personal responsibility for our own health and our family’s health. For many workers, there’s additional help. Lots of companies now provide workplace wellness programs such as exercise, smoking cessation, on-site flu shots and blood pressure screenings. Their objectives are to lower health care costs, increase productivity and attract and keep employees.

At AARP, we’re promoting fitness with a walking program for members, and we provide a gym and exercise classes for employees. We’ve enlisted tennis great Martina Navratilova, a terrific role model for people 50-plus, as our health and fitness ambassador to promote ways to be more active. She will appear again this year at our AARP Life@50+ National Event & Expo (in Washington) in September and in events around the country.

Overall, we need to make prevention and wellness top priorities, with a national program supported by a public-private partnership and backed by a congressional mandate. All stakeholders—consumers as well as professionals in health care, education, agriculture, government and the food and other industries—must be involved to make the United States a healthier nation. AARP is working on the promotion of healthy behaviors as part of our agenda for health care reform. We need a strong campaign against childhood obesity. Here’s a slogan for it: “Leave No Child With a Big Behind.”

But as individuals, we don’t have to wait for new policies and new partnerships. Summer is a perfect time to take the initiative and commit to healthier habits that we keep all year. Perhaps you can start by planting a vegetable garden. And as I like to say, “If you’ve got a moving part, move it.” Let’s hit the trail and walk or ride a bike or go swimming. It’s cheaper than buying gasoline—and a lot less stressful.