Wednesday, November 4, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Fit For
Sisters
Andrew Loscutoff
Columnist
Make America
fit again
No matter which party
one aligns with, one ought
to consider making health a
national priority. Think of
adopting the slogan: Make
America Fit Again. This
should cover the mental,
physical, economical, and
practical aspects of health,
including citizens of all
ethnicities, social status,
and age.
Everyone will benefit
from a government who has
their health and wellness as
a priority.
As a nation, America is
falling behind other nations
in its fitness and health. Our
leadership has not stepped
up to the plate address-
ing the issues. According
to the Bloomburg health
rankings, America ranks as
the 35th country in health.
The ranking considers fac-
tors such as life expectancy,
disease rates, and negative
points for obesity and lack
of access to healthcare.
Americans can now expect
to live up to six fewer years
than those in the top-tier
nations in life expectancy.
America9s waistline is
growing faster than it9s
economy.
The average weight of
an American has increased
15 pounds from statistics
from the 1990s to 2015.
Obesity afflicts around 45
percent of our population.
Americans report eating 21
percent more calories now
compared to 1961. This is
the main cause of obesity.
Why are we eating so much
more? It9s the public health
problem of having fast and
processed foods so cheap,
available, and tasty.
Diabetes, heart disease,
strokes, dementia and many
other conditions are directly
tied to obesity. By one esti-
mate, the U.S. spent $190
billion on obesity-related
health-care expenses in
2005. This is a real pan-
demic. Let9s all consider
the number of people who
died from preventable obe-
sity 4 not only the directly
correlated, but also the
ones who suffered from
complications.
Our food system is
highly political. The dairy
industry, poultry farmers,
cattlemen9s association
and many more interest
groups rule our nation9s
nutritional policies. In fact
many dietetic conferences
are sponsored by compa-
nies such as Coca-Cola.
Institutions are given deals,
contracts, and incentives
from companies to feed
our children junk food. For
example, Mars Wrigley
Confectionery, the candy
company, spent over $2
million in lobbying efforts
when the 2018 nutrition
guidelines were being
written.
No matter where some-
one aligns on a political
spectrum, whether the liber-
tarian who wants people to
make their own choices, or
the liberal requesting public
service to help people eat
more nutritiously and lose
weight 4 both agree some-
thing needs to be done. The
next president-elect ought
to serve our country a harsh
dose of reality.
Focus healthcare on pre-
venting obesity instead of
treating the diseases which
manifest because of it.
Invest in food systems that
nourish the body, rather
than beat it down with pro-
cessed junk. Get kids inter-
ested in activity, exercise,
and nutrition at a young
age. Time to get fit, to eat
well, and end the disease of
obesity and inactivity.
5
Outlaws run locally in relay meet
By Charlie Kanzig
Correspondent
The Sisters Outlaws took
part in a Halloween-themed
relay meet Friday, October
30, on a private property
near Sisters. The informal
event provided the team
with a chance to test their
racing condition along with
other high school runners,
competing unattached, from
Philomath, Klamath Union,
Ridgeview and Crescent
Valley.
The relay consisted of
one 3.1 mile leg, a pair of
two-mile legs and .8-mile leg
split between either three or
four runners. Some runners
ran more than one leg for
their team.
In the spirit of Halloween,
some of the runners dressed
up in costumes for the
occasion.
Coaches Josh Nordell and
Sarah Thorsett organized the
Outlaws teams in order for
the strongest runners to run
the longer distances while
allowing other members of
the team to race a distance
PHOTO BY CHARLIE KANZIG
Runners happily set off in the Halloween Horror relay race held Friday,
October 30.
matching their training and
experience.
<With no real outlets for
most of our kids to run races
we thought this would allow
all of the athletes involved
to have a little fun and test
their fitness,= said Nordell.
<Splitting the races up in
relay fashion helped to
spread the runners out more
than if every one started at
the same time, which helped
with safety.=
Some Outlaws are
planning a return trip to
Tillamook9s Hydrangea
Ranch for another race in the
week ahead. The official fall
sport OSAA season doesn9t
begin until February, pro-
vided that COVID-19 condi-
tions allow for athletic com-
petitions to take place.
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