Letters: Blame Obesity on Sedentary Habits

Barry Popkin has the right idea to combat obesity [“Leading the War on Obesity,” Spring 2012] but does not go far enough. The charge also needs to be led against Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame, Aaron Rodgers of the [Green Bay] Packers, and Al Gore, the man who invented the Internet [sic]. They have all encouraged people to partake in sedentary activities, be it sitting in front of the TV or the computer for hours on end.

Sound ridiculous? No more ridiculous than Popkin blaming corporations for the personal decisions each and every person should make for themselves. It’s simple — if calories in exceed calories expended, you need to stop chewing. Perhaps, if it would not take three permits and a helmet, we could send our kids out to cut the grass to expend some of those calories.

Kip Ertel ’85 Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Published in the Summer 2012 issue