Everyday Leaders Bring Health Reform to Life [by Joe Moore]

“While leaders in Washington navigate the political quagmire of how to pay for health-care reform, there are things everyday leaders across America can do to move health reform forward. The fact is, part of our burgeoning health care costs are directly related to our burgeoning waist-lines. Sedentary lifestyles and poor eating choices lead to health problems, including the onset of Type 2 diabetes. Indeed, if the number of obese and overweight adults in the U.S. continues to grow as it has over the past three decades, nearly nine-out-of-10 adults will be considered overweight or obese by 2030. Over the last 30 years we've engineered a culture of living in America that minimizes movement, and, unless we act now, our children will inherit this culture of obesity. Government has a role to play, but changing a culture involves everyone, not just lawmakers. If the health-care reform effort going on in Washington today is to make any meaningful difference in improving America's health and controlling the cost of health care tomorrow, the leaders of America must create a national environment that supports wellness. Prevention, healthy lifestyle choices, and the promotion of exercise must be central to the effort. Leaders must emerge from all industries, sectors, and corners of the country, while existing leaders must make the health of their followers, employees and students a priority...

http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/guestinsights/2009/08/everyday-leaders-bring-health-reform-to-life.html