Let’s start with the bad news so we can get it out of the way: Earlier this month, the Institute of Medicine released a report on the obesity epidemic that is rampant in our country. I’ll spare you most of the specifics because we all know that, as a nation, obesity increases our risk for all kinds of chronic disease and drives up healthcare costs. We also know that on an individual level, it makes us feel lousy, limits our activities, and cripples our confidence. Instead of recapping the whole report, I found it useful to take a quick look at this infographic that puts our nation’s obesity in context. Here are the two numbers that I want to highlight:

• 1. Almost 40% of adults are prediabetic. This means that their blood sugar levels almost qualify them to be diagnosed with diabetes, and they will more than likely progress full-fledged medication-requiring diabetes over the coming years IF they can’t manage to get back on track through changes in diet and exercise.
• 2. Less than 20% of Americans get the recommended amount of physical activity. This includes children so we can assume that a much lower percentage of adults get enough exercise.

OK, that’s a little depressing and applies to the country as a whole. Now, let’s take a step in the right direction and visit some good news that pertains to us as individuals: There is a growing body of research about how much we can all benefit from even very small improvements in our diet and exercise [Here is an example]. That’s what Nudge is all about, right? We don’t have to live on the fringe of nutrition and exercise in order to improve our lives. Rather than crash diets and super-intense exercise routines, there are simple choices we can make each day that reduce our risk of obesity and diabetes over the long term, and can make us more productive, happy, and balanced in the short term. These are things that require very little effort, but that we don’t act on as often as we should. Here are just a few examples:

• 1. A 10 minute walk and stretch break after every hour or so of seated working.
• 2. Choosing a raw vegetable or fruit snack over salty, greasy, more processed alternatives.
• 3. An evening walk with a pet, family member, or significant other rather than going straight to the television or computer.
• 4. Choosing a sugar-free beverage in place of a full calorie soda or coffee drink.

Here’s the take home message: Health is not being a size 0 or running a 4 minute mile. Instead, it is the sum of all the little things we do. Tell us in the comments section about your daily decisions to live a better life.

At Nudge, we want you all to live and feel better on a daily basis by making the little choices that will also lead to a better life in the long run. That’s all it takes.

Photo: peterhenriques