“Round Numbers”

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/diet-nutrition/story/2012-01-17/Obesity-epidemic-in-USA-shows-signs-of-leveling-off/52613442/1

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the steady rise in the obesity rate in the U.S., seems to have leveled off at 35.5%.  Now that we seemed to have reached the top of the hill, we’re rotund enough to roll down it.

It isn’t that Americans aren’t continuing to become obese, but the ones who have been obese are finally dying at the same rate.

“Teen Pop”

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/diet-nutrition/story/2011/06/CDC-1-in-4-high-schoolers-drink-soda-every-day/48496744/1

A national survey on sweetened beverages found that 1 out of 4 high school students drink at least 1 soda each day.  The rest are drinking beer.

The survey included 11,000 teens nationwide. They would have liked to haves urveyed a much larger group, but the rest of American teens no longer answer any question that doesn’t come as a text message.

Fortunately, not all sodas purchased by teens are being drunk by them.  Sometimes they just dump the soda out of the can or bottle to make a bong out of it.

Not all high school students drink soda for the sugar or the caffeine.  Sometimes they just need something to mix with their Jack Daniels.

Some high school students are trying to cut down on the sugar and caffeine they get from sodas.  And their answer to the problem is a Starbucks triple-shot mocha-caramel frappucino.

"Diabatic Comment"

http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/medical/diabetes/2011-01-26-diabetes-rises_N.htm

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have upped their estimate of Americans with diabetes to almost 26 million, up almost 10% in only 3 years. This isn’t pleasant news, but the CDC knew they couldn’t afford to sugar-coat it.