2 Texans Down Under

The connection between my two countries — Australia and the United States — is amazingly strong and shows up often, both in the press and in private conversations.

For example, Barack Obama’s primary win in Iowa and Hillary Clinton’s win in New Hampshire got almost as much attention in “The Australian” newspaper this week as Kevin Rudd’s election as Aussie Prime Minister received a few weeks ago.

Both these two US election events were front page leaders here, accompanied by big photos. Inside the papers, there were long analytical articles, editorials, and letters to the editors. I’m certain we get better newspaper coverage of this Presidential contest from Aussie papers than we’d get from the smaller and thinner “Dallas Morning-News,” which is what we read while we were in Texas.

Being just back from a holiday trip, Kristi and I have been in conversations with fellow Brisbane residents about similarities and differences. Today at our gym I confirmed for someone who hasn’t traveled to the US that, yes, restaurant meals there do tend to be, by Aussie standards, huge.

And in today’s paper there’s a report out of Washington, D.C., about a new book asserting that obesity is now a “lifestyle choice.” That’s one claim made by someone identified as a health economist, Eric Finkelstein, in The Fattening of America.

With about a third of Americans now obese (twice as many as in 1960) and with Australians tending in the same direction, there’s a danger that “The Australian’s” readers may be tempted to relax about weight gain.

There are, of course, counter arguments. Life style choices include things like joining a bike-riding club, getting one’s hair dyed, or doing volunteer work. Becoming obese, by contrast, is something one grows into, not a decision one makes, says another American mentioned in the article.

Dr. Linda Gotthelf, a researcher in health issues, cites diminished quality of life, functional limitations, and increased use of medications as consequences of obesity over time. She says that if obese people could push a button and stop being obese, almost all would.

Unfortunately, these counter arguments show up only at the end of this story, after too many Australian readers may have rushed off in search of a biscuit.

I’d like to say, “Wake up, Australia! Don’t follow the US by eating more and exercising less,” except that “The Australian” also informs us today, in an article written by health editor Adam Cresswell, that, like Americans, many Aussies are not getting enough sleep to maintain good health.

A survey here shows 18.4 per cent of working age people say they sleep less than six and a half hours per night and one in 10 reports daytime sleepiness.

Me, too. Ever since we got back from the northern hemisphere, my sleep cycle has been messed up. I need a nap Or maybe I should go get a cookie. Or take a walk.

Now those are lifestyle choices! — Bob