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From the depths of hunger to a thriving and very large population, the unimaginable has happened. China is reporting that the obesity numbers are rising in their country. Some 30% of China's adults are overweight or obese compared to 25% back in 2004. The reason? Less physical activity and a diet with more fast and processed foods. It is the larger cities, like Shanghai and Beijing, where the problem is more pronounced. There are more cars and the cities are loaded with fast food joints. (By the way, the AMA estimates that in the United States, 68% of it's adult population is overweight.)

All of this will complicate China's plan to overhaul their healthcare system. The sad thing is, they are just trying to provide "basic" healthcare to their population. This wouldn't cover any obesity related illnesses. And more and more chronic diseases linked to obesity are cropping up. 92 million Chinese suffer from Type 2 diabetes because of the more sedentary lifestyle and the doses of high caloric foods. By the year 2030, the International Diabetes Federation estimates that half a billion Chinese will have the disease. The healthcare system will not be able to cover them.

Does all this sound familiar?

The fact of the matter is, our country, and our world is becoming slave to the modern conveniences of everyday life. No one wants to get off their butts anymore and move. No one wants to take the time to prepare fresh, healthy meals for their family. No one understands the importance of getting back to how humans lived generations ago. Yes, there are modern conveniences that will extend our lives...but there are many more that will extinguish it before it's time.

I remember when I was in my 20s, I was determined to be a stay at home mom after I married because I wanted to be the main influence in the lives of my children. I wanted to afford the time to allow them to grow and thrive. I wanted to do the cooking and the cleaning and leave my career behind me. But before you know it, you don't want the inconvenience of being the care taker. You look for options. All you vowed you wouldn't do...feed the kids fast food, allow them to drink pop, prepare meals from a salt-laden boxed good, etc...suddenly you are slipping. The kids start gaining weight. You start gaining weight. It all backfires.

The important thing to realize is that it isn't too late. There is still time to go back to how you intended it to be. In all honesty, is there any reason to take the kids to McDonalds? A treat, you say? Once a month, you say? I'd rather my kids didn't eat at all that night than eat something that will likely make them sick down the road. There are other choices out there if you are looking for convenience. There are other options.

And now, here is a country where for decades, couldn't feed their entire population because it was so huge and the modern conveniences of life were not that easy to come by. Suddenly they are thrust in the "well to do" category and they are facing obesity and it's related diseases.

It's a choice. As much as we don't want to believe that, it is a choice. You choose how to live your life. You choose how to feed your family. You choose how much to get up and move your body. You choose how much convenience you want in your life...and how much inconvenience. Yep, taking the time to feed your family right can be inconvenient. Fitting in that workout can be inconvenient. Taking your kids out to play some catch may be inconvenient. But I know - that YOU know - that a future of obesity will be the biggest inconvenience of all.

So make the choice. Make the right choice. Make your choice.