Meatless Monday In New Mexico

America’s obesity epidemic is impacting communities nationwide. As of June 2010, more than two-thirds of U.S. adults and nearly one-third of children and teens are overweight or obese.
Excessive weight has been linked to many of the preventable chronic diseases that plague western society. Currently, one in three adults has some form of heart disease and more than 80 million Americans have type-2 diabetes or are pre-diabetic. These health issues hurt not only individuals, but entire communities. Obesity-related medical costs account for about 10 percent of all annual medical spending, and unhealthy workforces affect a community’s ability to thrive economically. Higher healthcare costs and low productivity means that many businesses are reluctant to relocate to, or invest in, areas with a high incidence of obesity.
Now is the time to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle, but the road isn’t always easy. It can be difficult if not impossible for individuals to correct unhealthy habits if their environment does not follow suit. If we hope to affect change in towns nationwide, we must change community-wide behaviors.
That’s where Meatless Monday comes in. Meatless Monday is a simple, weekly reminder to take saturated fat off our plates and replace it with nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. Entire neighborhoods can commit to a healthy start on Monday, with the intention of making smarter choices throughout the week.