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4TuesdayJune32014FortSmithHayRiverWEATHERYellowknifeInuvikWeeklyNormsHigh16CLow5CWeeklyNormsHigh16CLow6CWeeklyNormsHigh15CLow3CWeeklyNormsHigh19CLow6CEDITORIALPhotoScottClouthierAdvocatesforgoodhealthHalJohn-sonandJoanneMcLeodwhohaveforyearsurgedCanadianstogooutgettandhavefundoingitarebringingtheirmessagetosouthernNWTcentresthismonthtocreateawarenessabouttheneedtodealwiththeepidemicofobesityintheNorththatoftenresultsindiabetes.Itisanimportantmessage.Coincidentallytwostudieshaverecentlybeenreleasedonthesamesubjectcau-tioningthatthereisanobesityproblemamongbothchildrenandadultsacrossCanadaandespeciallyintheNorth.TheInternationalOrganizationforEconomicCo-operationandDevelopmentOECDinvestigated34countriesandfoundthatobesityisacommonissueandNorth-ernCanadiansareparticularlybadlyoff.AdditionallyastudybytheUniversityofBritishColumbiafoundthatobesityratesacrossCanadaarereachingalarminglevelsandcontinuetoclimb.TheNWTandNunavuthavethehighestratesinthecountryitsays.Thisisaproblemthatwilljustnotgoawayandagreatereffortisneededtodealwithit.TheJournalpublishesnu-merousstoriesonthesubjecteachyearandtookalookback.Inearly2011wereportedthefollowingTodaysCanadianyoutharetallerfatterandweakerthantheywere30yearsago.WithjunkfoodinnearlyeveryhomeandaculturethatpromotestelevisiontheinternetandvideogamesoverphysicalactivityCanadaissettingitselfupforafutureofextremeobe-sityunhealthyadultsandskyrocket-inghealthcarecostssaystheleadresearcherofanewstudyonchildrenshealthinCanadapublishedbyStatis-ticsCanada.InMarch2011wereportedthatastudyonchildhoodobesityblamesparentswhoeitherrefusetoacknowledgetheirchildsweightproblemordonothingtohelpthemloseweight.OneofthelatestwasinMarch2013whenTheJournalreportedthattheNWTHealthdepartmentisconsideringinsur-ingsurgicalproceduressuchasstomachstaplingtoassistobesepeople.ASept.2012JournaleditorialYouarewhatyoueatnotedthatCanadiansarefollowingthesamepathtoobesityasourAmericancousins-asusualalittlebitbehindbutstrivingtodoitevenbetter.Wepointedoutthestrikingsimilarityofthismalaisetosmoking.Bothleadtoseriousphysicalailmentsdecreasedlifespanshugecostsaddedtothebe-leagueredmedicaresystemandreducedqualityoflife.Generallytheindividualad-dictedwantstobecuredbutstruggles.WeobservedthatintheCanadianNorthAboriginalcommunitiessufferfromexorbitantfoodpricesaswellasissueswithadietofprocessedsugaryandsaltyfoodsresultinginahighinci-denceofchronicdiabetes.WesuggestedafreightsubsidyonallitemslistedintheCanadafoodguidecombinedwithapervasiveeducationcampaign.Re-sultingreducedmedicalcostswouldmorethanpayforthefreightsubsidy.Foresightandatenaciousdedicateddecades-longcommitmentareneeded.Aswiththereductionofsmokingtheresultscouldbeamazing.Westillthinkitisagoodplanbutun-fortunatelylittlehasbeendonesincethattime.Obesityisamodiablerisksecondonlytosmokingasacontributortoail-mentssuchasType2diabetesheartdiseasearthritisgallstoneshighbloodpressureandsomecancers.Obviouslythetoolsusedtokeeppeoplefromsmok-ingcanalsohelpwithotherpublichealthissueslikediabetesandovereating.ThegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritorieshasnoteditssuccessindecreasingthenumberofyouthsmokersby19percentoveradecadesinceimplementingato-baccostrategy.Similarinitiativesusedtopromotetnessandhealthyeatingcouldhelppeoplechangetheirhabitsandlivehealthiermoreactivelifestylestopreventbothobesityandtheonsetofdiabetes.Populareducationmustalsoincludearefocusingontraditionalfoodsandlife-styleslikeaprogramwecoveredinMay2013thatshowcasedresearchersfromtheUniversityofOttawahelpingschoolsinFortProvidenceandFortResolutionsetupsnackprogramscookingclassesandnutritionworkshopsforyouthandfamiliescenteredaroundcountryfoods.Thereisnoquestionthatbothobesityanddiabetescanbesubstantiallydiminishedbyexerciseandbetterdiet-whilelivesaredra-maticallyimprovedintheprocess.Acon-certedeffortisneededtomakethathap-pen-byfamiliescommunitiesFirstNationsandalllevelsofgovernment.TheadviceoftheBodyBreakgurus-toeatwellexercisehavefundoingitandmakesureyourkidsdoittoo-isimportanttousall.Onlygoodthingscancomefromit.ThepathtoathealthybetterlifeTheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.VisittheJournalonlineatwww.norj.caAnzacAtikamegBrownvaleCadotteLakeChardChatehColdLakeConklinDriftpileDufeldEdmontonEnildaEnochFortChipewyanFortMacKayFortMcMurrayFortVermilionFrogLakeGlenevisGoodshLakeGrandePrairieGrouardHighLevelHighPrairieHytheJohndOrPrairieAvailableinAlbertaatAklavikBehchokoColvilleLakeDelineEaglePlainsEkatiDiamondMinesEnterpriseFortGoodHopeFortLiardFortMcPhersonFortProvidenceFortResolutionFortSimpsonFortSmithGametiHayRiverInuvikJeanMarieRiverKakisaLutselKeNahanniButteNormanWellsTheNorthernJournalisavailableinthefollowingNWTcommunitiesPaulatukSachsHarbourTroutLakeTsiigehtchicTuktoyaktukTulitaUlukhaktokWekweetiWhatiWrigleyYellowknifeKehewinKinusoLacLaBicheManningMorinvillePeaceRiverRainbowLakeRedEarthCreekSaddleLakeSlaveLakeSt.PaulValleyviewWabasca2013CCNABLUERIBBONCANADIANCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD2013CMCAAUDITEDAdvertisingDeadlinesDisplayaddeadlineisThursdayat400p.m.ClassiedaddeadlineisThursdayat500p.m.Emailadsnorj.caSubscriptionRates867872-3000PricesincludeGST.47.25inFortSmith52.50elsewhereinCanada105intheUSAoverseas164.30.LetterstotheEditorPolicyTheNorthernJournalwelcomesletterstotheeditor.Lettersmustbesignedandincludeaphonenumbersotheauthorcanbeveried.Nameswillbewithheldonrequestinspecialcircumstanceswherethereasonsaredeterminedtobevalid.TheJournalreservestherighttoeditlettersforlengthlibelclarityandtaste.Opinionsexpressedinlettersandcolumnsarenotnecessarilythoseofthepublisheroreditor.PublishedweeklybyCascadePublishingLtd.PrintedonrecyclednewsprintwithvegetableinkatWainwrightStarChronicle.PublisherManagingEditorDonJaque867-872-3000ext.21donnorj.caEditor...........................MeaganWohlberg867-872-3000ext.24newsnorj.caReporter..............................MariaChurch867-872-3000ext.25reporternorj.caComptroller...........................DixiePenner867-872-3000ext.23dixnorj.caAdvertising.................867-872-3000ext.26salesnorj.caAdministration................JeremyTurcotte867-872-3000ext.26adminnorj.caProductionGraphics.......SandraJaque867-872-3000ext.22sandranorj.caPaulBannister867-872-3000ext.27graphicsnorj.caAnnaSierra867-872-3000ext.20designnorj.caEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesENRpilotsbattleasmallforestrethatbrokeoutmid-afternoononSaturdaynearHayRiveratthesandduneslocatedacouplekilometresnorthwestoftown.TwoCL-215bombersbroughtinfromYellowknifeworkedwithENRchopperstobattletheblazeallafternoongettingitundercontrolbyaround600p.m.TherewasoutbySundaymorning.