Ohio needs to get a handle on its obesity epidemic: http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/dayton-news/half-of-ohios-adults-may-be-obese-by-2018half-of-ohios-adults-may-be-obese-by-2018-405474.html. Obesity, as they mention in the article, is defined by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as anyone with a body mass index of 30 or higher. You can calculate your BMI with an online BMI calculator: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

One great way to fight obesity in Ohio is to promote community supported agriculture (CSA’s) such as Blue Bird Hills: http://www.bluebirdhills.com/CSA%20Introduction.html. For 5 months out of the year a large box of vegetables is picked up at convenient locations throughout the Dayton area. As much as I like fresh vegetables, I would never buy this much from a store each week, and best of all – it’s all organic. It keeps your fridge well stocked, and scrambling for ways to incorporate fresh food into every meal so you finish it all off before the next box arrives.

This was my first year belonging to a CSA, and I have never eaten healthier. I will definitely be joining next year as well.

There are other CSA’s in the area such as “The Happy Box” from Fulton Farms, http://www.fultonfarmsorganic.com/ which delivers the box right to your door. There are many offerings in our area: http://miamivalleygrown.ning.com/page/2613934:Page:581 and if enough Ohioans start joining CSA’s maybe instead of the obesity rate climbing from 34% to 50.9% it will actually decrease!