As a Nursing student, I find the article “Latino Children, Population Battles Severe Obesity Rates” (Front Page & pg. 6 of The Pioneer Thursday, April 19, 2012), interesting yet misleading. Although I appreciate the efforts, the article didn’t expand on what people can do to help fight back! What became most alarming was the statement by a student aspiring to become a nurse, “to be healthy…is to just eat and enjoy what you eat, even if sometimes it’s not always good [for] you” and expressed that she would have worked out if she did not have a job. I expected greater knowledge of health and well being from an aspiring nurse. Exercise is not everything to weight loss; it is also all about the diet!

Ultimately, I agree Latino’s do show higher obesity rates which connect to other complications. But the point being is, what can we do to improve or fight back?

We must teach and empower each other, which is what I originally thought the article would be about. Instead, the article ended as though being happy and eating anything even if it is unhealthy is the “healthiest thing.” We, especially nurses, need to teach that even though we are surrounded with bad choices, we can make good ones. We can make an impact one step at a time. If each nurse were to give proper education about nutrition, eating healthy, and the risks associated with obesity, especially with children, then that would be a powerful movement. Many may not realize the impact of Nursing, but if you think about it, almost everyone in America has been taken care of by a nurse at some point in their lives, be it from birth, regular check-ups, to being hospitalized. Since nurses are everywhere we make good “ammo” for this “battle”. There really is power in numbers. If each one of us reaches out for a goal, be it teaching or having discipline to be aware of one’s diet, it will help us win against obesity, not just in Latinos, but in America.