Look out, we’re getting fatter

Despite the good news, it’s no time to get fat and sassy.

The good news? Hawaii is among the top five states with the lowest obesity rate. But now the sobering bad news: Obesity is rapidly rising here, as it is across the nation, with more than half of Hawaii’s adults expected to be obese by 2030, according to a new study.

Last year, 23.6 percent of adults here were considered obese, with excess body fat that could adversely affect health and life expectancy. Think about it: Almost 1 in 4 adults here were deemed obese, and that’s on average; the rate among some ethnic groups are already significantly higher, such as 40.8 percent among Native Hawaiian adults two years ago.

Doing better on nutrition and physical activity must be part of our daily lifestyle, if we are to have any hope of tipping the scales back in our healthy favor.

City grapples with cutbacks

Call it Honolulu’s version of sequestration.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, anticipating a $26 million budget shortfall, plans to reduce city services to avoid what he called "political malpractice." The most noticeable thing on the chopping block: The Kailua/Enchanted Lake Satellite City Hall, which would be closed under the mayor’s plan.

Caldwell is more pessimistic than some members of the Honolulu City Council, who say the budget is balanced and that Caldwell is inventing a fiscal shortfall to pressure the Council to raise taxes.

Either way, it looks like Kailua folks will have to drive all the way to Kaneohe to conduct city business in person. That could drive them to the Internet instead.