"Girth of a Nation" (Editorial, July 2012) was very timely and left me wondering: At what point do we stop blaming others and start taking responsibility ourselves?

This past year, I set out on a health campaign of my own. After being awoken one too many times by my husband due to my snoring, I knew I had to do something about my weight. My 40th birthday was soon arriving, and I couldn't stand the thought of being 40 and fat. My family was also suffering from a lack of healthy food and exercise, and my children were developing an increased attachment to the TV.

I've lost 60 pounds since last March. After losing 15 pounds, I stopped snoring (much to my husband's relief); by the time I lost 30 pounds, my cholesterol had gone from 228 to 134. In early October, 11 days before my birthday, I hit my goal. My whole family is now eating better and exercising more.

My experience has made me realize that, as a nation, we need to initiate change. This can be done in a sensitive way, but it needs to be done now. I never believed I had it in me to make such a change, but I did, and other Americans must, too. The health of our nation depends on it.

Laurie Esdale, RN

Sandwich, MA