FARMINGTON – The Legislature loosened its belt last fall and set up a commission to study the effects of obesity on public health.

On Friday, the commission will hear testimony including that of Don Nicolson, a former heavyweight, who will tell members that there is a way to stay slimmer.

The Farmington man will be talking about what he says are the reasons so many Americans have trouble maintaining a healthy weight. What’s more, he will share proposals that could help Maine lead the country toward a healthier future.

Although he isn’t a dietitian or a fitness trainer, the topic of unhealthy lifestyles strikes a strong personal chord with Nicolson. The 72-year-old retiree has spent decades struggling with obesity.

After years of unsuccessful attempts to lose weight, Nicolson attended a seminar put on in Farmington by the Maine Health Access Foundation.

Since that seminar, he’s lost 75 pounds and continues to shed weight.

All that weight isn’t the only thing Nicolson has lost.

“My sweet tooth is completely gone,” he said, “and I don’t get hungry!”

The Pennsylvania native credits much of his success to extensive research done by scientists at Harvard University, particularly Dr. Walter C. Willett, who wrote “Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy.”

Nicolson said scientific nutrition taught him that healthy eating involves foods like whole grains, nuts and legumes that take time to digest and keep insulin levels stable.

“Obese people are constantly eating because their insulin levels are on a roller coaster ride; they are literally addicted to sugar.” he explained. “They eat something full of starch or sugar, and before long their brain is saying Wake up! It’s time to eat again!’

“If we can stop the insulin roller coaster, we can lose weight.”

To further his point, Nicolson cites statistics showing that diabetes, weight problems in children and obesity-related deaths are all rising dramatically in this country. He said that, as the largest consumer of ice cream per capita, Maine is doing its share to push those statistics even higher.

The watchdog’s conflict

So what will he suggest to the commission?

Nicolson said the current food watchdog – the U.S. Department of Agriculture – serves two interests: food production industries and the general public. When those two interests collide, the food industries have a tendency to win out, he said.

Nicolson cited the government’s sugar subsidies as an example of the conflict. He will stress the need for a government entity that is truly objective about nutrition.

Nicolson will also ask lawmakers to seek grants from organizations that have as a primary goal controlling health-care costs. Those grants should then be used to fund programs that work with small groups of eight to 10 people who want to work toward being healthy.

As a retired mental health professional, Nicolson has extensive experience using group therapy as a means to healthier living. He uses a similar format to teach the Harvard nutritional guide to a class at the Farmington Senior College and believes it’s the best way to change the way Americans look at food.

“Trying to legislate healthy living just won’t work,” he said. “This way people will see results, and word will spread across the state.”

In his testimony, Nicolson will talk about his hope and belief that restaurants and food producers will eventually have to respond to a growing demand for healthy food.

“Only by changing the bottom line for all segments of the food industry can we change what they offer to a demanding and more sophisticated public.”

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