An American Epidemic—and Momentum to End It

By Kay Campbell, March 8, 2010

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Today, there is broad agreement: childhood obesity is a public health epidemic. One in three American children is now overweight or obese. Obese children are at increased risk for other serious problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, gallbladder disease and certain cancers.

But momentum around fighting this urgent health problem is building. Lawmakers are holding hearings on strengthening school health programs. Michelle Obama’s national “Let’s Move!” program to fight childhood obesity is kicking into gear. And last week, that new energy and momentum was on display at a briefing hosted by health policy journal Health Affairs (a Burness client).

Some highlights from the briefing and the March Health Affairs issue:

• Researcher Christina Bethell discussing her research into the link between neighborhood characteristics, like the lack of a park or play space, and childhood obesity.
• Health Affairs editor Susan Dentzer’s bold charge that America is “guilty of child abuse.”
• Recommendations about ways to limit childhood snacking in the wake of new data showing that American children snack an average of three times a day, accounting for 27% of their daily calorie intake.

As momentum builds, many – including policymakers – are taking notice. Senate HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin put it well on Thursday:

“Two days ago, at a Health Affairs briefing on Childhood Obesity, researchers reported on multiple initiatives to address the factors driving childhood obesity…there is a lot of experience and research out there to help us identify the best ways forward.”

Update: on March 16, Michelle Obama mentioned the snacking findings discussed above in her address to the Grocery Manufacturers Association:

“Today, snacking between meals has become more the norm rather than the exception. And while kids 30 years ago ate just one snack a day, we’re now trending toward three –- so our kids are taking in an additional 200 calories a day just from snacks alone”.