Washington Post Focuses Series on Child Obesity

The Washington Post launched a five day, multiple article per day series focusing on the isue of child obesity (Source: "Obesity threatens a generation," The Washington Post, May 17, 2008).  The opening article emphasizes the risks that obesity is posing to the current generation of children.  it claims that obesity among children puts nearly every organ at risk, with damage that may well be lifelong (see "How Obesity Harms A Child's Body," Washington Post, May 17, 2008)

According to the article, the rate of obesity among children ages 6 to 19 has tripled over the past 25 years, compared to a doubling rate among adults over these same years.  It notes that a very high percent of obese teens, upwards of 80 percent,  remain obese as adults.  This increasing rate of obesity among this current generation of 6 to 19 year olds has some analysts predicting that it could lead to a 2 to 5 year reduction in life expectancy.

The article notes that the causes associated with this increase in obesity are varied and complex.  It states that, "In-utero exposure is just part of an exceedingly complex picture. Patterns of eating and activity, often set during early childhood, are influenced by government and education policies, cultural factors and environmental changes. Income and ethnicity are implicated, though these days virtually every community has a problem."

The information in these articles underscore the growing focus on the issue of childhood obesity.  In Ohio, a similar emphasis is emerging among different communities and organizations.  For instance, the Ohio Business Roundtable has identified childhood obesity as one of its 18 opportunity areas to reduce the growth in long term health spending in Ohio.  Similarly, Nationwide Children's Hospital's eport on child indicators includes a charge to attack the rate of childhood obesity in Franklin County.