New approaches used to combat childhood obesity in Ohio

The Cincinnati-based Center for Closing the Health Gap kicked off a child obesity awareness campaign last week in light of recent data showing that the number of overweight children entering kindergarten in Cincinnati Public Schools increased 70 percent in the last three years (Source: “Campaign will battle kids’ fat,” Cincinnati Enquirer, Aug. 1, 2008).

Unlike similar campaigns that typically show healthy-weight children eating fruits and vegetables, the Cincinnati campaign features billboards and other ads showing overweight kids eating junk food with the question, “Are we feeding our kids to death?”

"The research tells us that we're not getting through to the populations we're trying to reach with more positive messages about nutrition and healthy eating," said Lisa Simpson, director of the Child Policy Research Center.

At the same time, more hospitals and recreation centers are creating nutrition and exercise programs designed to address the problem. Some pediatric hospitals in Ohio, including Raindow Babies & Children’s in Cleveland, Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, are even going as far as performing stomach-reducing bariatric surgery on teenagers considered morbidly obese. (Source: “Hospitals, parents and communities are joining forces to combat childhood obesity,” Cleveland.com, July 29, 2008).