We Can’t Ignore This Problem Any Longer

By Mark Bishop, Deputy Director

On July 28, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius addressed the Weight of the Nation Conference where she repeated some alarming statistics but also laid out some real changes in government policy.

First, let's get the stats out of the way:

• More than two thirds of American adults -- and almost one out of every five American children -- are obese or overweight
• Obesity increases your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and stroke
• Obesity is the single biggest predictor of diabetes
• Obesity costs our health system as much as $147 billion a year

Back to the main story now, because this was a good speech.

Secretary Sebelius outlined the administration's direction on prevention programs for obesity. What's so interesting to me is that she's talking about programs that, for years, people have relegated to issues of personal responsibility. However, we now have an administration that recognizes that so many of the chronic health issues we face as a society are driven by broad policy directives. 

And as complex as obesity is as an issue, and as challenging as policy development can be, Sebelius summarizes the administration's obesity prevention plan in five main points:

1. More nutritious meals in public schools, in child care centers, recreation centers, senior centers, and other government buildings -- served at a price that people can afford 
   
2. More healthy options in neighborhoods
   
3. More physical education classes in which kids run around the whole time and fewer in which they wait around to use the same piece of equipment
   
4. More investments in making cities safe for walking and biking 
   
5. More investments in public transportation 
   

This is everything that we have talked about for years: Better food in school. Better food for families. More physical activity. Better access for biking and walking. Better transportation policy.

The key is that we now all need to work to get support for the specific policies that will make a difference on these issues. Doing so with the support of the administration means we're at least in good company.

The first step: reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. Join us.

And as Secretary Sebelius said, "reducing obesity -- especially for children -- would be one of the biggest steps we could take towards this better health future.  And if everyone in this room throws their weight behind helping Americans lower theirs, I think we make it happen... We can’t ignore this problem any longer."

Comments

[Phyllis Pelt, RN, Certificated School Nurse]

Good timing for the obesity stats. School nurses can share this information with the school communities during registration, open house and when decisions are being made about exercise and fund raisers. Customizing realistic responses to the stats is definitely a shared responsiblility.