This week on Oregon On The Record, we discussed a health issue that has reached epidemic levels in our community, state and nation: childhood obesity.
According to the CDC, almost 15 million kids in America and classified as obese. Here in Lane County, 20% of elementary school boys are classified as obese.
Indeed, the impacts of this epidemic are scary. Kids unable to move like kids should, diseases developed in childhood creating dangerous and even fatal conditions as teenagers and a health system maxed out by this escalating crisis.
Yet, hope exists among the healthcare professionals, public health experts and specialists who are working tirelessly to reverse the cycle of inactivity and dangerous eating habits.
We heard from our county’s chief public health director – Dr. Patrick Luedtke, as well as pediatricians, dieticians and exercise experts who’ll provide their perspective about the problem and their counsel on solutions. They all agree that it is a community wide problem and it’s going to take the entire community to solve the issue.
