ABC 7 Medical: Childhood Obesity|ABC 7 News

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ABC 7 Medical: Childhood Obesity

posted 5:45 pm Mon August 27, 2007 -

tags: obes • folwer • medical

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Anchor:

OBESITY RATES CONTINUE TO RISE IN THE UNITED STATES.

ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT - D.C. HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF OVERWEIGHT YOUTH IN THE UNITED STATES.

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MEDICAL REPORTER KATHY FOWLER JOINS US WITH THIS STORY.

Kathy on Set:

OBESITY AMONG ADULTS HAS INCREASED IN 31 STATES AND HAS "NOT" DECLINED IN ANY STATES.

AND OF COURSE TODAY - THE FIRST DAY D.C. STUDENTS GO BACK TO SCHOOL - THIS NEW REPORT CARD SHOWS FAILING GRADES WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR WEIGHT.

Story:

ONE IN FIVE CHILDREN IN D.C. ARE CONSIDERED OVERWEIGHT ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT RELEASED BY A A RESEARCH GROUP THAT FOCUSES ON DISEASE PREVENTION.

Dr. Anisha Abraham, Georgetown University Hospital: "We're seeing more and more young people coming in that are actually obese and what we're finding is there are entire communities where obesity is considered the norm so it's very difficult for people to see themselves as very different because everyone seems very much the same in terms of their eating habits."

DR. ANISHA ABRAHAM IS A PART OF A TEAM OF DOCTORS WHO GO INTO D.C. SCHOOLS TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT NUTRITION AND EXERCISE AND THE LONG TERM HEALTH AFFECTS OF OBESITY.

Dr. Anisha Abraham, Georgetown University Hospital: "We are seeing more and more people who are presenting with type two diabetes with hypertension with significant issues that we thought more about in young adults or in adulthood and i would also add that there are a number of teenagers who have psychological issues as a result of their obesity."

OBESITY RATES AMONG ADULTS IN THE DISTRICT WERE AMAZINGLY BETTER. RANKING 40TH MOST OBESE IN THE COUNTRY.

VIRGINIA WAS IN THE MIDDLE RANKING 23RD... SO WAS MARYLAND RANKING 25TH MOST OBESE STATE IN THE COUNTRY.

Jeff Levi, Trust for America's Health: "The central issue is that obesity is a national problem and it requires a national response - we don't have a national strategy certainly not one that's proportional to the size of the problem."

Kathy on Set:

THE AUTHORS OF THIS REPORT SAY THIS NATIONAL STRATEGY NEEDS TO GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKING WITH STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND PRIVATE EMPLOYERS TO DEVELOP WELLNESS PROGRAMS AT THE WORKPLACE.

THEY SAY THE SCHOOLS ARE THE BEST WAY TO INTERVENE AND TARGET CHILDHOOD OBESITY.

Latest Comment on ABC 7 Medical: Childhood Obesity

Pachacutec

10:54 am on 08/31/07

Ann Jenkins, wish I could provide some advice; is there a genetic factor involved, are many of your family members naturally heavy? Have any of the doctors she's been to been specialists in weight problems for girls her age? I wonder if you'd contact any of the doctors mentioned in this article, if they could refer you to someone who could help?

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