Friday, August 31, 2012

From the Philadelphia Inquirer: Time to wipe out obesity in kids

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20120831_Time_to_wipe_out_obesity_in_kids.html


Time to wipe out obesity in kids



"EXPERTS FEAR that this generation of kids may be the first to live shorter life expectancies than their parents, thanks in large part to childhood obesity. Today, more than 23 million of our nation's children and teenagers are considered overweight or obese. It's an epidemic that continues to plague this country. Not only is it debilitating physically, but it significantly impacts our already fragile health-care system.

Those affected with childhood obesity are at serious risk for developing health problems such as heart disease, type-2 diabetes, stroke, cancer and other problems that usually affect adults. Each year, childhood obesity costs $14 billion in direct health costs. In Pennsylvania alone, this disease impacts 15 percent of your children."

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