Former surgeon general Dr. Richard Carmona calls it “the terrorism within”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is praising First Lady Michelle Obama for launching a national effort to combat childhood obesity.
“Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health problems facing Arizona and our nation today,” said Giffords. “Children with weight problems are more likely to become adults with weight problems, and that can lead to a lifetime of medical issues.”
But the congresswoman added that addressing the problem of childhood obesity will require the involvement of many.
“The First Lady’s effort represents a good first step,” Giffords said. “But this is not a problem that can be solved by Washington alone. Parents must play a key role and schools must be involved.”
Dr. Richard Carmona, the 17th surgeon general of the United States, agreed with Giffords that there must be a multifaceted approach to childhood obesity. It was a major focus during his years as the nation’s top health care officer.
“I call it ‘the terrorism within,’” Carmona said. “It’s not only a health care challenge but an economic challenge. The cost of obesity to society is in the hundreds of billions of dollars.”
Carmona, who served as surgeon general from 2002 until 2006 under President George W. Bush, pointed out that obesity that starts in children often continues into adulthood and becomes “the most potent accelerator of chronic diseases.”
Carmona said the battle against childhood obesity must enlist the federal, state and local governments as well as schools. Parents must also provide “adequate adult supervision” so children learn the necessity of eating healthy foods and exercising from an early age, Carmona said.
Both Giffords and Carmona noted that physical education classes are no longer part of the curriculum in many schools and said that PE should be part of a well-rounded education.
The American Heart Association recently reported that very few states require daily physical education in grades K-12. The association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of physical education a week for elementary students and 225 minutes per week for middle school students.
Giffords, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, noted that the problem even has national security implications. She said that obesity is making it more difficult for the military to meet recruiting targets.
“About one-third of all potential recruits can’t join because they’re too heavy and out of shape,” she said. “Clearly, this is unacceptable.”
In Arizona, 30.6 percent of all children aged 10 to 17 are obese, according to a recent report by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Giffords said that Southern Arizona has a climate and environment conducive to outdoor activity. Men’s Fitness magazine recently listed Tucson as the nation’s 14th fittest city, with high grades for city recreation facilities, fitness centers and air quality but low marks for sports participation, junk food, alcohol consumption and motivation. The League of American Bicyclists lists Tucson as one of the nation’s five most bikable cities.
“In Tucson and Southern Arizona, there is no reason not to spend time outside engaged in physical activities,” said Giffords, an avid bicyclist and inline skater.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Michelle Obama launched the Let’s Move campaign, a program focused on what families, communities and the public and private sectors can do to help fight childhood obesity. The goal is to take steps to reduce childhood obesity within a generation.
According to the White House, on school days, many American children consume more than half their daily calories at school – and more than 30 million of these kids participate in the National School Lunch Program.
To help address that problem, the Obama administration is requesting an additional $10 billion over 10 years, starting next year, to improve the quality of school lunch and breakfast programs. The money will be used to ensure that more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products will be served in school cafeterias.
This week, President Obama signed a memo establishing a federal task force to tackle childhood obesity, calling it “one of the most urgent health issues that we face in this country.” The task force will have 90 days to craft a plan encouraging coordination between the federal government and both the private and nonprofit sectors.
“As Congress attempts to craft a compromise on health insurance reform, addressing childhood obesity is something that we all can agree on,” Giffords said.