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IN TENNESSEE, 1 OUT OF EVERY 5 CHILDREN IS
OBESE- THE 5TH HIGHEST RATE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
MORE THAN 35% OF KIDS IN TN REPORTED
WATCHING TV FOR MORE THAN 3HRS ON ANY GIVEN
SCHOOL DAY.
7 OUT OF 10 CHILDREN DO NOT GET THE
RECOMMENDED LEVELS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
ACROSS THE US, ALL BUT THREE STATES HAVE SEEN
CHILDHOOD OBESITY RATES LEVEL OR DECLINE
IN RECENT YEARS.
IN TENNESSEE, CHILDHOOD OBESITY IS
STILL ON THE RISE.
IF THESE RATES CONTINUE,
TN'S CURRENT GENERATION OF CHILDREN
WILL NOT LIVE AS LONG AS THEIR PARENTS.
MAJOR FUNDING FOR NPT REPORTS CHILDREN'S
HEALTH CRISIS IS PROVIDED BY: THE
HEALTHWAYS FOUNDATION---ADDRESSIN
G THE CRITICAL ISSUES OF CHILDREN'S HEALTH
AND PUBLIC EDUCATION THE NASHVILLE HEALTH
CARE COUNCIL THE HCA FOUNDATION ON BEHALF
OF TRI STAR HEALTH THE METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC
HEALTH DEPARTMENT THROUGH A GRANT FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES AND THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE
CONTROL AND PREVENTION ADDITIONAL FUNDING
PROVIDED BY: THE MONROE CARELL JR.
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT VANDERBILT AND THE
BAPTIST HEALING TRUST AND BY MEMBERS OF NPT.
HELLO I'M KIMBERLY WILLIAMS PAISLEY.
LIKE ALL PARENTS, I HOPE MY CHILDREN LIVE
A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE.
HOWEVER, IN A RECENT STUDY,
TENNESSEE'S CHILDREN RANKED AMONG THE MOST
OVERWEIGHT IN THE COUNTRY.
EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT IF THIS TREND
CONTINUES, THE CURRENT GENERATION OF CHILDREN
WILL NOT LIVE AS LONG AS THEIR PARENTS.
WHY DO OUR CHILDREN RANK SO POORLY IN
OBESITY RATES?
WHY HAVE RATES SKYROCKETED IN JUST A
FEW DECADES?
HOW CAN WE STOP- AND EVEN REVERSE- THE
EXPANDING WAISTLINES IN OUR CHILDREN?
JOIN ME AS WE EXPLORE THE ANSWERS TO THESE
QUESTIONS ON THIS EDITION OF NPT
REPORTS: CHILDREN'S HEALTH CRISIS AS A
YOUNG GIRL, OLIVIA ANCHONDO WAS LIKE ANY
GIRL HER AGE, WITH ONE EXCEPTION.
SHE WAS VERY ACTIVE, SHE CHEERED,
SHE STARTED WHEN SHE WAS FIVE // AND SHE
PLAYED SOCCER LIKE ANY GIRL HER AGE,
WITH ONE EXCEPTION SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN OFF
THE CHARTS FOR HEIGHT AND WEIGHT,
AND BECAUSE OF HER HEIGHT,
HER WEIGHT BLENDED EVENTUALLY,
OLIVIA'S HEIGHT COULDN'T ACCOUNT FOR
HER ADDITIONAL WEIGHT.
THE LAST THREE CHECKUPS FROM,
LIKE 10,11,12, WE TALKED ABOUT THE
WEIGHT, BUT WE TRIED TO DO IT OURSELVES.
WE KNEW THAT MOST OF THE THINGS THAT WE
WERE EATING WERE NOT HEALTHY,
MAINLY IT WAS OUTSIDE, FAST FOOD BUT I DIDN'T
KNOW HOW TO CHANGE IT BECAUSE WE WERE SO
BUSY.
AND AS A SINGLE MOTHER I NEEDED SOMETHING
PROFESSIONAL, AND I NEEDED THE DOCTOR TO
TELL THEM HOW TO EAT.
ON THE ADVICE OF HER DOCTOR,
WENDY SMITH WORKED WITH A NUTRITIONIST TO
OVERHAUL WHAT AND HOW SHE FED HER CHILDREN I
CHANGED WHAT I BOUGHT.
I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF SWEETS IN THE HOUSE,
IF WE DRANK COKE, I CHANGED TO DIET,
ICE CREAM TO YOGURT, FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WENDY ALSO ENGAGED HER DAUGHTERS IN ALL THE
CHANGES AT FIRST WE HAD TO WRITE DOWN
EVERYTHING THAT WE ATE AND THE CALORIES IN
THERE.
AND THE FUN PART ABOUT IT IS THAT WE MADE IT
A CONTEST TO SEE WHO COULD EAT LESS
CALORIES, THE CALORIES THAT YOU NEED EVERY
DAY.
OBVIOUSLY, MOM WON.
I LEARNED FROM THE NUTRITIONIST THAT WHEN
YOU LOOK AT THE NUTRITIONAL FACTS IT
MAKES A REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE A
LOT OF PEOPLE THINK THAT IT SAYS,
OH!
IT SAYS' NOT SUGAR THERE'S NO ADDED SUGAR
IN THERE, BUT THERE COULD BE FAT IN THERE
THAT COULD BE WORSE THAN SUGAR.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED THROUGH ALL
OF THIS IS YOU HAVE TO TELL YOUR KIDS NO,
AND THAT IT IS OKAY TO TELL YOUR KIDS NO.
AND THAT'S A HARD THING TO INTAKE,
BUT UM, WITH THE NUTRITIONIST IT WAS
JUST TO BACK IT UP, AND TO JUST,
YOU KNOW, TELL THE KIDS FROM HER THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO BE TOLD NO,
YOU KNOW SOME THINGS YOU ARE JUST GOING TO
HAVE TO CHOOSE.
9 MONTHS AFTER CHANGING THEIR EATING
HABITS, WENDY TOOK OLIVIA BACK TO THE
DOCTOR.
SHE BROKE OUT ON HER LEG WITH WHAT WE
THOUGHT WERE LITTLE PIMPLES ON HER LEG AND
WE TOOK TO THE DOCTOR AND THEY CHECKED HER
BLOOD LEVELS, AND HER A1C LEVELS WAS 6.7
WHICH IS THE BORDERLINE DIABETIC
AND SO BECAUSE IT'S BORDER,
IT'S RIGHT THERE, YOU HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS.
THE DIABETES DOCTOR TOLD US THAT IF I
WOULDN'T HAD NOT TAKEN HER TO A NUTRITIONIST
THAT SHE WOULD PROBABLY BE FULL-BLOWN
BY NOW
OLIVIA WAS DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES
AT THE AGE OF 12 AND NOW MUST CHECK HER
BLOOD SUGARS 4 TIMES A DAY AND TAKE
MEDICATION TWICE A DAY.
IN THE LATE 1970S, EARLY 1980S,
TYPE 2 DIABETES WAS NEVER SEEN IN
CHILDREN- THAT WAS THE DISTINGUISHING FEATURE
BETWEEN THE 2 DIABETES.
WE SEE AS MUCH OR MORE TYPE 2 DIABETES IN
CHILDREN NOW AS WE DO TYPE 1 AND THE REASON
FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THERE'S OBESITY.
SO THERE'S A DRAMATIC EXAMPLE OF 30 YEARS OF
THE CHANGING OF THE ENTIRE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF
A SERIOUS DISEASE, MOVING INTO CHILDHOOD
BECAUSE OF OBESITY.
IN TENNESSEE, 34% OF CHILDREN ARE
OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE.
AND CHILDREN FOLLOW THEIR PARENTS- THE
GROWTH IN CHILDHOOD OBESITY RATES PARALLEL
ADULT RATES.
IN 2004 NO STATES HAD ADULT OBESITY
RATES GREATER THAN 30 PERCENT
NOW 13 DO.
OF THE 13 STATES WITH THE HIGHEST RATES
SIX WERE IN THE SOUTHEAST.
WE HAVE SIMILAR POPULATIONS BOTH
DEMOGRAPHICALLY AND ETHNICALLY AND
SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY.
WE HAVE SIMILAR CHALLENGES WITH
REGARDS TO EDUCATION AND INCOME
DISTRIBUTION.
THERE ARE ALSO CULTURAL INFLUENCES AS
WELL AS SOCIETAL INFLUENCES.
WE KNOW IN THE SOUTH THAT WE USE FOOD
FREQUENTLY AS A MEANS OF CELEBRATION,
AS A MEANS OF GATHERING AND
RECREATING AND THE WAY THAT WE PREPARE FOOD
OFTEN CAN BE LESS NUTRITIOUS.
THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC THAT MOST DEVELOPED
NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD ARE ACTUALLY
EXPERIENCING.
WE ARE AHEAD OF MOST OF THEM,
AND I THINK THE CAUSES FOR THAT ARE BECAUSE
WE'VE ACTUALLY GOTTEN OUT OF BALANCE EARLIER
THAN THEY HAVE, AND THEREFORE WERE HAVING
A GREATER IMPACT EARLIER.
IT IS AFFECTING OUR ADULTS.
OVER 50%, MAYBE EVEN TWO THIRDS,
OF ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE
OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE.
IT'S AFFECTING OUR HEALTH CARE COSTS.
IT'S AFFECTING OUR ABSENTEEISM AND EVEN
PRESENTEEISM- BEING ON THE JOB,
BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THE JOB.
SO THIS IS ACTUALLY STARTING TO AFFECT OUR
WORKFORCE.
THE PREVENTABLE MEDICAL COSTS AS A
RESULT OF OBESITY ARE ESTIMATED NOW AT OVER
145 BILLION A YEAR IN THIS COUNTRY.
I MEAN, LET'S PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE,
THAT'S $500 PER YEAR FOR EVERY MAN,
WOMAN AND CHILD IN THIS COUNTRY FOR A
PREVENTABLE SITUATION.
IN TENNESSEE ALONE IF OUR RATES OF OBESITY
WERE TO PLATEAU, JUST TO PLATEAU,
AND NOT EVEN A DECLINE THE STATE COULD SAVE
OVER $700 MILLION A YEAR IN OBESITY
RELATED MEDICAL COSTS.
THAT'S MEDICAL COSTS ALONE.
SOMETHING LIKE 80% OF KIDS WHO ARE OBESE BY
AGE 15 WILL BE OBESE AS ADULTS.
THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS, OBESITY DRAMATICALLY
INCREASES THE CHANCE OF YOU GETTING CHRONIC
DISEASES LIKE DIABETES,
HEART DISEASE ETC. THE PROBLEM WITH OBESITY
IS, THE EFFECTS OF IT START RIGHT AWAY,
BUT THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT WE SEE
ARE MUCH LATER.
SO IN SOME WAYS, IT'S ANOTHER SILENT KILLER.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT PILES UP OVER TIME.
THE LATER IT'S RECOGNIZED,
THE LESS LIKELY CHANCE THAT WE'LL HAVE TO
REVERSE THOSE EFFECTS.
SO IF A CHILD WHOSE BEEN OVERWEIGHT SINCE
THE TIME THEY WERE EIGHT OR NINE,
AND NOW AS A YOUNG ADULT OF THIRTY OR
THIRTY-FIVE AND THEY DECIDE TO LOSE WEIGHT,
THEY HAVE ALREADY HAD EFFECTS ON THEIR HEART
AND ON THEIR BLOOD VESSELS WHICH MAY
NEVER BE REVERSED.
WE LIVE IN A STATE AND A CITY IN WHICH ASTHMA
IS A BIG PROBLEM AMONG CHILDREN,
LOW-INCOME CHILDREN ESPECIALLY.
ASTHMA IS EVEN MORE OF OUR PROBLEMS IN
CHILDREN WHO ARE OBESE.
SO YOU'RE IN A HIGH-RISK ENVIRONMENT
FOR ASTHMA FOR CHILDREN,
AND YOU ADD OBESITY AND BEING OVERWEIGHT
INTO THAT CATEGORY AND YOU GET EVEN MORE
PROBLEMS.
ALMOST EVERY OBESE CHILD I SEE HAS
ASSOCIATED ASTHMA AS WELL.
OBESE CHILDREN CAN ALSO SUFFER FROM:
SLEEP APNEA, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE,
EARLY PUBERTY, BONE AND JOINT PROBLEMS,
AND LIMITATIONS ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
OLIVIA HAD TROUBLE WITH HER KNEE,
WHICH WE...MOST OF IT WAS FROM WEIGHT AND SO
SHE HAD TO GO TO PHYSICAL THERAPY WE
KNOW WHEN WE SEE A 12 YEAR OLD WHO'S
MARKEDLY OBESE, THAT THERE IS NO WAY,
UNLESS WE AFFECT CHANGE,
THAT THAT CHILD WILL NOT ESCAPE THE EFFECTS
OF DIABETES AND STROKE AND HEART ATTACK AND
HYPER TENSION IN THEIR LATE THIRTIES OR
FORTIES: BLINDNESS, VASCULAR PROBLEMS IN
THE LEGS, HEART ATTACKS,
STROKE.
ALL THE LONG-TERM COMPLICATIONS WITH A
FAMILY HISTORY OF DIABETES,
OLIVIA AND WENDY KNOW WELL THOSE LONG TERM
CONSEQUENCES.
EVEN THOUGH OLIVIA SHOWS NO OUTWARD SIGNS
OF HER DIABETES, THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT
COULD HAPPEN PROVIDES MOTIVATION TO MANAGE
HER ILLNESS WELL NOW.
THE DOCTORS HAVE TOLD ME THAT DIABETES
DOESN'T GO AWAY, THAT ONCE YOU GET IT,
YOU HAVE IT -- THE LOWEST THAT YOU CAN
CHECK YOUR SUGAR IS AT LEAST ONCE A DAY.
AND LIKE, YOU CAN'T JUST GO ON NOT
CHECKING YOUR SUGAR.
I DON'T THINK THEY UNDERSTAND THE FUTURE
OF IT, IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF IT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M SO PASSIONATE ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, TO GET CHECKED,
AND IF YOU NEED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR,
GO, GO TO YOUR APPOINTMENTS.
DO WHAT THE DOCTOR TELLS YOU TO DO.
BECAUSE YOU CAN FIGHT IT,
BECAUSE SHE IS...SHE IS FIGHTING IT.
OBESITY CAN ALSO LEAD TO PROBLEMS BEYOND THE
PHYSICAL COMPLICATIONS.
OBESITY LEADS TO SOCIAL ISOLATION.
YOU CAN'T PLAY ON A SPORTS TEAM,
YOU'RE THE LAST PERSON PICKED,
YOU CAN'T BUY CLOTHES AT THE STORE THE SAME
WAY EVERYONE ELSE CAN BUY CLOTHES.
WHEN DATING COMES YOU'RE NOT THE PERSON
PICKED TO DATE.
OVER TIME, THAT BECOMES INCREDIBLY
ISOLATING FOR MOST CHILDREN.
AND OBESITY IS SUCH A PROBLEM SOCIALLY FOR
CHILDREN THAT THEY OFTEN TIMES NEVER
FURTHER ADAPT LATER ON IN THEIR LIVES.
EVEN IF THEY LOSE WEIGHT.
GABBY IS A SOCCER PLAYER.
SHE WAS GOALIE BECAUSE SHE WAS BIGGER AND
TALLER THAN THE KIDS ON THE TEAM,
ALWAYS.
BECAUSE SHE WAS BIGGER,
SHE DIDN'T WANT TO RUN AS MUCH.
THOUGH WENDY
SMITH CHANGED HER FAMILY'S DIET BECAUSE
OF OLIVIA, GABBY HAS BENEFITED AS WELL.
ONCE WE STARTED DOING THIS,
SHE SAW THE SHE COULD RUN,
SO SHE DIDN'T WANT TO BE GOALIE ANYMORE.
BUT SHE SAW THAT.
NOT ME, NOT THE COACH, SHE DID.
NOW I CAN RUN LONGER, I CAN SWIM LONGER,
AND YOU FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU DO IT.
LIKE AT FIRST IT WAS JUST,
UGH, I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS,
IS JUST TOO MUCH.
LIKE, RUNNING ONE LAP AROUND THE GYM WAS
GOSH I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS.
BUT NOW I CAN RUN 3 MILES,
AND IT'S JUST - YOU CAN BE UNSTOPPABLE.
THERE'S LOTS OF EVIDENCE THAT EVEN IF
YOU DON'T LOSE WEIGHT, BEING ACTIVE
DRAMATICALLY IMPROVES YOUR HEALTH.
SO INCREASING ACTIVITY IN KIDS IS LIKELY TO
HELP THEM ACHIEVE A HEALTHIER WEIGHT
BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT YET FINISHED GROWING.
BUT ADDITIONALLY, SIMPLY BEING MORE
ACTIVE WILL MAKE THEM HEALTHIER.
FAT IS AN ESSENTIAL MECHANISM FOR
SURVIVAL.
IN THE DAYS BEFORE GROCERY STORES,
IF YOU DIDN'T SUCCEED IN KILLING THAT
SABERTOOTH TIGER, YOU KNOW,
FOR A WEEK OR SO, YOU HAD TO RELY ON FAT TO
SURVIVE.
SO THE BRAIN, OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS HAS
FIGURED OUT HOW TO KEEP THOSE ESSENTIAL
FAT STORES IN PLACE AND TO NOT LET THEM BE
DEPLETED.
ROGER CONE AND HIS RESEARCH GROUP HAVE
BEEN TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX
INTERPLAY BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND
GENETICS IN DETERMINING A PERSON'S
WEIGHT.
SOME PEOPLE CAN LIVE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT
THAT WE LIVE IN WITH LOTS OF HIGH CALORIE
FOODS ALL TIME AND A LOT OF SEDENTARY
ACTIVITY AND YET REMAIN LEAN.
OTHER PEOPLE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT MORE
READILY BECOME OBESE.
SO GENES DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF THE
ENVIRONMENT ON YOU.
IT TAKES THOUSANDS OF YEARS FOR GENES TO
CHANGE AND THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC HAPPENED OVER
THE LAST 30 YEARS.
OUR GENES HAVEN'T CHANGED OVER THE LAST
30 YEARS, BUT THE ENVIRONMENT HAS.
THE BASIC CAUSE OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY IS
RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND
SIMPLE.
IT'S THE BALANCE OF CALORIES THAT OUR
CHILDREN ARE TAKING IN EACH DAY EXCEED THE
AMOUNT OF CALORIES THEY BURN OFF THROUGH
PLAY, DEVELOPMENT, AND THEIR REGULAR DAILY
ACTIVITIES.
THAT BALANCE HAS SHIFTED OVER THE LAST
THREE DECADES.
OUR KIDS ARE MUCH LESS PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
TODAY THAN THEY USED TO BE,
WE HAVE LESS PHYSICAL EDUCATION & ACTIVITY
IN SCHOOLS, OUR PARENTS ARE CONCERNED
ABOUT SAFETY SO KIDS PLAY LESS OUTDOORS
AFTER SCHOOL AND ON WEEKENDS,
THEY HAVE FEWER PLACES TO GO PLAY.
AND OUR NUTRITIONAL SIDE,
WE EAT FAR MORE CALORIES,
WE'RE EXPOSED TO SUGAR SWEETENED BEVERAGES,
WE HAVE MUCH MORE CALORICALLY DENSE
FOOD, FAMILIES DON'T SIT DOWN AT THE DINNER
TABLE ANYMORE, WE SIT IN FRONT OF A
TELEVISION.
SO, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT OUR KIDS ARE NOW
LIVING IN IS A MUCH MORE HOSTILE AND
POTENTIALLY OBESIGENIC ENVIRONMENT.
TAMMY ALGOOD SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN GROCERY
STORES- NOT SHOPPING FOR FOOD BUT ANALYZING
HOW PRODUCTS ARE SOLD TO CONSUMERS.
SO IMAGINE A CHILD IS IN THIS CART,
NOTICE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SEEING
THAT'S AT EYE LEVEL AND EVEN OLDER
CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE SEEING THIS AT EYE
LEVEL.
SO THESE ARE GOING TO BE THE HIGH SUGAR
CEREALS THAT ARE ALWAYS GOING TO APPEAL
TO CHILDREN.
THE APPEAL: CARTOON CHARACTERS,
HIGH COLOR, HIGH ENERGY.
WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT THIS DRAMATIC INCREASE
IN TARGETING CHILDREN FOR FOOD.
CHILDREN USED TO NEVER BE TARGETED FOR FOOD.
NOW, THEY'RE CONSTANTLY TARGETED
FOR CERTAIN SNACKS, OR CERTAIN THINGS THEY
WANT TO CARRY IN THEIR LUNCHBOX,
OR WHAT THEY WANT TO HAVE FOR DINNER.
PESTER POWER IS POWERFUL.
//MANUFACTURERS REALIZE THAT IN ORDER
TO SOMETIMES QUIET A CHILD,
YOU'LL SAY OKAY FINE, THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BUY.
FOOD MANUFACTURERS ALSO RESPONDED TO THE
INCREASING NUMBER OF WORKING PARENTS WITH
LITTLE TIME TO PREPARE A MEAL FROM SCRATCH.
CONVENIENCE AND FAST FOOD OPTIONS EXPLODED
IN THE LAST 30 YEARS.
TYPICALLY, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH
CONVENIENCE OR PROCESSED PRODUCTS.
BUT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT THOSE PRODUCTS
ARE REPLACING FRESH IN THE DIET AND WHEN THAT
HAPPENS THAT'S WHEN YOU SEE A SPIKE IN THE
NUMBER OF CALORIES THAT ARE CONSUMED THAT
ARE ALWAYS GOING TO LEAD TO EXCESS WEIGHT.
AS FAMILIES EAT OUT MORE OFTEN,
EXPECTATIONS ABOUT SERVING SIZE HAS
CHANGED.
RESTAURANTS AND FOOD SERVICES ADVERTISE THE
VALUE GETTING MORE FOR LESS- IN THEIR
PRODUCTS BUT THE PORTION SIZES ARE
BIGGER THAN ONE SERVING.
PORTION DISTORTION IS A HUGE PROBLEM.
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
OVEREAT AS THEY EAT OUT,
AND THAT TRANSLATES INTO EXPECTING THAT
SAME SERVING SIZE EVEN WHEN THEY PREPARE
FOODS AT HOME.
SO INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT A 3 OUNCE PORTION
OF MEAT AS THE SIZE OF A DECK OF CARDS,
IT SHOULD COVER HALF OF YOUR PLATE BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT I GET AT A RESTAURANT,
AND THAT'S INCORRECT.
SO WE'VE CHANGED HOW WE THINK,
WE'VE CHANGED HOW WE SHOP,
WE'VE CHANGED HOW WE COOK,
AND HENCE WE'VE CHANGED HOW WE EAT,
WHICH HAS CHANGED OUR SIZE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT IN
THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES AND IN
TENNESSEE, YOU'LL SEE WE CAME FROM AN
AGRICULTURAL BACKGROUND,
WE HAVE LARGER EXPANSES OF LAND,
CITIES THAT IN GENERAL WEREN'T DESIGNED TO BE
WALKABLE BUT DRIVABLE IF YOU OVERLAY A CHART
SHOWING THE PAST 30 YEARS AND THE RATE OF
GROWTH FOR OBESITY, IT'S THE SAME CHART
FOR THE NUMBER OF MILES THAT WE'RE
INCREASINGLY DRIVING AS US CITIZENS.
AND MORE AND MORE RESEARCH IS COMING
OUT, BASICALLY JUST POINTING OUT THE
OBVIOUS.
THAT THE MORE WE'RE IN OUR CARS AND THE MORE
THAT WE'RE DRIVING, THE LARGER OUR BMI'S
ARE GROWING.
WE LIVE SO FAR FROM WHERE WE GO TO SCHOOL
NOW, WE LIVE SO FAR FROM WHERE WE WORK
NOW, AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE
CAR.
IN FACT, OUR CITIES ARE DESIGNED SO THAT
REALLY THE ONLY WAY TO GET FROM POINT A TO
POINT B IS IN A CAR, OR,
TO HAVE A CAR AND THAT REALLY MAKES IT HARD
FOR PEOPLE TO WORK PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTO
THEIR DAILY LIVES.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS BUILD MORE ROADS BUT
NOT NECESSARILY MAKE SURE WE HAVE SIDEWALKS
OR BICYCLE PATHS, THINGS LIKE THAT TO GO
ALONG WITH THE ROADS.
BY ONLY CARTING CHILDREN AROUND BY
CARS, WE ARE REALLY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF
TIME THEY CAN GET PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
AND THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE STRUCTURED
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
THIS CAN BE RIDING YOUR BIKE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, WALKING DOWN TO THE NEIGHBOR'S
HOUSE, WALKING TO GET SOME LEMONADE AT THE
CORNER STORE.
WE'RE ESSENTIALLY BUILDING THOSE OPTIONS
OUT OF CHILDREN'S ENVIRONMENT.
NEVAEH WALKS TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY.
SHE LIVES ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM HER
SCHOOL.
I LIKE TO WALK.
YOU LIKE TO WALK?
NEVAEH IS AN EXCEPTION TO THE AVERAGE METRO
NASHVILLE STUDENT.
OUT OF 83,000 STUDENTS,
ONLY 15% LIVE WITHIN WALKABLE DISTANCE OF
THEIR SCHOOLS.
BUT A GOOD PORTION OF THESE STUDENTS WILL BE
DRIVEN OR TAKE A BUS- SOME FOR ONLY ¼ MILE-
BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE TOO HAZARDOUS FOR
THEM TO WALK OR BIKE.
THE EXPERIENCE OF NASHVILLE'S STUDENTS
REFLECT A LARGER TREND IN THE U.S.
WHAT WE'VE DONE AS A NATION,
IS WE'VE MOVED TO ESSENTIALLY THIS BIG
BOX APPROACH TO BUILDING SCHOOLS.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT USED TO HAVE 200
CHILDREN NOW HAVE 800 OR 1000 CHILDREN.
AND IN ORDER TO BUILD A SCHOOL THAT LARGE,
AND TO FIND A PIECE OF LAND AND TO AFFORD IT,
SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE FINDING THAT THEY HAVE
TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY WHERE THERE
IS NOT AS MUCH DEVELOPMENT AND THEY
PLACE THEIR SCHOOL THERE.
AND THERE'S A FEW PROBLEMS WITH THAT,
THE PRIMARY ONE IS DISTANCE.
YOU'RE BASICALLY, AUTOMATICALLY,
ASSURING THAT CHILDREN CANNOT WALK AND
BICYCLE TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THE DISTANCE
IS SO GREAT.
AND FOR A LOT OF KIDS THAT TYPE OF PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE
CHILDREN- NOT ALL CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS
TO YMCAS, THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS MAYBE TO
SPORTS.
BUT GOING TO SCHOOL IS SOMETHING EVERY CHILD
HAS TO DO.
AND SO IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL WAY TO GET
SOME PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
THE PLACES WE LIVE, WHERE WE GO TO SCHOOL,
WHERE WE WORSHIP, WHERE WE WORK,
REALLY DEFINE OUR HEALTH IN A VERY
IMPORTANT WAY.
SO, WE NEED TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE
PLACES WHERE WE ARE LIVING AND ASK,
WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THE HEALTHY CHOICES
MORE ACCESSIBLE IN EACH OF THOSE PLACES?
WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE
AND IN THIS STATE AND IN THIS NATION ARE
POCKETS OF ENVIRONMENTS,
WHERE INDIVIDUALS DO NOT HAVE EQUAL
OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES.
AND TODAY IS OUR KICK OFF TO SAY THAT WE'RE
HERE AND WE'RE READY TO SIT DOWN WITH
PEOPLE AND FORM STRATEGIES WITH THE
HELP OF RESIDENTS WHO ARE BEING TRAINED AS
LEADERS.
WE'RE GETTING READY TO GET IT GOING WE'RE
READY (GROUP CHEERS) WITH ENTHUSIASM
UNDIMMED BY YEARS OF STRUGGLE,
BRENDA MORROW HOSTED A PRESS CONFERENCE AND
COOK OUT TO ANNOUNCE A RENEWED AND CONCERTED
EFFORT TO BRING FULL SERVICE GROCERY STORES
TO 4 NASHVILLE NEIGHBORHOODS.
YEARS AGO, THEY TELL ME THAT THERE OVER 20
DIFFERENT GROCERY STORES IN THE EDGEHILL
COMMUNITY.
LIKE CORNER MARKETS AND THE MOM AND POP
STORES, AND STUFF LIKE THAT JUST THROUGHOUT
THE EDGE HILL COMMUNITY.
THEN THERE CAME ABOUT THIS THING CALLED
URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND IT'S LIKE EVERYTHING
JUST DISAPPEARED.
EVERYTHING DISAPPEARED.
THERE HAS BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE PIGGLY
WIGGLY'S, THERE'S BEEN WINN-DIXIE'S,
THERE'S BEEN A SAVE A LOT,
BUT YOU KNOW NOTHING STAYS...
NOTHING STAYS.
IN NASHVILLE, THERE ARE FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS
WITHOUT A MAJOR GROCERY STORE AND WITH
LIMITED BUS SERVICE.
EXPERTS REFER TO THESE AREAS AS FOOD DESERTS.
IF YOU GO TO AH CONVENIENCE STORE IN
NASHVILLE IN A FOOD DESERT NEIGHBORHOOD
WITH $10 AH YOU KNOW YOU WILL FIND IT MUCH
EASIER TO PROVIDE YOUR FAMILY AH YOU KNOW
CALORIES AH THAT ARE EMPTY CALORIES CHIPS
SODA UM SNACK FOODS PREPARED FOODS THEN IT
IS TO FIND WHAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE A
HEALTHY MEAL AH YOU KNOW HEALTHY FOOD
FREQUENTLY COST MORE IN GENERAL AND
DEFINITELY COSTS MORE IN KINDS OF STORES
WHERE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A FULL
SERVICE GROCERY STORE UM SHOP.
I STOOD THERE IN THE STORE ONE DAY AND
WATCHED A YOUNG LADY COME IN AND SPENT $180
IN FOOD STAMPS...
$180 WOULD'VE GOTTEN HER TWICE IF NOT THREE
TIMES AS MUCH GROCERIES AT A REGULAR
GROCERY STORE, BUT TO WATCH HER SPEND THAT
MUCH MONEY AND KNOW THAT THE ONLY REASON
THAT SHE DIDN'T GO TO KROGER'S WAS BECAUSE
SHE DIDN'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
THEY ARE RIDING THE BUS UPWARDS OF THREE
HOURS SEVERAL TRANSFERS GET BACK ON
THE BUS WITH GROCERIES UM MANY OF THE BUSES
AREN'T EQUIPPED WITH BINS OR RACKS AND SO
MANY PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT HAVING KIDS AND
HAVING GROCERIES ROLLING AROUND ON THE
BUS UM I THINK THE CHOICES ARE LIMITED
EVEN IN CHOICES YOU BUY WHEN YOU MAKE A
TRIP THAT LONG.
IN THE SUMMER TIME YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE
ABLE TO BUY FROZEN FOODS OR YOU ARE GOING
TO HAVE TO WATCH THE AMOUNT OF MILK OR
LIQUIDS THAT YOU PURCHASE.
FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF
A GROCERY STORE, UM THEY EAT UP TO 32%
MORE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES,
UM PREGNANT WOMEN EAT A MORE HEALTHY DIET
WHICH HAS AN IMPACT ON BIRTH OUTCOMES.
CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND ADULTS HAVE A
LOWER BODY MASS INDEX AND DECREASED CHANCE
OF HAVING OBESITY, DIABETES,
OTHER DIET RELATED DISEASES WHEN THEY
LIVE WITHIN EASY ACCESS GROCERY STORE.
BUT WHEN YOU GO AND YOU WALK DOWN THE
STREET IN THIS COMMUNITY YOU SEE
YOUNG PEOPLE, THAT ARE EXTREMELY HUGE.
YOU KNOW IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO TO
STORES LIKE THE TOBACCO STORES,
THESE HAIR AND DOLLAR STORES AND JUST LOAD
UP ON JUNK THAT'S GOT NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE,
BUT STILL IT HAS A BUNCH OF CALORIES,
CARBOHYDRATES, AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF
THAT'S DETRIMENTAL TO THESE KIDS.
NASHVILLE'S FOOD DESERT NEIGHBORHOODS
SHARE A SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHIC MAKE UP.
THE RESIDENTS ARE PREDOMINANTLY POOR AND
MINORITY POPULATIONS.
THESE TWO FACTORS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT
OBESITY RATES.
YOU BEGIN TO ASK THE QUESTION OF WHY IF YOU
ARE POOR, ARE YOU FATTER?
AND THE ANSWER IS YOU GO BACK TO THE ISSUE
OF ACCESS.
IN THE HEART OF NORTH NASHVILLE,
AT MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE,
DR. XYLINA BEAN MUST CONFRONT THE REALITIES
OF HER PATIENTS' LIVES IN ORDER TO TREAT
THEM.
WE CAN FOCUS ON MEETING THE CHILD'S
NEEDS OR TRYING TO MEET THE CHILD'S NEEDS
BUT UNLESS WE MEET THE PARENT'S AND THE
FAMILY'S NEEDS, THEN WE AREN'T GOING TO BE
VERY SUCCESSFUL ULTIMATELY.
AND SOMETIMES THOSE NEEDS CAN CONSIST OF:
I'M LIVING IN A BAD PLACE.
THERE IS NO PLACE AROUND WHERE I CAN
TAKE THIS CHILD TO SAFELY EXERCISE FOR AN
HOUR.
SO HAVING HIM STAY INSIDE OR HER STAY
INSIDE AND WATCH TV IS ACTUALLY,
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THE BEST AND THE
SAFEST THING THAT I CAN DO FOR MY CHILD.
SO YOU HAVE TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS THOSE KIND
OF ISSUES.
TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ACCESS ISSUES,
DR. BEAN HELPED BUILD A FITNESS CENTER AT
THE CLINIC, AND RECRUITED MEHARRY
MEDICAL STUDENTS TO MENTOR CHILDREN TRYING
TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH PHILIP,
WHEN I FIRST MET HIM HE WAS KIND OF
SLOUCHING DOWN IN THE CORNER.
I THINK AT THIS POINT, HE KNEW HE HAD A
PROBLEM, BUT HE DIDN'T NECESSARILY WANT
TO...YOU KNOW KIND OF LET ME IN REALLY,
HE WAS REALLY FIGHTING ME.
WE DID OUR INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF HIM
WALKING A MILE ON THE TREADMILL IT PROBABLY
TOOK 52 MIN, IT WAS VERY LENGTHY.
AT THAT POINT I THINK HE WAS 14 YEARS OLD
AND FOR A 14 YEAR OLD TO RUN A MILE IN 52
MIN THAT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE BECAUSE
THAT CAN ONLY GET WORSE AS HE AGES.
BRANDON MET WITH PHILLIP WEEKLY,
BUILDING THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND
IMPROVING HIS KNOWLEDGE OF EXERCISE
AND NUTRITION.
WE INITIALLY, BEFORE ALL THE WORKING OUT,
WE JUST SAID HEY YOU KNOW - WHAT DO YOU EAT
?
WHEN ARE YOU EATING?
HOW MUCH OF IT ARE YOU EATING?
WHAT SHOULD YOU BE EATING?
AND KIND OF JUST LET THEM BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE CORRECT FOODS THAT
WE NEED YOU TO BE EATING,
THIS IS THE RIGHT PORTION SIZE.
SOME OF OUR LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC
FAMILIES, SOME OF THE REVERSE HAS BEEN
INSTILLED IN THEM- IF IT'S CHEAP LET'S EAT
IT.
THE CHEAPEST THING AS WE KNOW HERE IN
AMERICA IS NOT ALWAYS THE BEST THING FOR US.
AND SO WHEN YOU EAT THINGS THAT ARE JUST
INSTILLED IN YOU SINCE YOU'RE KID- HE JUST
DIDN'T KNOW THAT ALL THESE THINGS ARE BAD.
HE CAN GO TO THE 99CENT MENU,
GET THREE THINGS THAT HE WANTS AND HIS
FAMILY CAN BE FULL OFF OF THAT.
THAT'S KIND OF THE WAR THAT WE PLAY IN THE
COMMUNITY AND SOME OF THE MAIN CHALLENGES
THAT I THINK THEY HAVE.
THEY SHOWED ME JARS THAT HAD FAT AND SALT,
IN THE FOODS THAT I WAS EATING,
AND I NEEDED TO CUT BACK ON THE FOODS I
WAS EATING: HAMBURGERS,
HOT DOGS, PIZZAS, FRENCH FRIES,
AND A LOT MORE THINGS.
AFTER THREE MONTHS OF EDUCATION AND
INCREASINGLY ACTIVE EXERCISING,
PHILLIP MADE STEADY IMPROVEMENT ON HIS
TREADMILL TIME.
HE WENT FROM 52 MINUTES TO,
I THINK 30 OR 35 MINUTES OR SOMETHING.
IT WAS ALMOST CUT IN HALF,
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WERE
PROUD OF, AND YOU KNOW I TOLD HIM,
I SAID, "HEY BUDDY, THAT WASN'T ME.
YOU PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK FOR THAT."
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECT- YOU CAN'T TAKE
IT AWAY PRETTY MUCH FROM ANY OF THE WEIGHT
AND OBESITY THAT WE HAVE HERE BECAUSE
THEY'RE ONE IN THE SAME PROBLEM.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S REALLY
SUPPORTING YOU, IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOME TYPE
OF SUPPORT SYSTEM, THEN YOU'RE LESS
LIKELY TO THEN GO AHEAD AND KIND OF KICK
YOURSELF UP THERE AND KIND OF SEE SEE SOME
IMPROVEMENT.
THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES.
THERE'S CULTURAL ISSUES,
THERE'S OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE ISSUES,
THERE MAY BE EVEN DIFFERENCES IN FOOD
PREPARATION AND OTHERS.
MANY OF THOSE ARE TIED BACK TO POVERTY.
WE HAVE GOT TO MAKE ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS
IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, IF WE EXPECT THEM TO
BE ABLE TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT THEY NEED
TO MAKE TO REVERSE THIS EPIDEMIC.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE SENSE THAT DISEASE AND
OBESITY AND EARLY DEATH ARE INEVITABLE
FOR ME BECAUSE I GREW UP IN THIS POPULATION,
BECAUSE NOTHING IN THERE IS IMMUTABLE,
WHERE I LIVE, THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH I
LIVE, THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MOVE
AND RECREATE, THE FOODS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO ME, ALL OF THESE ARE THINGS
THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED BY SOCIAL CHANGE,
BY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND
COMMUNITY BUY-IN AND INITIATION,
BY WELL-WRITTEN POLICIES.
THE SOLUTIONS TO OBESITY ARE NOT
IDENTIFYING A PILL, OR IDENTIFYING A SHOT,
THE SOLUTIONS TO OBESITY ARE MORE
COMPLEX.
WHAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO REALIZE IS THAT WE
NEED TO GET OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TO CHANGE
LIFESTYLES.
WITHIN INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES,
CHANGE BEGINS WITH PARENTS WHEN A PARENT
TELLS ME THAT THE CHILD WON'T EAT THIS.
AND I SAY TO THEM IF THEY GET HUNGRY,
THEY'LL EAT WHAT YOU GIVE THEM.
THE CHILD DIDN'T GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND
BUY PEPSI, THE CHILD DIDN'T MAKE IT'S OWN
DINNER.
I MEAN, YOU CONTROL WHAT IT IS THAT THE
CHILD IS EATING AND YOU CAN DECIDE TO MAKE
HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES FOR YOUR CHILD,
I FEEL LIKE I GAINED BACK THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIR EATING.
YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR WHOLE LIFESTYLE;
WHAT YOU BRING IN YOUR HOUSE,
HOW MANY TIMES YOU EAT,
THE PORTION OF WHAT YOU EAT,
AND DRINK.
I DON'T WANT THE BUSY PARENTS TO GET
DISCOURAGED BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THAT
TIME.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT TIME,
IT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE,
BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT.
IT'S A SACRIFICE, AT FIRST IT WAS VERY HARD
TO MAKE THE CHANGES BECAUSE YOU'RE SO USED
TO GOING OUT EVERY NIGHT AND GETTING
SOMETHING TO EAT, BUT TO LIVE LONGER AND
LIVE A HAPPIER LIFE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
TELL YOURSELF: I HAVE TO DO IT,
IT'S FOR ME.
I WOULD SAY, THERE IS AN ELEMENT OF PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY HERE, WHERE PARENTS NEED TO
BE EDUCATED AND UNDERSTAND AND TAKE
RESPONSIBILITY, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE IT WHERE
THE ABILITY TO EXERCISE THAT
RESPONSIBILITY IS BOTH ACHIEVABLE,
SUPPORTED, AND IS AN EASY CHOICE TO MAKE,
IF WE WANT THAT CHANGE TO HAPPEN.
NAT POP SHARI BARKIN IN CLINIC I SAW A
THREE-YEAR-OLD CHILD IN THE CLINIC,
WHO WAS MORBIDLY OBESE.
HE HAD DIFFICULTY WALKING HE WAS SO
OVERWEIGHT AND HIS FAMILY SAW HIM AS
BEAUTIFUL AND REALLY ABUNDANTLY HEALTHY.
AND WHEN I EXAMINED HIM,
I COULD FEEL THAT HE HAD AN ENLARGED LIVER.
AND WHEN WE IMAGED HIS LIVER,
MUCH OF HIS LIVER HAD BEEN REPLACED BY FAT.
THAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE AGE OF THREE FOR
THAT CHILD.
AND THIS IS WHY PREVENTION,
AND THE CULTURE OF PREVENTION,
NEEDS TO BE A PARADIGM SHIFT FOR US AS AN
AMERICAN SOCIETY.
WHEN DR. SHARI BARKIN STARTED NOTICING THE
RISING TREND OF OBESITY IN HER
PATIENTS, SHE DID WHAT A GOOD SCIENTIST WOULD
DO- DESIGNED A STUDY TO FIND THE BEST WAY
TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM.
WE STARTED ACTUALLY WITH PREADOLESCENTS
EIGHT TO 11-YEAR-OLDS.
THE IDEA WAS THAT IF WE COULD INTERVENE
PRIOR TO PUBERTY THAT WOULD REALLY IMPACT
THE DEVELOPMENT OF LATER OBESITY.
WHAT WE FOUND IN THAT STUDY IS THAT IT WAS
TOO LATE.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT IT DIDN'T WORK.
IT'S A LOT HARDER TO MAKE IT WORK.
ONCE YOU START MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF
OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
GO BACK.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO GO BACK BIOLOGICALLY,
AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO GO BACK BEHAVIORALLY.
DR. BARKIN AND OTHER RESEARCHERS HAVE
RETOOLED THEIR STUDIES TO FOCUS ON YOUNGER
AND YOUNGER CHILDREN EVEN THOSE IN UTERO.
WE HAVE A LOT OF INTERESTING RESEARCH
ABOUT, ABOUT HOW PREGNANCY CAN IMPACT
THE GROWING FETUS.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT MOTHERS WHO ARE
EXPOSED TO HIGH FAT DIETS AND HIGH REFINED
SUGARS DURING PREGNANCY IMPACT THE
WAY THAT THE HYPOTHALAMUS DEVELOPS.
THE HYPOTHALAMUS IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HOW
WE LEARN TO REGULATE OUR FEEDING.
HOW WE LEARN TO RESPOND WHEN WE'RE
FULL AND STOP EATING.
UNDERSTANDING HOW MUCH A CHILD SHOULD EAT AND
WHEN A CHILD IS FULL NEEDS TO BEGIN IN
INFANCY.
BOTTLE-FEEDING MAKES IT EASIER FOR PARENTS
TO OVERFEED, WHICH CAN DEFEAT A CHILD'S
INNATE SENSE OF WHEN TO STOP EATING.
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT BREASTFEEDING IS
LINKED TO LOWER OBESITY RATES IN
CHILDREN.
PARENTS AREN'T SO GOOD AT KNOWING WHEN
THEY'RE FULL, BUT CHILDREN ARE ACTUALLY
QUITE GOOD AT IT.
BREAST-FEEDING IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO
FOR YOUR CHILD.
NOT ONLY IS IT COMPLETE NUTRITION,
BUT IT ALSO CREATES BONDING.
AND BECAUSE YOU ARE LOOKING AT YOUR CHILD,
YOU'RE PROBABLY NOTICING INSTINCTUALLY
A LOT OF CUES THAT ARE ACTUALLY THE SATIETY
CUES, RECOGNIZING WHEN YOUR CHILD IS DONE.
THE CHALLENGE IS THAT FAMILIES ARE UNSURE IF
THEIR CHILD IS FULL, SO IN ADDITION TO
BREAST-FEEDING THEY WILL ALSO FORMULA
FEED.
SO A CHILD CAN BE OVERFED QUITE EASILY,
WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT APPROACH.
WE'RE TRYING TO HELP FAMILIES SET UP HABITS
THAT ALLOW THEM TO BE HEALTHY AS A FAMILY
UNIT.
OBESITY LIVES IN FAMILIES AND IT LIVES
IN COMMUNITIES AND SO THE SOLUTION WILL ALSO
LIE IN FAMILIES AND IN COMMUNITIES.
WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE OF A WHOLE
HOST OF TENS OF MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUAL
DECISIONS THAT WE ALL MAKE ON A DAILY BASIS.
WHAT POLICY CAN DO IS NUDGE US IN A
DIRECTION THAT'S MORE BENEFICIAL IN THE LAST
TEN YEARS, TENNESSEE HAS IMPLEMENTED
SEVERAL POLICIES DIRECTLY TARGETING
OBESITY.
2006 SAW LAWS SUPPORTING
BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC SPACES AND WORK
ENVIRONMENTS.
THAT SAME YEAR TENNESSEE BECAME THE
FIRST STATE TO INSTITUTE COORDINATED
SCHOOL HEALTH STATEWIDE.
IN 2010, TENNESSEE RELEASED A STRATEGIC
PLAN TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHIER EATING AND
INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
WHEN WE MAKE POLICY, WE ARE REALLY
AFFECTING OUR HEALTH.
YOU CAN HAVE AN EXERCISE CLASS,
AND IT WILL TOUCH 10 KIDS,
OR IT WILL TOUCH 30 KIDS,
IT'LL TOUCH 100 KIDS, BUT IF YOU CHANGE A
POLICY SO THAT AN ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT
IS GOING TO HAVE MORE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY THAN
YOU'RE TOUCHING THOUSANDS OF KIDS.
SO POLICY WHETHER IT'S STATE,
LOCAL BUT EVEN IN WORK PLACE EVEN IN
CHURCHES, PEOPLE CAN HAVE POLICIES THAT
KIND OF CHANGE THE PLAYING FIELD,
IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I COULD ACTUALLY
WAVE A WAND AND HAVE HAPPEN,
IT WOULD BE THAT SOMEWHERE IN ALL
POLICY DECISIONS HEALTH IS CONSIDERED.
I THINK FOR TOO LONG WE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT
BUILDING ROADS WITH TRANSPORTATION
DOLLARS, THINKING ABOUT EDUCATIONAL
PERFORMANCE WITH EDUCATIONAL DOLLARS.
BUT IF WE COULD ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE HEALTH OF THE
CITIZEN, IN EVERYTHING,
TRANSPORTATION, ZONING,
EDUCATION, NUTRITION, HEALTH,
HEALTHCARE, EVERY POLICY.
IF WE JUST HAD A PLACEHOLDER TO SAY HOW
DOES THIS AFFECT THE HEALTH,
THEN OVER TIME WE WOULD MAKE A HUGE
IMPACT BECAUSE HEALTH IS IMPORTANT TO
EVERYONE AND THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US
TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES THAT DON'T
COST ANY MORE MONEY.
NASHVILLE MAYOR KARL DEAN SEES INCREASING
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND IMPROVING HEALTH AS
VITAL TO A CITY'S GROWTH AND ECONOMIC
SUCCESS.
WE INVEST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS,
AND WE CONTINUE TO DO SO IN OUR PUBLIC PARKS
AND RECREATION SO, PEOPLE HAVE THE
ABILITY TO GO SOMEWHERE,
AND TO GET EXERCISE.
WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF MONEY,
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO BECAUSE I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT INTO OUR GREENWAYS.
WE NEED TO HAVE SPACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN RIDE
BIKES, THEY CAN RUN, THEY CAN WALK,
THEY CAN GET OUTDOORS.
APART FROM RECREATIONAL SPACES,
MAYOR DEAN HOPES THAT INVESTING IN
PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE FRIENDLY ROADWAYS WILL
MEAN FEWER TRIPS MADE BY CAR.
I SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER SAYING THAT
NASHVILLE WOULD FOLLOW A COMPLETE STREETS
POLICY, WHICH MEANS THAT WHEN WE BUILD A
NEW STREET, OR WHEN WE DO A LOT OF CORRECTIVE
ACTION ON AN EXISTING STREET AND WE'LL LOOK
AT ALL FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION AND BE
UTILIZED ON THAT STREET,
AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE PEDESTRIANS BEING ABLE
TO WALK THERE.
IS IT WALKABLE, AND IS IT BIKABLE?
SO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT TRANSPORTATION
SOLUTIONS WE WOULD ALSO INCLUDE IN THAT
THE ABILITY TO HAVE A BIKABLE CITY,
AND A WALKABLE CITY.
AND CLEARLY THE MORE WE DO THOSE TWO THINGS
BIKE, AND WALK, AND GET AWAY FROM BEING AN
AUTOMOBILE ALL THE TIME THE HEALTHIER WE
ARE GOING TO BE.
I THINK THAT IT'S ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY OF
ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO THINK
ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO
LEAVE BEHIND, AND WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO
BE HEALTHY, AND THAT'S JUST A VALUE.
IF YOU HAVE HEALTHY KIDS,
YOU HAVE KIDS THAT ARE TO BE DOING BETTER IN
SCHOOL.
KIDS WHO ARE HEALTHY ALSO MORE LIKELY TO BE
ABLE TO JOIN THE WORKFORCE WHEN THEY'RE
OLDER, AND DO WELL, AND THEY ALSO DON'T
REQUIRE AS MUCH MEDICAL CARE.
BUT, HEALTHY CHILDREN IN AND OF ITSELF IS A
NOBLE GOAL THAT I THINK IT'S PRETTY
OBVIOUS THAT ANY CITY SHOULD STRIVE FOR.
ONE BIG OPPORTUNITY THAT WE SEE FOR HAVING
AN IMPACT HERE IS CHANGING THE
ENVIRONMENT IN SCHOOLS.
WE REQUIRE KIDS TO GO SCHOOL AND WE TEACH
THEM ABOUT HEALTH AND WE TEACH THEM ABOUT
HEALTHY EATING BUT WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY
SERVE THEM?
THE SAME FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
THE STATE OF TENNESSEE HAS INCREASED THEIR
REQUIREMENTS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.
IT'S ALWAYS COMPETING WITH OTHER THINGS.
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE
HEALTHY FOOD AND REGULAR PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY JUST A NORMAL PART OF THE SCHOOL
DAY?
THOUGH VASTLY DIFFERENT SCHOOLS,
GLENDALE ELEMENTARY SPANISH IMMERSION
SCHOOL AND GLENCLIFF COMPREHENSIVE HIGH
SCHOOL SHARE A COMMITMENT TO
IMPROVING NOT ONLY THE ACADEMICS BUT ALSO THE
HEALTH OF THEIR STUDENTS.
MY PRIMARY JOB AS PRINCIPAL IS TO
EDUCATE THE STUDENTS BUT I'VE RECOGNIZED
THAT HEALTH AND RECREATION AND ACCESS
TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS IS ALSO EQUALLY
AS IMPORTANT FOR MANY YEARS,
THERE WAS A PHILOSOPHY THAT THE CHILDREN
REALLY SHOULD BE SPENDING MORE TIME
INSIDE, THAN OUTSIDE, AND THAT RECESS WAS
TOO LONG.
AND SO NOW THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT CHILDHOOD
OBESITY, DIABETES, ASTHMA,
PHYSICIANS ARE ALSO TELLING US THAT IT'S
JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR THEIR BRAIN
DEVELOPMENT FOR THEM TO HAVE PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY.
EVEN HAVING TWO RECESS PERIODS A DAY,
THEY COME IN AND THEY ARE ABLE TO FOCUS
BETTER AND THEY ENJOY SCHOOL MORE BY HAVING
THAT FREE TIME.
COMING FROM AN UNDER RESOURCED COMMUNITY,
GLENCLIFF'S STUDENTS FACE NUMEROUS HEALTH
ISSUES.
THEY ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE NATIONAL
EPIDEMIC OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY,
ASTHMA, DIABETES.
ALSO JUST NUTRITION AWARENESS JUST BASIC
UNDERSTANDING OF GOOD HEALTHY AND WELLNESS
PRACTICES AMONGST YOUTH IS VERY VITAL.
BUT EVEN AFTER EDUCATING THEM THEY TO
HAVE ACCESS TO THE SERVICES IN ORDER TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.
BOTH SCHOOLS HAVE EMBRACED THE
COORDINATED SCHOOL HEALTH INITIATIVE THAT
AIMS TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
BY ADDRESSING THE HEALTH NEEDS OF
STUDENTS ACROSS ACADEMICS,
RECREATION AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
TO ACHIEVE AND SUSTAIN THIS GOAL,
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE
SUPPORT AND WORK WITHIN THE SCHOOLS TO
ADDRESS EVERYTHING FROM SCHOOL LUNCH
NUTRITION TO ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE TO
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
AT GLENCLIFF, UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH
SERVICES ESTABLISHED A COMMUNITY CLINIC TO
PROVIDE BETTER HEALTH CARE ACCESS.
AT GLENDALE, A LOCAL FARM AND NON PROFIT
ORGANIZATION HELPED START RAISED GARDEN
BEDS THAT CAN BE USED AS A TEACHING TOOL AND
TO EXPOSE CHILDREN TO NEW FOODS.
WE TALK ABOUT A CULTURE OF WELLNESS.
AND I THINK THAT'S ONE THING WE'D LIKE TO DO
AT GLENDALE AND THIS IS JUST WHAT WE DO.
WE DON'T HAVE CUPCAKES WITH 6 FEET ICING AT
OUR BIRTHDAY PARTIES, INSTEAD WE HAVE BOOK
PARTIES.
OR THE GARDENS BECOME THE NORM.
IT'S NORMAL TO GO OUTSIDE EVERY CHANCE
WE GET, IT'S NORMAL TO RECYCLE,
SO THAT WHEN THEY GO HOME,
THE HOPE IS THEY'RE USED TO RECYCLING OR
PLAYING OUTSIDE OR EATING BETTER AND A
VARIETY OF FOODS.
WITH A BACKGROUND IN PUBLIC HEALTH,
SELENA CARPENTER SPENT SEVERAL YEARS
ADVOCATING FOR HEALTHIER FOODS IN
SCHOOLS.
WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF LET'S JUST
CHANGE THE FOOD IN OUR SCHOOL.
OF COURSE NOW WE KNOW IT'S THE HUGE METRO
SYSTEM, SO WE STARTED WORKING WAYS,
WHAT COULD WE CHANGE, WHAT IS UNDER OUR
CONTROL.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS OUR GROUP AND
WHAT I'M REALLY INTERESTED US FOR
THERE TO BE MORE WHOLE FOODS,
NON-PROCESSED, REAL FOOD,
AS MICHAEL POLLAN WOULD SAY THAT OUR
GREAT-GRANDMOTHERS WOULD RECOGNIZE.
IN 2010, FOOD ADVOCATES LIKE
CARPENTER WERE PLEASED TO FIND MANY CONCERNS
RESOLVED WITH ONE CHANGE IN FEDERAL
POLICY.
WITH PASSAGE OF THE HEALTHY HUNGER FREE
KIDS ACT, THE USDA PLACED MORE STRINGENT
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS ON ALL
FOODS AVAILABLE IN SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS HAD MEET REDUCTIONS OF SUGARS,
FATS AND SODIUM IN FOODS AND INCREASE THE
AVAILABILITY OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
WHEN THE HEALTHY HUNGER FREE KIDS ACT
HAPPENED FOR FOOD ADVOCATES ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.
IT WAS A HUGE WIN.
IT TOOK OFF OUR PLATES A LOT OF THE REALLY
BIG THINGS LIKE MORE FRESH FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES LESS PROCESSED FOOD AND
ALLOWED US TO CONCENTRATE ON THE
NUANCES OF THE CAFETERIA.
FOR MOST CHILDREN, SCHOOL FOOD ACCOUNTS
FOR A THIRD OF THEIR DAILY DIETARY NEEDS.
FOR SOME CHILDREN, THE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH
PROGRAM AT THEIR SCHOOL WILL BE THE
ONLY MEALS THEY EAT IN A GIVEN DAY.
NUTRITION, AS WE KNOW IT IS STRONGLY RELATED
TO DISEASE, AND HEALTH OUTCOMES,
SO THIS TO ME, IS A NO-BRAINER.
SCHOOL LUNCH IS A PLACE TO REACH MOST
CHILDREN ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
IT'S A PLACE THAT WE CAN REACH OUR MOST
VULNERABLE CHILDREN.
SINCE PASSAGE OF THE HEALTHY HUNGER FREE
KIDS ACT, SCHOOLS HAVE HAD A FEW YEARS TO
FULLY IMPLEMENT THE NEW REQUIREMENTS,
BUT IN METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
NUTRITION SERVICES DIRECTOR SPENCER
TAYLOR JUMPED IN WITH BOTH FEET FROM DAY
ONE.
WE ARE IMPLEMENTING PRETTY MUCH 100% OF
THE ACT, WE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT IT 100% LAST
YEAR.
IN METRO NASHVILLE SCHOOLS,
72.4% OF STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AND
REDUCED BREAKFAST AND LUNCHES.
WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
NEW FEDERAL NUTRITION STANDARDS,
METRO HAS INCREASED THE NUMBER OF FRESH
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES SERVED IN THEIR
SCHOOLS.
LAST YEAR, NUTRITION SERVICES SPENT ABOUT
$400,000 DOLLARS ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
ONE YEAR LATER, THEY SPENT MORE THAN ONE
MILLION DOLLARS ON FRESH FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES.
I PERSONALLY, ME AS A REGISTERED DIETITIAN,
I FOUND THESE NEW CHANGES TO BE
EXCITING.
WERE NOT ONLY GIVING KIDS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE ACCESS TO BETTER FOODS.
IT'S ALSO SOMEWHAT OF AN EDUCATION.
IMPLEMENTING THE NEW STANDARDS IS NO SIMPLE
TASK.
METRO NASHVILLE IS THE 49TH LARGEST SCHOOL
SYSTEM IN THE NATION.
THAT MEANS 138 CAFETERIAS SERVING
AROUND 47,000 MEALS EVERY DAY,
OR ABOUT 8 MILLION MEALS EACH YEAR.
THIS INDUSTRY EVOLVED, JUST LIKE THE FOOD
INDUSTRY EVOLVED OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS,
WE WENT TO A MORE FAST-PACED QUICK SERVE
FAST FOOD HEAT AND EAT TYPE OF INDUSTRY AND
SO NOW WE ARE GOING BACK TO THE OLD DAYS
WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO DO MORE SCRATCH
COOKING, SO THE CHALLENGE OF
PURCHASING FRESH ITEMS AS WE HAVE TO LEARN
HOW TO USE THEM.
MAKING SURE THAT EMPLOYEES KNOW HOW TO
PREPARE, HOW TO CUT FRESH FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES EFFICIENTLY.
OFFERING HEALTHY FOODS IS ONE THING,
WHAT CHILDREN END UP ACTUALLY EATING IS
ANOTHER MATTER.
ONE CHILD WILL HAVE BEEF FINGERS AND A
BREAD ROLL AND A JELL-O CUP AS THEIR
FRUIT.
AND MAYBE COLLARD GREENS THAT THEY DON'T
TOUCH AND THEN ANOTHER STUDENT WILL HAVE
HEALTHY CELERY STICKS AND A SIDE SALAD AND
BREAD ROLL WITH WHOLE GRAIN AND THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THOSE LUNCHES ARE
PRETTY DRAMATIC IN TERMS OF NUTRITIONAL
CONTENT AND VALUE.
FOR MEGAN MORTON WITH COMMUNITY FOOD
ADVOCATES, NEW DIETARY GUIDELINES MEAN SHE
CAN SHIFT HER FOCUS FROM ADVOCATING FOR
HEALTHIER FOODS ON THE LUNCH LINE TO
MONITORING WHAT IS SELECTED AND CONSUMED
BY STUDENTS.
WORKING WITH DIETETIC INTERNS FROM
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY AND METRO PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, HER ORGANIZATION IS
COMPILING DATA ON WHAT KIDS CHOOSE AND EAT.
SO WE TOOK THE MY PLATE MODEL,
WHICH IS THE NEW FEDERAL REGULATION AND
PUT IT ON A PIECE OF PAPER AND WE SIMPLY
MARKED THE BOXES OF WHAT IS ON THEIR PLATE
WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THE LINE AND WHAT'S ON
THE PLATE WHEN THEY DUMP THEIR TRAY WE ARE
LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE ARE THEY CHOOSING
FLAVORED MILK ARE THEY BUYING À LA CARTE
ITEMS AND THEN NOT EATING THEIR
VEGETABLES.
THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN TOTALLY
INTANGIBLE TO US AT THIS POINT,
BECAUSE ALL THE DATA THAT WE'VE BEEN
GETTING IS PRODUCTION RECORDS IN TERMS OF
HOW MUCH LETTUCE GOT SHIPPED TO A SCHOOL
INSTEAD OF SEEING HOW MUCH LETTUCE THE KIDS
ARE CONSUMING.
MORTON STILL SEES COMPETITION FOR
HEALTHY FOOD ON THE LUNCH LINE.
ALA CARTE ITEMS, PURCHASED BY FOOD
SERVICES AND SOLD TO STUDENTS,
GENERATED MORE THAN 4 MILLION DOLLARS OF
REVENUE LAST YEAR.
TODAY, AL A CARTE ITEMS MEET THE NEW
DIETARY GUIDELINES, BUT BY MAKING PORTION
SIZES SMALLER OR CHANGING THE WAY ITEMS
ARE COOKED.
IN DAYS PAST., YOU COULD GET REAL CHIPS.
NOW, THEY ARE BAKED.
YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO GET BROWNIES AND
COOKIES AND OTHER ITEMS NOW THEY ARE
ONLY A COOKIES AND SMALL RICE CRISPY
TREATS INSTEAD OF A LARGE BROWNIE THAT
THEY USED TO BE ABLE TO GET THEY ARE STILL
THE HIGH-END SUGAR HIGH IN FAT AND HIGH
IN SODIUM.
EVEN THOUGH THOSE ITEMS ARE HEALTHIER
THAN THEY ONCE WERE, WE ARE STILL NOT
MODELING THE BEHAVIOR THAT IS INDEED
HEALTHY.
FOR SPENCER TAYLOR, THE PRESENCE OF THOSE
ITEMS IS NOT THE PROBLEM.
IN MY OPINION, MY PERSONAL OPINION,
PART OF WELLNESS AND HEALTH IS PORTION
CONTROL.
WE ARE HUMAN.
WE STILL WANT TO ENJOY THINGS THAT WE LIKE.
WE STILL HAVE FAVORITE FOODS.
IT'S AMAZING THAT WE WERE PROBABLY A MORE
HEALTHY COUNTRY DECADES AGO,
WE HAD SMALLER PORTIONS AND IF IT
WORKS THEN HOW COME IT CAN'T WORK NOW.
BOTH MORTON AND TAYLOR AGREE THAT SCHOOL
NUTRITION IS IMPROVING;
HOPEFULLY ENOUGH TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I THINK THAT THE CHANGES THAT ARE
HAPPENING NOW WILL DEFINITELY HAVE AN
IMPACT ON CHILDHOOD OBESITY.
WE ARE ALREADY SEEING SOME TRENDING TOWARDS
REDUCTIONS IN OBESITY AFTER SOME EFFORTS
THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL
YEARS.
WE ARE SEEING KIDS CHOOSING MORE FRESH
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND HAVING KNOWLEDGE
OF WHAT THOSE ARE BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING
EXPOSED TO THE MORE FREQUENTLY AND A LOT
OF THE BEHAVIOR CHANGE THAT WE ARE LOOKING
FOR LONG-TERM AND CHILDREN IS BEING ABLE
TO RECOGNIZE AND ENJOY PICKING HEALTHIER
OPTIONS AND JUST GIVING THEM THE ACCESS
TO THAT INCREASES OUR PROBABILITY THAT THEY
ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT BEHAVIOR CHANGE
LONG-TERM.
THERE IS NO REALLY EFFECTIVE TREATMENT
FOR OBESITY RIGHT NOW.
IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE TO PREVENT
IT AND SO WE DO NEED TO HAVE A MAJOR FOCUS
ON PREVENTION, WE NEED TO RETHINK OUR MEDICAL
CARE WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ISSUE OF OBESITY.
AS NOT ONE THAT IS SOLELY MEDICAL,
BUT ONE THAT IS INSTEAD SOCIETAL.
THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER WHAT
EVERY SECTOR OF SOCIETY NEEDS TO DO TO
MAKE HEALTHY LIVING THE DEFAULT OPTION,
TO MAKE IT SIMPLE, ACCESSIBLE AND
AFFORDABLE TO LIVE A HEALTHY GOOD LIFE ONE
WAY TO LOOK AT THIS OBESITY EPIDEMIC IS
THAT WHAT IT HAS ALREADY COSTING US.
IT IS COSTING US LIVES.
THE COHORT OF CHILDREN BORN IN THE YEAR 2000
WOULD BE THE FIRST GENERATION OF CHILDREN
IN THE UNITED STATES TO NOT LIVE AS LONG AS
THEIR PARENTS IF CURRENT TRENDS
CONTINUE IN OBESITY AND OBESITY RELATED
DISEASES, CAN WE AFFORD NOT TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT THIS?
WHILE EVERY PARENT MUST HELP THEIR CHILD
LEARN HEALTHY HABITS, OUR STATE'S OBESITY
RATES ARE NOT JUST ABOUT HOW MUCH FOOD A
CHILD IS EATING OR HOW MUCH EXERCISE HE OR
SHE GETS IN A DAY.
THE RATES ALSO REFLECT A COMMUNITY WHERE
FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES MAY BE HARD
TO GET, WHERE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MAY BE
LIMITED DUE TO SAFETY AND WHERE MEDICAL
INTERVENTION IS VALUED OVER PREVENTION.
IF WE FAIL TO REVERSE CHILDHOOD OBESITY
RATES, OUR COMMUNITY WILL SUFFER RIGHT
ALONG WITH OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH.
THE SOLUTIONS REQUIRE ALL OF US TO ENGAGE IN
MAKING TENNESSEE A HEALTHY PLACE TO LIVE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT
THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH CRISIS IN TENNESSEE
AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT BY TUNING
INTO NPT'S ONGOING COVERAGE AND BY GOING
TO WNPT.ORG SLASH CHILDREN'S HEALTH.
MAJOR FUNDING FOR NPT REPORTS: CHILDREN'S
HEALTH CRISIS HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY: THE
HEALTHWAYS FOUNDATION ADDRESSING THE
CRITICAL ISSUES OF CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND
PUBLIC EDUCATION THE NASHVILLE HEALTH CARE
COUNCIL THE HCA FOUNDATION ON BEHALF
OF TRI STAR HEALTH THE METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC
HEALTH DEPARTMENT THROUGH A GRANT FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES AND THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE
CONTROL AND PREVENTION ADDITIONAL FUNDING
PROVIDED BY: THE MONROE CARELL JR.
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT VANDERBILT AND THE
BAPTIST HEALING TRUST AND BY MEMBERS OF NPT.
THANK YOU.