Health: Childhood Obesity Report Calls For More Aggressive Efforts To Fight The Problem
By Stephanie Stahl
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Childhood obesity is an epidemic throughout the United States. Here in our area about one in three children is either obese or overweight. 3 On Your Side Health Reporter Stephanie Stahl has more on a new report calling for a more aggressive effort to fight the problem.
Some children in Wynnefield Heights are out having fun and being active. But a new report shows many children in Pennsylvania don't get enough exercise and make poor food choices, contributing to the obesity epidemic.
Marc Reason who runs the Sharon Knights Summer Edutainment Experience agrees.
"A lot of young people eat a lot of carbohydrates, a lot of sugary drinks, and just a lot of hollow calories and then they don't get a chance to burn them off."
At a press conference in Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Joint Government Commission and other representatives announced findings of a statewide study on childhood obesity, showing it's costly and causes a variety of health related issues.
"It's a very big problem that's why I appreciate camps like this because they're really active," said Amber Allen, Sharon Knights Summer Edutainment Experience Counselor.
The Commission is recommending 40 ways to reduce childhood obesity including creating a statewide Prevention Advisory Board, giving nutrition information and counseling to pregnant women and people who take care of children, re-evaluating food programs in school districts, changing physical education standards, and providing more funds to certain programs across the state.
I think it's important for them to do something about it, instead of just talk about," said Marc.
The group making these recommendations was made up of people who have extensive experience in working with children, including doctors and organizations like the YMCA.
For more information on a child obesity report, click here.