Alexander Hears about Causes of Childhood Obesity from Nashville Panel

Tennessee has the fourth highest childhood obesity rate in the country. A panel of experts from Nashville told Senator Lamar Alexander about some of the root causes at a subcommittee hearing today.

42-percent of Tennessee children age 7 to 16 are overweight. Part of the childhood obesity epidemic stems from parents ignoring the problem.

Dr. Shari Barkin is chief of pediatrics at Vanderbilt Medical Center. She tells Alexander about families who visit her clinic.

BARKIN: “We see three year old who weigh 200 pounds, who have fatty livers.”

ALEXANDER: “Three year olds?”

BARKIN: “Three year olds. We see families who don’t see this as a problem.”

Barkin says many parents think chubby babies are cute, but overweight toddlers are five times more likely to be overweight adolescents.

Tennessee Health Commissioner Susan Cooper also sat on the panel. She wants every high school student in the state graduating at a healthy weight by 2018.

WEB EXTRA:

The panelists suggest a fine line separates setting achievable goals and scaring parents and kids. Commissioner Cooper says the 2018 goal would work like a report card for healthy weight.

Panelist Susanne Tropez-Sims of Meharry Medical College draws a line connecting childhood obesity rates among minorities and the increased risk to African Americans in Tennessee for stroke and diabetes.

David Griffin of Robertson County was featured in NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” He didn’t win, but he did lose 180 pounds. He told Alexander about his niece who is 10 years old and was 45 pounds overweight. With a slight change in diet and a requirement that she play at the park 45 minutes, three times a week, she lost 25 pounds in three months.

The Senate subcommittee hearing, held at the Meharry library, was the third of a series focused on childhood obesity. Alexander chairs the subcommittee on children and families of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. He was the only member present, but testimony was videotaped for the other members. Alexander calls the country’s response to childhood obesity “woefully inadequate” and says improvement will require a societal shift.