In
North Carolina
, the number of
seriously overweight children has tripled in the last 20 years.
With
the myriad health problems that come with obesity, we have an epidemic on our
hands. And it starts with the youngest of us.
Today
the
Common Sense
Foundation
released a study
detailing just how bad the problem of overweight children is getting, and what
we should do about it. The study (available by clicking
here) shows that the obesity problem is not only deadly but costly too
(more than $24 billion annually in medical care and lost productivity).
The
Common Sense
Foundation
recommends stronger
state regulation of nutrition and exercise in schools, as well as a
substantial increase in the number of school nurses statewide.
With obesity fast
outpacing smoking as a killer of
North Carolinians
, it’s past time for
the state to focus on improving children’s health.
.