MomsTalk: Childhood Obesity
Too many calories in and not enough calories out make for a chubby child
Recently I attended an Enlightenment Seminar on the health of our children. Many "movers and shakers" in healthcare were there including Stephanie Walsh, medical director of Children’s Healthcare, and Dr. Barbara Stoll of Emory-Children's Center. The keynote speaker was William Dietz, director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The topic, "Childhood Obesity: An Issue Plaguing our Nation’s Youth," was eye opening and alarming. In Georgia 37.3% of children and adolescents in America are obese or overweight, according the CDC. That’s more than one out of every three children. Georgia is the second worst state in America, right behind Arkansas. What’s the big deal? Our kids may have a shorter life span than us by two to five …
