I was encouraged when the Coca-Cola Co. recently made a global commitment to support physical activity, including $3.8 million in grants for Georgia SHAPE, Walk Georgia and other exercise and nutrition programs.
Recently, first lady Michelle Obama, the force behind “Let’s Move,” shared an encouraging statistic on the health of our nation’s youth. According to a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study, Mississippi, a state with the highest obesity rates in the nation, has lowered its childhood obesity rates by 13 percent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that added sugar intake declined from 2005 to 2010.
These numbers offer hope that we are turning the tide in one of the most urgent threats to our nation’s health. Much progress has been made since we released the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity in 2001. But much more remains to be done.
The benefits of joining hands to fight childhood obesity are as apparent as they are plentiful. In addition to obesity’s documented association with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, we know that 80 percent of obese children will become obese adults. The converse is also true: Healthy habits developed in childhood are more likely to lead to healthy lifestyles in adulthood.
Today, as government grapples with the epidemic, there is a growing opportunity for non-traditional entities to make a difference. It’s time we tapped our schools, churches, community groups and corporations to join the movement.
In Georgia, the Department of Education, through the Georgia SHAPE program, is keeping elementary school children active at least 30 minutes per day. Fitness isn’t the only end point; physical activity has a positive impact on academic performance. Reports find that physically active children perform better on tests. They’re more focused in class, absent less and have higher self-esteem.
This thrust need not end at high school. While many colleges cling to competitive sports programs in part for revenue, Spelman College recently eliminated competitive sports in favor of programs that encourage all students to be physically active and lead healthy lifestyles.
Today, across the campus, anyone can find a wealth of activities, from yoga and golf to kickboxing and dance classes. Our goal should be to help all students develop lifelong habits of physical activity and good nutrition.
Connecting with communities is key. At the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine, our Smart and Secure Parenting program provides local parents and caregivers with the education, tools and network they need to sculpt positive behaviors among their children. Parents and grandparents who may neglect their own health are eager to improve outcomes for their children — and they become more health conscious on the way.
The challenge of obesity is too great for any one sector to address. It will continue to take many people and institutions combined to make a difference. Let’s all get out there and play our part.
Dr. David Satcher is director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine.
