It is estimated that 50 percent of children are overweight or obese, a higher percentage than ever before, according to the American Obesity Association Web site. It states that “poor dietary habits and inactivity are reported to contribute to the increase of obesity in youth. Today's youth are considered the most inactive generation in history, caused in part by reductions in school physical education programs and unavailable or unsafe community recreational facilities.”
The Health Science Center is playing its part in educating both children and school personnel about how healthy eating habits create a healthy lifestyle.
“I get several calls from school nurses asking me for help with weight-control programs for students,” said Peggy Visio, M.S., R.D., L.D., clinical instructor in the department of pediatrics. Visio coordinated the 2005 South Texas Childhood Obesity Summit held last month simultaneously on three Health Science Center Campuses: 1). the D.D. Hachar Building in Laredo, 2). the Regional Academic Health Center in Harlingen, and 3). the Central Campus in San Antonio. The goal of the conference was to build partnerships between universities, non-profit organizations and school districts to provide weight control programs for children and their families.
One-hundred-fifty physicians, nurses, dieticians, health promoters and teachers attended the conference via multi-point video conferencing.
“I wanted those who attended to understand that there are programs that are effective, and schools are in need of proper funding to help implement these programs,” Visio said.
Various speakers were located at each of the conference locations. Mario Ramirez, M.D., vice president for South Texas programs, Joaquin Cigarroa, M.D., dedicated internist, Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., Texas commissioner of health, and Susan Combs, Texas commissioner of agriculture, were among the presenters who spoke about how healthy lifestyles begin as children.
“People left the summit with the knowledge that we have a lot to learn from one another,” Visio said. “The obesity epidemic will not be overcome by just one program, but by many programs quilted together. It is through information sharing like this summit that effective programs can begin to be shared by schools and facilities all over the state.”
To view more information about the Obesity Summit, visit
www.pediatrics.uthscsa.edu/obesitysummit.
