[Press Release] : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Policy Public Forum

[Press Releases]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Maureen Coy, Health Educator
573-874-7559 or mkc at GoColumbiaMO.com



Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Policy Public Forum

COLUMBIA, MO (September 23, 2014) - On behalf of the State of Missouri’s Children’s Services Commission Subcommittee on Childhood Obesity, Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services invites interested parties to a public forum on childhood obesity prevention Wednesday, October 1 from 1:30-2:30 p.m.  at the  Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services located at 1005 W. Worley in Columbia.

The Subcommittee is seeking advice and guidance from many citizens as it prepares to present its recommendations to the Missouri General Assembly.

In our State:

The prevalence of childhood obesity has tripled over the past forty years—an estimated 28 percent of Missouri children are overweight or obese. [i] Children with obesity suffer significant medical and psychosocial effects, and 80 percent will remain obese into adulthood.[ii]Missouri’s total annual healthcare costs related to obesity were estimated at $1.6 billion in 2000[iii], and are projected at $12 billion by 2030[iv]

                In our Community:

The Move More, Eat Smart coalition includes more than 25 public and private organizations. Stakeholders range from Columbia Public Schools, University of Missouri, Parks and Recreation, Boone Hospital and Family Health Center.Columbia Public Schools has started several efforts to combat childhood obesity, from a farm to school healthy produce initiative to limiting unhealthy food in the vending machines. Columbia/Boone County Public Health & Human Services and the Healthy Lifestyles Action Team is rolling out a new multi-sector effort called 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Fit-Tastic! to accelerate progress towards county-wide healthy weight and healthy lifestyles for all.

 

For more information on the public forum as well as the Subcommittee on Childhood Obesity, contact Deborah Markenson by phone at (816) 234-9251 or by email at dmarkenson at cmh.edu.

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[i] Levi J, et al. F as in Fat 2013, How Obesity Threatens America’s Future. Washington, DC: Trust for America’s Health; 2013

 

[ii] Juonala M, et al. childhood adiposity, adult adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors. N Engl J Med 2011; 365:1876-1885

 

[iii] Finkelstein E, et al. State-Level Estimates of Annual medical Expenditures Attributable to Obesity. Obesity Research 2004; 12(1): 18-24

 

[iv] Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Bending the Obesity Curve in Missouri. Washington, DC: Trust for America’s Health; 2012. 

 

 



This release has the following attachments:

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/CMS/pressreleases/downloadfile.php?id=775



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