The facts are in: Nationwide nearly one in every three children is overweight or obese; in Virginia 40 percent of fourth-graders are overweight. Obese children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults.
One study found that 25 percent of obese adults were overweight as children and if that overweight condition begins before 8 years of age, obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe.
We all know that inactivity and unhealthy eating are bad for us. Indeed, awareness of the consequences is at an all-time high.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excess weight contributes to the development of a host of chronic illnesses, from heart disease to diabetes. From an economic standpoint, these diseases are absorbing 75 percent of the country's health-care dollars.
Even more important, excess weight greatly reduces our children's health, well-being and quality of life. It is projected that one in three American children born in 2000 will develop diabetes unless they make significant lifestyle changes.
Thankfully, the will to address this issue is present at the national, state and local levels. First lady Michelle Obama has made tackling childhood obesity a personal cause as evidenced by her Let's Move campaign and her continued support of programs and policies that promote physical activity and healthy eating.
Virginia's first lady, Maureen McDonnell, working closely with the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, is committed to addressing this issue at the state level. And at the local level, a number of dedicated individuals, organizations and communities are stepping up to ensure that children have the opportunity to lead healthy, active lives.
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Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, a new nonprofit organization, is proud to join these local champions in their efforts to improve the health and wellness of children by increasing physical activity and promoting healthy eating.
Inspired by the success of the 2007 Sports Backers' Childhood Obesity Conference, Fit4Kids was formed with the support of a diverse board of directors representing health-care systems, schools, academia and businesses. The organization is focusing its early efforts on gaining a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the work that is being done locally to address childhood nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention.
Fit4Kids will ultimately be a partner in enhancing these efforts, helping to identify resources and opportunities for collaboration and looking at ways to heighten and expand the impact of programs and policies that are promoting health, nutrition and activity.
As the former president of the largest health insurance company in Virginia and in my current position on the board of directors of Virginia's largest free clinic, I have witnessed firsthand the rising trend in obesity-related medical conditions, including diabetes, and their impact on individuals' health and the associated costs. In my new role as chairman of the board of directors of Greater Richmond Fit4Kids, I am learning the crucial role that we all must play in developing a broad-based action plan that addresses childhood obesity.
Defeating this problem will require real collaboration across multiple sectors and the identification of innovative prevention strategies that resonate across diverse settings and constituencies. The time to act is now.
We cannot afford the nearly $150 billion annual cost associated with treating obesity-related illnesses, and we cannot allow our generation of children to be the first in more than 100 years to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Our long-term goal is to transform the Richmond region into a community where children view physical activity and healthy eating as a natural way of life.
Please join Greater Richmond Fit4Kids in taking the crucial steps on the journey toward this goal.
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