News Feature                   For Immediate Release

November 3, 2004

Overfed nation, super-sized population… obesity epidemic 30 years in the making

What researchers and the media have coined the “obesity epidemic” has actually been 30 years in the making.   Local health care professionals, educators and social service providers met Oct. 27 in Owen Sound to discuss how social change has contributed to an inactive and super-sized population. 

All agreed that reducing obesity rates is years away and there is no quick fix.

Tracey Galloway, an anthropologist and human biologist from McMaster University, released the findings of her research conducted in seven Bluewater schools during the past year.  She studied the diets, heights and weights of 504 children aged 7-13.  She discovered that:  

·        The obesity rate was higher than expected in the Bluewater study.  Thirty per cent of boys and girls were classified as overweight and 1 in 10 were considered obese.

·        More boys were considered overweight or obese compared to girls.  When broken down into smaller age categories, even higher “overweight” rates were observed.  For example, 44% of 10-year-old boys in the Bluewater sample were overweight. 

·        Half of the children did not meet the minimum requirement of Canada’s Food Guide – for grain products, meat products and vegetables and fruit.  About two-thirds of children consumed less milk products than recommended by Canada’s Food Guide.

·        Nearly half of the children reported having four or more servings of “other foods” per day – this includes dessert, cookies, baked goods, chips, pop and candy.

Being overweight or obese can lead to health problems such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  Local paediatrician Kristen Hallett noted that children are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, once thought to be an adult disease. 

Nancy Dubois, from the University of Toronto, and moderator of the conference, said, “Many scientist believe we are raising a generation of children who will have a life expectancy less than their parents.”

Presenters at the conference agreed that parents are the key element to raising healthy children.  Randy Calvert, a kinesiologist who runs a treatment program for obese children at the McMaster Children’s Hospital, said the best thing parents can do is to send their children outside to play.  

He also recommended cutting out sweet drinks like juice and pop and reducing the time spent on computers, hand-held video games and watching television.

Calvert said physical inactivity is a major culprit in the rise of the obesity rate.  Genetic change is less likely the cause since the “obesity epidemic” has occurred in such a short time period.

Calvert said it will take years to reverse the trend.  “Diets don’t work.  We need to change behaviour and habits and we need to do it slowly.”

There are some changes parents can make to improve family health today:

·        Reduce portion sizes. Portion sizes have increased greatly during the past few decades.

·        Replace “screen time” (TV, computer, video games) with outdoor play.

·        Cut back on high-sugar drinks like juice and pop. Serve milk and water more often.

·        Replace a fast food or packaged-food meal with a homemade meal.

·        Try to prepare dinner in advance for busy nights.  Consider big-batch cooking on weekends or days off and freeze these healthier meals.

·        Eat together as a family.

·        Add one more physical activity to your family’s weekly routine, like a hike, bike ride or skate.

Hallett remarked that it is easier to prevent obesity than it is to treat it.

In December, a report from this conference will be posted on the Public Health Unit’s website at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca. For more information, or if you have ideas about how to promote healthy weights and physical activity in the community, please call the Public Health Nutritionist at 376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456.

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For more information, please contact:

Lynda Bumstead                                               Betty Perkins

Acting Public Health Nutritionist                        Physical Activity Specialist

Grey Bruce Health Unit, Owen Sound   Grey Bruce Health Unit, Walkerton

376-9420, Ext. 463                                          881-1920, Ext. 239