Childhood obesity has doubled in West Virginia in the past 15 years. In 1997, less than 10 percent of children were overweight. Today that number is closing in on 25 percent. That’s one in every four children.
Dr. Robert Shin, with CAMC, says the epidemic is continuing to grow. That’s why he took part in Friday’s 2013 West Virginia Obesity Conference. More then 120 medical professionals from around the state attended the one-day event at the Charleston Marriott.
Shin says one problem they’re dealing with is the lack of physical activity among children and teens. They just don’t go outside and play anymore. Instead the doctor says kids are glued to a TV, computer screen or joy stick.
“The average kid spends more than 40-hours a week, playing those games! That’s more than full-time work,” says Shin.
The goal of the conference is to come up with a plan to attack the problem. Shin says the first place they start is with the parents.
“Parents are the ones that are going to shape the kids,” Shin stressed. “If as a parent, I eat the wrong things and I say to my kids, ‘You have a weight problem. You have to eat this.’ It’s not going to work.”
Shin says other factors come into play like accessibility to healthy foods, how the community views overweight children and self-image.
Nationally-recognized speakers from across the country took part in the conference. Shin says it’s important to hear success stories from other states to see what they’re doing right and how West Virginia might use those strategies here at home.
Shin says it is imperative that the medical community reach out to obese children now. He says there’s no time to wait.
“If you are obese as a child, there’s an 80 percent chance the obese child will develop into the obese adult.”
Shin says that leads to health problems like diabetes, heart disease and lung issues. But the doctor stresses there is reason for hope. Obesity is not an incurable disease. Children and adults can change their eating and exercising habits and lose weight, giving themselves a chance at a longer life.