The Health of Georgia's Children
Childhood obesity is on the rise across the globe. With more than one in four children overweight in America, many doctors consider it the country’s number one pediatric health problem. The South has the highest concentration of overweight kids.
This series from GPB Radio will look at obesity research, programs that teach about proper eating and exercise and find out what is being done in Georgia to combat the growth of overweight children.
Today we begin with the school lunch menu. Getting nutritious foods into the cafeteria has been the focus of many parents and educators. And deciding what to serve can be a daunting task. Reporter Carl Zornes visited a lunch food expo in Cobb County where vendors show off their newest food items.
As we continue our series on the health of Georgia’s children, Josephine Bennett from member station WMUM takes us to rural Hancock County. People there are going back to the community’s historical roots to combat childhood obesity.
Health care professionals have long focused on trying to prevent obesity in children. But that effort hasn't worked well enough, and children are getting sicker with obesity-related diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes. From member station WACG in Augusta, Mary Ellen Cheatham reports researchers have a lot to learn about how these typically-adult illnesses affect a child's body.
As we continue with our series on the health of Georgia's children WACG’s Noel Brown takes us to the Medical College of Georgia. There researchers are studying the effects exercise has not only on children’s physical health but also on their minds and moods.
As we finish up our week-long series on childhood obesity, today we're focusing on southeast Georgia's Bulloch County. That's where a new program seeks to bring the community together around by getting kids to lead healthier lifestyles. From member station WSVH in Savannah, Orlando Montoya reports.
Childhood Obesity Home Page
