Nearly 36 percent of Georgia children are either overweight or at risk for becoming overweight, according to research by Rick Lewis, a foods and nutrition professor at the University of Georgia.

Lewis and colleagues from both UGA and the Medical College of Georgia spoke to state lawmakers about health problems associated with overweight children and efforts by various organizations to address the issue as part of the first Family Impact Seminars.

UGA implemented the seminar series to provide legislators with unbiased research regarding issues that affect families. The first seminar addressed the high numbers of overweight children in Georgia.

Don Bower, head of UGA’s child and family development department, and Janet Bittner, a family and children coordinator at UGA, managed the logistics for the seminars.

“We were fortunate that we knew UGA and Medical College of Georgia researchers were already exploring this topic,” Bower said. “Using funding from the SEGUE grant we were able to hire a doctoral student to develop the report that highlights the issue, what’s being done already, and what needs to be done.”

Rebecca Mullis, head of UGA’s foods and nutrition department, and William Kanto, professor and chair of the Children’s Medical Center pediatrics department, provided additional information at a lunchtime meeting held during the General Assembly session.

Bower and Mullis said they have seen a change in how legislators address childhood obesity.

“Last year, a bill that emphasized the need for physical activity didn’t get out of committee,” Mullis said. “This year, it passed the House of Representatives.”

Denise H. Horton

Tags: children, Health, Politics, Winter 2007