Fighting Childhood Obesity

For Daniel C., it seems like just yesterday that he and his wife brought home a chubby bundle draped in an embroidered pink blanket from a Detroit-area hospital -- his first daughter. Their joy couldn't be measured.

"Who wants a skinny baby?" asks Daniel, a black executive who requested that his last name not be used in this article. "You always think baby fat is something they will grow out of. But time goes by. We let her eat too much of the wrong things. She never liked sports and spent a lot of time in front of the computer."

Now Daniel's daughter is on her way to college. She gets great grades, but he knows what hurdles face his daughter, who is 5'3", weighs close to 300 pounds and has developed diabetes.

"I'm sick over it because I know how hard she will have it in life: her health, getting jobs, going out with boys, all of it. It really bothers me."

Daniel isn't alone.

Childhood obesity is one of the most urgent and serious health threats confronting our nation. And nowhere is the problem more acute than in the African-American community. National statistics show approximately one in five African-American children are obese. That's far higher than the obesity rate for white children. Additionally, African-American girls have the highest obesity rate of any ethnic and gender group tracked by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

That's why the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), America's largest philanthropy devoted to improving the nation's health, is focusing its efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic on reaching kids at greatest risk. RWJF will commit at least $500 million over the next five years to fight childhood obesity and will focus much of its investment in traditionally underserved communities."Families in lower-income neighborhoods simply don't have the same opportunities to make healthy choices as families in other neighborhoods," said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, RWJF president and CEO. "We can't say 'eat better' to kids when their only school lunch choices are burgers or pizzas, and we can't say 'go play outside' where there aren't safe parks or organized after-school programs nearby. We need to change policies so parents can do what they want to do -- raise healthy children."

Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey notes several policy changes that have the potential to reduce obesity rates, including:

• Requiring vigorous physical education as part of each school day;
• Serving healthier lunches and snacks to children at school or in day-care settings;
• Creating incentives to bring supermarkets that sell fresh fruits and vegetables into underserved communities;
• Opening new parks and playgrounds where children can play, especially in the after-school hours; and
• Encouraging the food and beverage industry to advertise healthier products during TV and radio shows popular among children.

Dr. Shiriki K. Kumanyika, founder of the African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network (AACORN), which receives funding from RWJF, said that inner-city areas commonly have fewer outlets for fresh foods, such as farmers' markets, and are often home to a greater number of fast food outlets.

"The choices people make are shaped by their environments," Kumanyika said. "People think they have free will to buy what they want, but if your choices are limited, you have a problem. Try going to the store to buy something that's not there."

Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey also cited research showing that children in low-income areas are less likely to live within walking distance of a public park, and parks that are available are less likely to be well-maintained.

"There aren't enough safe places for kids to play or programs that teach kids physical activity. Obesity rates are highest in communities afflicted by poverty. We want to encourage legislators to be visible, vocal champions of policies that promote nutrition and physical activity."

Daniel C. wishes the RWJF initiative had been created when his daughter was still a baby, but he remains confident she will succeed in college and beyond.

"She is a good person, and that's what I'm most proud of," Daniel said. "But I do worry about how people will judge her before getting to know her. Look at the movie 'Norbit.' People love to make fun of big black women."

To learn more about Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, visit the President's Corner of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Web site.