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Morton orders health study on
obesity, nutrition, PE
The Associated Press
August 02, 2004
Alarmed by childhood obesity, State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton will
order a review of vending machine products sold to Alabama students, school
nutrition and other health-related issues.
Morton said he will appoint a task force next month on student health and
expects its report for the state school board by January.
"I'm not trying to create a committee to tell every parent what to serve
every night for dinner," he told The Birmingham News for a story Sunday.
"But I think it's pretty evident that when you combine a lack of physical
activity with a diet that is high in fat content, high in calories, you have a
recipe for some major health issues."
Morton said he's alarmed by the number of overweight children and the many
problems that creates, from high blood pressure and fatigue to diabetes and
increased chances of heart disease later in life.
According to U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, obesity is the
fastest-growing cause of disease and death in America.
In Alabama, an estimated 340,000 children are growing up overweight. If the
obesity epidemic is not stemmed, the current generation of children and teens
will be the first in memory to have shorter lives than their parents,
researchers warn.
Miriam Gaines, nutrition and physical activity director at the Alabama
Department of Public Health, said Morton's move to form a task force is overdue.
"Clearly the school is not the only influence on our children when it comes
to dealing with the issue of obesity and the high cost it is taking on our
children's health," Gaines said.
Morton expects the task force will "look at a whole range of issues,"
including vending machines, cafeteria food and PE programs. Alcohol, drugs,
tobacco and sex-related diseases will also be studied.
" I want to go into this with nothing off the table," Morton said.
Morton said he became alarmed over the issue of overweight children after
reading a series of stories late last year in The News.
John Wilson, advocacy manager of the American Heart Association in Alabama, said
the task force's work can't begin soon enough.
"Twenty to 25 years ago, only about 5 percent of children and teens were
seriously overweight," Wilson said. "That number today is 15 percent
and increasing. This trend cannot continue if we're going to produce
heart-healthy students and adults."
The Alabama Association of School Boards also welcomed the study but warned that
the local control boards have over their schools should not be diminished.
"We also need to be careful in our haste to attack this problem that we
don't come up with a few short-term, symbolic steps, such as restricting
lunchroom menus or just limiting food choices a few hours a day, and say we've
solved the problem," said association spokeswoman Susan Salter.
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