Health officials alarmed at obesity in Hawai'i children

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer

The rate of childhood obesity in Hawai'i appears to exceed the national average of 15 percent of children and teens who are significantly overweight, health experts say.

Officials define obesity in youth as those who are above the 95th percentile for weight in the growth charts.

Jodi Leslie of the state Department of Health's Nutrition and Physical Activity section said the health risks associated with being significantly overweight include diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, asthma and even cancer — ailments usually associated with adults.

Dr. Linda Rosen, also of the Health Department, said that most young people aren't consuming a lot more calories than they were in years past, but they are a lot less active. "Obesity is the biggest health threat to children in the United States," she said.

The House Health Committee held an informational briefing at the State Capitol Friday on childhood obesity, a nationwide epidemic that has tripled in the last two decades.

Rosen said most people know what some of the causes are: eating "junk food" with too much fat and sugar; eating at the wrong times, with snacks replacing meals, and too much television, which turns kids sedentary.

But Rosen emphasized that obesity is also epidemic in adults and is a problem for many modern societies. "We do not have to use our bodies to make our daily living," so most people don't get anywhere near the physical activity they need to stay fit, she said.

People can change by adding fruits and vegetables to their diets and working in extra steps when they can, Rosen said.

Jeanette Nekota, a social worker on the Wai'anae Coast, said very obese students are often left out of even basic physical education. Nekota has a client who weighs 570 pounds and is exempted from regular school exercise programs because of liability issues.

Nekota said they tried to work the girl into a water exercise program, but she couldn't use the swimming pool because it didn't have steps. Providing accessible stairs could get such students more active, she said.

House Health Committee Chairman Dennis Arakaki said he would like to see schools weave more activity into the students' day.

Arakaki said the Legislature could get involved by banning soft drinks and snacks without nutritional value from being sold on campus. Lawmakers could also support "learn to swim" programs and projects to improve neighborhoods with sidewalks that make it safe to walk in the community.

As an extreme, Arakaki said lawmakers could consider a tax on soda or junk food, with proceeds going to fitness and nutrition programs.

Dee Helber of the state Department of Education said the DOE is working with the Department of Health and other organizations to encourage people to make small changes toward healthier lives.

Helber said 90 schools have done so over the past two years. The changes include adding water, milk and fruit juices to school vending machines, adding walking paths, and offering salad bars at elementary schools.

Dennis Chai of the University of Hawai'i College of Education trains physical education teachers. He said a recent study he helped conduct of children who took two or fewer PE classes each week indicated at least 25 percent were obese, while a group that took PE three times or more were at least 18 percent obese.

Chai called those rates "appalling" and would like to see increased requirements for physical activity and improved classes.