Fighting Childhood Obesity in Alaska

Keeping kids fit prevents disease, saves on medical costs

Tools

By Corey Allen-Young
Bio

Story Created: May 24, 2012 at 8:59 AM AKDT

Story Updated: May 24, 2012 at 8:59 AM AKDT

ANCHORAGE - It’s being called a national epidemic: obesity in the state of Alaska. And officials say it's hurting our kids.

Three out of every ten Alaska kids are obese, and will more likely grow up to be obese adults dealing with major illnesses. Fighting obesity has become a top priority for health advocates who are using a powerful documentary to get families off their couch and moving.

With 30 percent of kids in Alaska considered overweight, it’s what could happen when they’re older that health officials say will cost us more than we already spend.

“Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis,” said Karol Fink, who is the Obesity Prevention manager for the State of Alaska. “We're spending $459 million annually on medical care costs attributed full to obesity just in Alaska.”

That’s the reason they are using the HBO documentary “Weight of the Nation” to convince families to do something about it by teaching their children how to be active. “We're trying to improve quality of life for folks,” said Fink. “I know it sounds silly that kids should know how to be active; its not, kids need to be taught how dribble, to skip, to jump.”

That’s something cousins 7-year-old Dahianna Gonzalez and 8-year-old Kiana Castillo are learning as they go. “I like to go on the slides and swing,” said Castillo. “You need to be healthy, you need to drink lots of water.”

“I like to play on the monkey bars, hang on this thing upside down,” said Gonzalez.

The experts say it doesn't take much to be active. Kapeli Kahaka has no problem exercising, even if some of his friends are not. “Whenever we get bored we just go outside and go play volleyball,” said Kahaka. “Most of them does video games, just like the rest goes outside and go biking.”

With P.E. classes not the same in schools, it’s recommended that kids get 60 minutes of fitness every day to make up for it.

“People need to think of physical activity as doing daily activities and not just exercise,” said Fink. Advocates say it must include families doing it with the kids, because it’s not just about starting a trend to get your kids in shape, it’s about setting up habits to keep them healthy for their lifetime.

“They think that they need to go for a hike up in the Chugach, when instead they can just go to the park across the street,” said Fink. Officials say kids can break down the 60 minutes of physical activity into pieces like doing 20 minutes in the morning, afternoon and evening.

For more tips on getting your kids healthy click here.
 

You have indicated this comment should be removed.

Close

The comment has been submitted for review. Thank you .

lazy fatty said on Thursday, May 24 at 11:12 AM

all kids wanna do nowadays is drink soda, eat chips, and play on xbox

91764366
Inappropriate? Alert Us!

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.