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Alaskans Continue to Gain PoundsBut Anchorage School District sees decline in obesityRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - Alaskans are getting fatter and fatter, according to state health officials. “We’re not seeing any improvement at all, our prevalence in obesity and [those] overweight seems to climb at about 1 percent a year,” said Karol Fink, program manager for the state’s Obesity Prevention and Control Program. According to a recent state report, in 1991, nearly 5 in 10 Alaskan adults were obese. The problem has cost the state $465 million a year in medical costs. “We don't feel like we're making any progress, because we'd hope to see a plateau and then a downward trend,” said Fink. Extra pounds, health officials say they are aware of and are trying to shed by encouraging school districts to target children. Here in Anchorage, they say that campaign is working. Thirty-six percent, about 18,000 of local students, are overweight or obese – the lowest rate since 2003. “If we can get a good handle on preventing childhood obesity, as those kids get older, they will age into the adult age group, and will bring down the prevalence,” said Fink. Back in 2006, under then-Mayor Mark Begich's administration, the city designed a 10-year plan to fight obesity. Part of that plan was to create a task force. Six years later, where are we? Dr. Peter Mjos, a physician with Providence Medical Center, says he doesn't understand why the plan was shelved. “This thing was a national award-winning program, one of the best developed in the U.S., and now it's just gathering dust,” he said. |
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yuuup! said on Tuesday, Aug 21 at 8:13 AM
What do you expect? when you don't have to pay for medical bills, why take care of yourself? Ya'll gonna fix it anyway.
99614466Jon said on Tuesday, Aug 21 at 8:29 AM
I'm 68 and the same weight as I was in Jr. High. Why?Because I work at it by exercising and eating mostly healthy meals made at home and not living to eat but eating to live.
99616036JLZ said on Tuesday, Aug 21 at 8:43 AM
Take the abilitiy to purchase junk food with Food Stamps away. Enforce some limitations.
99617556What? said on Tuesday, Aug 21 at 10:35 AM
Give the kids extra time playing during gym and recess. 10% more activity will have limitless benefits. Encourage your kids to go outside and play. This issue isnt only about eating right it is also about being physical. Parents you need to give your kids something to do besdes watching tv and sitting around inside the house. I know its been chilly but hey we were all kids right and to be honest alittle rain and cold never hurt anyone. After all a cold is a cold.
99629415Barb said on Tuesday, Aug 21 at 11:06 AM
Our communities need free gyms, more walking/biking paths and more control over bears where people live, so we aren't afraid of running into them so often. We also, need to focus less on jobs and actually live life together, working together. Winters are too long here, and we get depressed, less active and lonely.
99632341Hello said on Tuesday, Aug 21 at 1:10 PM
When I go to the grocery store I see all the processed foods in peoples cart. People need to start eating homemade foods. It really doesn't take that long and you won't eat all the junk. The food has about the same amount of nutrition as the box it came in and I agree that if you have food stamps you have to buy healthy food.
99642376yuuup! said on Tuesday, Aug 21 at 3:25 PM
Barb, you don't need free gym to get a healthy workout, I'm sorry, but, that's just an excuse! So tired of people NEEDING a free this and that there is no free, someone has to pay for the real estate and bills, however, I do agree we need to do something about Bears taking strolls within the city.
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