Obesity rates will decline — if Texas makes the investment
Texas’ economy is experiencing a roller coaster ride with the current challenges of the oil and gas industry, causing all of us to think about long-term investments and where to cut costs.
Recently, a study by the University of Texas stated that a program funded by the Texas Legislature from 2007-11 failed to reduce obesity rates, but this conclusion is premature as some of these metrics take more than four years to capture concrete data that can demonstrate these programs are working. Body composition (BMI) data collected from 2011-14 did identify that obesity rates are starting to de- cline, and will continue as long as we have quality and meaningful physical education and a healthy school environment.
Why should you be concerned? Did you know childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern among parents in the United States?
Kids who are overweight have a 70 to 80 percent chance of remaining overweight their entire lives, which creates concerns as to whether we will have young adults who are fit enough to protect our state as military or law enforcement personnel. This is a Texas-sized problem as one in nine American children resides in this great state. During the 2007 legislative session, Texas made some strides by increasing physical education standards, and until this spring, had some of the strongest school nutrition standards that were working to address the childhood obesity epidemic in Texas.
Because students spend most of their time in class, schools must be part of the solution to their development of healthy habits. A global program of quality and meaningful physical education — including an assessment of physical fitness and strong nutrition standards — can help prepare children to take care of their bodies for a lifetime.
Even with personal responsibility that can be learned in school, powerful state-driven policy still is needed to combat unhealthy environmental influences our children face every day. Most important, it takes more than four years to meaningfully assess the impact all of the programs previously mentioned will have on our schoolchildren.
Investing in our children’s public health should not be one of those areas the Texas Legislature shortchanges. Properly funding the recruitment and retention of quality physical education teachers, chronic disease awareness and rigorous school nutrition standards will develop a strong workforce that Texas is so aggressively trying to recruit and retain.
According to a 2011 report by former Texas Comptroller Susan Combs called “Gaining Costs, Losing Time,” obesity cost Texas businesses $9.5 billion in 2009 and it could cost them $32.5 billion annually by 2030 if Texas does not take preemptive measures to address this crisis.
Without a strong investment in prevention, we will never advance in the effort to curb diseases or the obesity epidemic in Texas. Texas should not be short-sighted in preparing a strong and healthy workforce and jump to the conclusion that physical education and global health program for our students can work overnight. Any good investment takes time.
Powerful state-driven policy still is needed to combat unhealthy environmental influences our children face each day.