In Utah, obesity affects one out of every four children. The number of overweight children in Utah could fill 2,067 elementary school classrooms, according to the Tooele County Health Department Web site. These statistics provide a glimpse of the child obesity epidemic that is sweeping Utah, as well as the rest of the nation. And it doesn't show any signs of letting up.

If the number of elementary school students at an unhealthy weight continues to increase at the current rate, in 10 years almost one-third of all elementary school students will be overweight, according to a 2006 Child Overweight report from the Utah Department of Health.

The Center for Disease Control defines obesity as "a person with a body mass index greater than 30."

The term "overweight" applies to those with an index between 25 and 30. The index uses height and weight measurements to determine healthy ranges for weight.

Obesity is not yet a term technically applied to children. Children are determined to be either "overweight" or "at risk of being overweight" according to a percentage based on height and weight charts developed by pediatricians.

Eventually the terminology will change because of a recommendation from a national panel at the Centers for Disease Control, according to The Utah Department of Health.

Though the statistics for obesity in Utah started out below the rest of the nation, the good news ends there.

"We appear to have started from a slightly leaner weight, but were getting fatter just as fast as the rest of the country," said Richard Bullough, director of Diabetes Prevention and Control Program at the Utah Department of Health.

There is no shortage of scapegoats for the child obesity epidemic - television, education in schools, and super-sized fast food meals all receive censure. But part of the reason child obesity is still an issue is because its root is not found in just one place, Bullough said.

"Unfortunately it's a really complicated issue," he said. "We can't just point at fast food, at schools, or at families. It truly is multifaceted."

Despite the challenges, Utah is stepping up to aggressively pursue its own solutions to child obesity. The state recently introduced a conference called the Utah Healthy Weight Forum, which was designed to tackle the issues of obesity in Utah.

Gov. Jon Huntsman hosted the kickoff at his home, and several groups representing different facets of the community gave informative presentations on issues surrounding obesity.

Expert testimony from key players helped the group isolate contributing factors, set priorities and develop a course of action for addressing the obesity problem.

At the end of the conference, a group was formed, and a plan of attack designed.

The Utah Partnership for Healthy Weight rose from a coalition of different groups in Utah who

have the ability to impact obesity.

Each group signed a document pledging their time, efforts and resources to fighting the obesity epidemic and supporting the new Utah Blueprint to Promote Healthy Weight in Children, Youth and Adults.

Bullough said he is optimistic about the coalition's ability to turn around Utah's child obesity statistics.

"Right now we're in the process of trying to coordinate and focus the efforts of all these different partners," Bullough said. "I really feel like were moving along quickly. We've not yet impacted the rates significantly, but I think we will."

Utahns will benefit in more ways than one from some of the newest efforts to fight obesity, Bullough said.

Community gardens are beginning to be planned and implemented in neighborhoods around the state. These public pieces of land dedicated to growing fruits and vegetables for the consumption of the community have proven to be highly successful where they've been established.

"We're really excited about this project," Bullough said. "It has been one of the most significant ways to encourage healthy meal planning, more physical activity and even foster a sense of community."

Adult involvement is key, according to Jessie Shupe, spokesperson for the Utah Gold Medal Schools Program.

"It does no good to educate kids about healthy eating at school when they come home to a kitchen full of easily accessible junk foods," Shupe said.

The Gold Medal Schools program was developed seven years ago by the Utah Department of Health using the Centers for Disease Controls guidelines to address child obesity in schools.

The program includes nutrition curriculum and benchmarks for elementary schools to meet in order to achieve their goals in different health categories.

The Gold Medal Schools program is one way Utah is telling everyone that child obesity is an issue that needs attention.

"We are sounding a call to action for the media, families, employers and many others to take charge," Shupe said. "Because child obesity affects everybody, we have to tackle it from all angles."

According to The Utah Department of Health, child obesity is everyone's problem, and a comprehensive effort is needed to solve it.

"We have to come together to make the healthy choice the easy choice," Shupe said.

The issue of child obesity has even been drawing national attention from legislators on Capitol Hill.

Because an increase in child obesity has been linked to the persistent marketing of unhealthy food to children, legislators have discussed regulating these fast food and snack food industries.

Bullough said the national discussion of obesity is a definite sign of progress.

"For Congress to be talking about legislation, that's amazing," Bullough said. "It's a topic that wasn't even on the radar screen 10 years ago."

Info Box:

You can calculate your own BMI on the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's website at http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/.

Copyright Brigham Young University 6 Aug 2007