Childhood Obesity Poses Growing Threat to Health Status of South Los Angeles Communities

With a national crisis of childhood obesity looming, a group of health care providers, social services agencies and local schools met with Congressman Xavier Becerra and local pediatricians and pediatric researchers about the issues facing South Los Angeles. Health care providers are witnessing increases in the numbers of children who are overweight and obese, and little reimbursement to address the related health problems that accompany obesity.

(PRWEB) August 21, 2004 -- Out of eight service planning areas (SPAs) in Los Angeles, SPA 6, which includes Compton, Lynwood, Paramount and most of South Los Angeles, has the worse rates for obesity, poor nutrition, and hypertension. The problem poses a threat not only to these communities, but a serious challenge to the health clinics trying to address the problem.
   
In response to the looming crisis, a group of South Los Angeles health care providers and educators, led by South Central Family Health Center and The Accelerated School, met with Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles) at Orthopaedic Hospital in downtown Los Angeles yesterday to present testimony from pediatric experts and to discuss the experience of local health care professionals in fighting obesity.
   
Calling the forum a timely and essential event, Becerra emphasized the need for health care providers, social services agencies, schools, public agencies and the business community to work together to defuse the landmine" of obesity.
   
With increasing numbers of children who are obese and have related medical problems, we need to look for ways to promote healthy behaviors," said Congressman Xavier Becerra.
   
Several local physicians and medical researchers testified at the forum.
   
Dr. James Frederick, a pediatric cardiologist at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, described excessive" increases in body weight for children over the past 20 years.
   
Dr. Michael Rodriguez, with the UCLA Department of Family Medicine, noted that Latino children have the highest prevalence of obesity in Los Angeles County. He and other expects said that obese children are at greater risk to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, low self-esteem, poor body image and depression.
   
Dr. Robert E. Morris, UCLA professor of clinical pediatrics and director of pediatrics at Orthopaedic Hospital, emphasized the need for greater recreational opportunities for children with chronic illnesses. Currently, only a few universally accessible playgrounds exist in Los Angeles, such as Shanes Inspiration in Griffith Park and Lincoln Park, although more are scheduled to be built in the City of Los Angeles.
   
Dr. Linda Tigner-Weekes, medical director at St. Johns Well Child & Family Center, has seen an increasing number of young girls who come in for school-related exams do not want to disrobe because of poor body image.
   
Echoing the comments of the other doctors who stressed the need for more activity for youth and adults, Tigner-Weekes called for the creation of safe places" where people in the community can exercise without fear for their safety.
   
The Southside Coalition of Community Health Centers has reported that clinics in the South Los Angeles area see approximately 150,000 people a year, and that roughly 20% of these patients are obese or overweight.
   
"Out clinics are seeing an overwhelming number of people who are obese or overweight, and it is taking its toll," said Jim Mangia, CEO of St. Johns. "Not only do we provide a myriad of services to address a patient's obesity and the medical problems that are commonly associated with it, we are also forced to do so without reimbursement or revenue streams that reflects these efforts."
   
In SPA 6, the area served by the community health centers participating in todays dialogue, 26% of children in grades 5, 7, and 9 are overweight compared to 21% in the rest of the L.A. County. Childhood obesity can be a predictor of adult obesity. A four-year old obese child at has a 20% chance of being obese at adulthood, and it is estimated that the likelihood increases to 80% for adolescents who are obese. Among adults, 30% in SPA 6 are overweight compared to 19.3% in the county.
   
The testimony we heard helped us identify several challenges and opportunities in addressing obesity in communities of color," said John Kotick, director of development and health services at The Accelerated School, who has organized the Childhood Obesity Brain Trust, a coalition of health care providers, social service agencies and schools in South Los Angeles. The Trust has already begun identifying resources and organizing community-based planning efforts to promote physical activity and access to healthy foods.
   
Based on the wealth of information we received, and the feedback we received from Congressman Becerra, the presenters and those who attended, its clear that we have laid the groundwork for further public-private initiatives."
   
Richard Veloz, one of the organizers of the forum, echoed Koticks comments.
   
We had a unique opportunity to sit down with Congressman Becerra, one of LAs leaders in Washington, and let him see the childhood obesity crisis through the eyes of local doctors and health care leaders," said Richard Veloz, CEO of the South Central Family Center. We hope this is one of several productive conversations we will have with public policy makers in the coming year."            
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