MSNBC: 40 percent of children overweight in Arkansas

[Cannikin]

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Forty percent of public schoolchildren in Arkansas are overweight, and nearly one in four is obese, a sign that obesity among children nationwide is probably far worse than health officials had thought.

The findings are the broadest and most recent comprehensive look at children’s weights, the result of a state law in Arkansas, where state officials have made obesity a top issue.

“I think we’ll find as we go along that Arkansas is not that much more obese than other parts of the country,” said Dr. Carden Johnston, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “(The) Arkansas data is the best that we have because it’s cross-sectional.”

The Arkansas numbers paint a more dire picture than previous national studies. Those have indicated that about 30 percent of American children are overweight or obese. Those falling into the obese category account for about 15 percent.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5131109/

[Terry_M]

1. And no one is gonna do anything about it

Too many lobby groups want the trend to continue...

[a_random_joel]

2. Guess what?

It's Clinton's fault. :evilgrin:

[rogerhall]

3. It's also economics

Cheap food has more (saturated) fat in it, as a rule. Seriously, shop and compare! :}

I know there are many other factors - mostly cultural - but there is an economic reality here too.

Even the 'carbs' so hated by popular diets happen to be among the most affordable foods too.