Obese teens: A weighty issue

Teresa Larson
larsontm@uwec.edu

             Diane Dressel of Eau Claire is worried about the Avian flu. But she’s not worried that she’s going to catch it – she’s worried about how much it’s going to cost. 

             Dressel is a program coordinator for the Luther Midelfort Weight Management Center in Eau Claire, and as an obesity specialist, she has weight-issue problem solving on her mind. One thing she worries about is that the government is willing to spend billions of dollars on protective measures against the Avian flu, but hardly anything on obesity prevention. She believes that in the end, obesity will lead to more deaths. However, Dressel knows that the responsibility for the fight against obesity doesn’t just belong to the government.

             As United States policy makers have declared obesity a critical public health threat, local health experts, including Dressel, say it’s important for families to work together at fighting the battle of the bulge.  But that doesn’t mean families don’t all need a little help along the way. Schools and community organizations, along with the occasional cultural advocate, offer assistance to parents seeking to promote a healthy lifestyle for their 13-year-olds.

             The percentage of children aged 12 to 19 who are overweight has doubled in recent years, according to Dressel. Weight gain can lead to heart diseases like high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or to other health issues such as sleep apnea, cancer, polycystic ovary disease, arthritis, depression, stroke, back pain and Type 2 Diabetes. One out of every three children born after the year 2000 will get Type 2 Diabetes, according to the CDC.

             Obesity caused by physical inactivity is costly. In Eau Claire County alone, about $1,234 per person is spent per year to cover costs related to medical care or workers’ compensation, Dressel said. While this figure represents mostly adult obesity, it reflects the heavy future that many teenagers today are facing.

            The environment in America has changed in a way that has made it hard for kids to learn the importance that weight has on being healthy, according to Dressel.

           “The cultural environment, particularly the food side, has gotten so out of control – you turn your head and there’s a food item there,” Dressel said.

           Dressel also said that kids today are less active than kids of other generations.

           “Kids are spending four hours a day watching TV or playing videogames,” Dressel said. “The TV is the babysitter while parents are working. Parents need to limit it.” She said that the Academy of Pediatrics is trying to enforce that to all parents, not just to those of overweight children. 

           Kids need to be taught how to be active when they are young because they don’t just grow out of their “baby fat” anymore, Dressel said.

           “If they are overweight when they are in their teens, most likely it’ll be an adult problem,” Dressel said.

           The responsibility of making sure that kids eat right and stay fit belongs to a wide array of people.

The Eau Claire YMCA offers a variety of programs to promote healthy lifestyles, such as a skate park and SCUBA classes.

Energize Eau Claire County works to support healthy living among local residents.

Photo By: South Middle School

Joyce Pankratz teaches physical education at South Middle School in Eau Claire. Pankratz sees benefits in teaching teenagers multiple ways of staying healthy, including various physical activities.

Listen to audio clips from interviews in this story:

Diane Dressel 1

Diane Dressel 2

Diane Dressel 3

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