Don’t make cuts to obesity prevention research

About 1 out of every 6 children and adolescents ages two to 19 are considered obese. As these obese children grow into adulthood, they have a much greater risk of developing and dying from heart disease. Their poor health also pushes up medical costs and reduces military preparedness.

The NIH recently unveiled a new effort to curb obesity with studies that test new ways to help Americans maintain a healthy weight. This is promising research that could reduce the prevalence of disease and significantly drive down costs.
 
Schools can also play a significant role in reducing obesity rates. National guidelines recommend that children engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, and preferably all days of the week. Yet many schools have scaled back physical education classes and shortened recess. It is essential that schools teach kids how to be fit and healthy through quality physical education, and to enable them to have physical activity throughout the school day. This not only makes for healthier students but improves their academic performance too. 
 
The Fitness Integrated with Teaching (FIT) Kids Act, introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), would require all school districts and states to inform parents about the amount of and quality of students’ physical education during the school day. The American Heart Association is urging Congress to amend the Elementary Secondary and Education Act to include the FIT Kids Act. FIT Kids will give parents the information they need to help their children achieve their best level of fitness during or after school.

Communities also need to be a part of the solution to the childhood obesity epidemic and this includes building sidewalks, pathways, and safe street crossings. Maintaining current funding levels in the Safe Routes to Schools program in the next transportation bill would enable community leaders, schools and parents to improve safety and encourage more children, including children with disabilities, to safely walk and bicycle to school. We can’t ask our children to walk or bike if they can’t do it safely.
 
As American Heart Association patient advocates and researchers meet with their representatives in Congress this week to seek support for NIH research and these obesity prevention measures, we hope our elected officials do not lose sight of the enormous health implications of severe budget cuts to research and prevention programs that many Americans, including our most vulnerable citizens, depend on for quality health care. 

Our nation must place a greater emphasis on innovative research and prevention, not only to save lives and reduce health care costs, but to help the next generation avoid a heart attack or stroke in adulthood.
 
Nancy Brown is the CEO of the American Heart Association.