Playground Helps Combat Childhood Obesity

Recently, I was able to acquire a community partnership grant to provide $25,000 in funding to buy playground equipment at the park on Eisenhower Drive. This money was well-spent for a myriad of reasons, but primarily it provides one more avenue to promote wellness and healthy lifestyles for area children.

West Virginia needs to improve its childhood obesity rate. In 2002, West Virginia ranked 1st in the nation in the prevalence of obesity (27.6%) and 42nd highest in the prevalence of overweight (36.1%). Currently, more than 63% of West Virginians are considered overweight or obese. More recent national studies consistently rank West Virginia as leading the other states in the obesity and related health problems of its citizens.

West Virginia communities must challenge these dismal facts by aggressively seeking new way to promote healthy lifestyles and improve the lives of children and families. State government leaders and local community leaders must recognize that by working together they can produce results.

The charge is to find ways to engage children in physical activity. Regular exercise has to become a part of children’s lives in order to help them reach and maintain a healthy weight. The local community and its leaders must step up and accept the responsibility.

As a State Senator, I look for ways to help our communities in Raleigh and Wyoming Counties. This grant not only provides benefits by promoting health and exercise, it gives young people recreation. As a former police officer, I know this is important to help kids from getting on the wrong track.

Research continues to show that proper exercise and nutrition will help ensure our children’s normal growth and development. Kids who are physically fit tend to sleep better and are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges — from running to catch a bus to studying for a test.

Preventative medicine has an added benefit – it helps save taxpayers money. The direct obesity-related healthcare cost in the United States is estimated at $75 billion per year. However, it is estimated that West Virginia’s poor health behaviors cause health care costs to reach $1.5 to $2 billion annually.

Every time I have had the opportunity to visit the park, I am please to see dozens of young people taking advantage of this facility. I hope you and your family enjoys its use as much as my family does.

Clearly, we must face the challenge of dealing with childhood obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. Failure to do so not only spells higher health costs for the state, but robs our citizens of healthy and productive lives. By teaching wellness at an early age, we can hopefully change trends in West Virginia and save government money in unnecessary cost for healthcare later.