What’s Calgary Doing To Fight Childhood Obesity?

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 20, 2008 Media Contact: Tara Deda
(403) 980-5847 tara@new-wavepr.com
What’s Calgary Doing To Fight Childhood Obesity
Statistics Show Obesity Numbers are “Growing”
CALGARY, AB (November 12, 2008) – The Public Health Agency of Canada recommend teens increase physical activity by 30 to 90 minutes per day. Too much time is spent in front of the television instead of participating in physical activity. A major concern regarding childhood obesity is that obese children tend to become obese adults, facing an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and many other chronic diseases (Canadian Medical Association Journal)
Research studies show that over half of Canadian children and youth, age 5 –17, are not active enough for optimal growth and development (Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 2000 Physical Activity Monitor). From 1981 to 1996, the prevalence of overweight children and youth doubled, and obesity tripled for both boys and girls (Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2000). It is estimated that in 2001 the economic cost associated with obesity was 4.3 billion (1.6 billion in direct costs and $2.7 billion in indirect costs), which represented 2.2% of the total health-care costs in Canada for that year (Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 2004).
Blaine Meller has learnt how to reverse health issues from personal experience. “I was diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes and high blood pressure” says Meller, “physical activity and the fight for my own health has inspired me to reach out to teens and stop disease at the start by creating The Teen Power Hour”.
Blaine Meller and his wife Marsha Burnett are using their struggle with obesity to help teens in Calgary’s N.E. “It is important to educate our youth about the importance of physical activity” Says Marsha Burnett, “the more our children are exposed to healthy living the less chance they have of developing life threatening disease”.
For more information about this story please contact Tara Deda at (403) 980-5847 or tara@new-wavepr.com.
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