Annual Health Symposium Addresses Ways to Combat Childhood Obesity

Are we killing our children? The question was posed at the Loma Linda University Drayson Center's two-day health symposium held Friday through Saturday, Sept. 11 and 12 at the University Church on Loma Linda University's main campus. Hosted by Dr. Hildemar Dos Santos, MD, DrPH, he and his team warned against the harmful effects of child obesity. Approximately 17 percent of children ages 2 through 19 are considered obese, according to the literature Dos Santos provided. These figures raise health concerns because obesity is up and child exercise is down, explained Dos Santos. In high school, approximately only 2.1 percent of students take physical education courses or participate in recreational activity, said Dos Santos. Chronic illnesses are affecting children at a young age, as well, including low blood pressure and Type-II diabetes, a disease that only affected older adults but is now affecting children, he explained. This was the fourth annual symposium held by Loma Linda University's School of Public Health, and the Drayson Center of Preventative Care clinic. The symposium included topics such as “Childhood Obesity: When Should Prevention Start?”, “Emotions, Stress, and Childhood Obesity,” “Childhood Obesity and Physical Activity,” and “Childhood Obesity and Nutrition.” After each segment, Dos Santos provided charts, graphs, and answered questions about how to better prevent this epidemic affecting a large percentage of the nation's children. The doctors also provided simple instructions for the lifestyle changes that could impact the lives of overweight children and those at risk to help stop this epidemic in its tracks. Eating a large breakfast and having moderate-sized lunches and small dinners, along with exercising, were some of those healthy lifestyle changes the medical professionals recommended. “We need programs that help the ones that are already there, or we need to start from the beginning with prevention,” Dr. Dos Santos said during a question and answer segment. The Drayson Center offers many programs for the children of San Bernardino County, including Family Jump Start, as well as affordable activities for everyone, no matter what age.