Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families today held the first of two hearings to examine the dangerous consequences of childhood obesity and possible solutions to address this growing problem.  Today, Dodd heard from several experts about the underlying causes of the dramatic rise in American childhood obesity.  After questioning the witnesses, Dodd opened up the hearing to questions and comments from the multitude of young people in the audience who offered their thoughts about how best to combat obesity among their peers.      

“The numbers are stunning.  Nearly one out of every three American children are obese or are at risk of becoming obese – 25 million children in all, with children in minority families at an even greater risk.  It is the most common disease of childhood, and we’re told it’s largely preventable,” said Dodd.  “All of us—parents, schools, government, employers—need to see the rising childhood obesity rates for what they are: a medical emergency.  And it is time we worked together to do something about it.”

Next week, Dodd will hold the second hearing on this topic to focus on what needs to be done to stem the current tide and who could and should be doing it, from the individual to the private sector, from state and local government to the federal government.

The full text of Senator Dodd’s prepared opening statement is below:

First, I want to welcome my colleagues and our distinguished witnesses, and thank them for being here today.  Today we are holding the first of two important hearings on one of the most urgent threats to American children—the childhood obesity epidemic. 

The numbers are stunning.  Nearly 1 out of every 3 of America’s children are obese or are at risk of becoming obese – 25 million children in all, with children in minority families at an even greater risk.  It is the most common disease of childhood and we’re told it’s largely preventable.  Nationally, the childhood obesity rate tripled between 1980 and 2004.  And in many states, especially those in the South and the Midwest, the rates are much worse.  Even in states where childhood obesity rates are among the lowest in the nation, like Colorado or my home state of Connecticut, the rates are appallingly high.

As a parent, these findings deeply worry me – as they should every parent in America – because this is about so much more than numbers and statistics.  Most public health experts believe, and the New England Journal of Medicine recently warned, that unless we act, our children’s generation may be the first in the modern era to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.  That is a possibility we should all be ashamed of.

Already the health consequences are crystal clear.  Right now, children are increasingly being diagnosed with type 2, “adult-onset” diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  The list goes on – stroke, certain types of cancers, osteoarthritis, certain liver diseases. You don’t have to be a health expert to know that these are not diseases we normally associate with children. 

We all can point to reasons why this is happening.  Junk food is rampant and marketed to kids.  Television has paved the way for kids to have a more sedentary lifestyle.  We surround our public schools with soft drink machines and fast food restaurants – which local schools allow because they are often so underfunded they turn to corporate sponsors for financial assistance.

It doesn’t help that only 8% of elementary schools even require daily physical activity – only 6% of middle and high schools.  At the same time, our investment in public parks—in bike paths, playgrounds and other kinds of infrastructure that encourage physical activity—has deteriorated. 

According to the 2004 National Survey of Children’s Health, between 25 to 40 percent of children over the age of nine get less than one hour of physical activity a week, depending on the state.  And a new report released by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association today shows that the vast majority of 15 year olds do not come close to getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

Childhood obesity is a problem that affects all of us – whether we have kids or not.  One day every one of these kids is going to grow into an adult – and odds are that every one of the health problems that started when they were kids is going to get worse. 

And we’re all going to be paying the bill.  The obese spend 36% more on health care – they spend 77% more on medications.  That means the costs for all of us are going to keep heading up.  They already are.  Health care spending has exploded in the last 20 years – and 1 out of every 4 of those added dollars has gone to treat obesity-related problems.  That is unsustainable.  The question is: what are we going to do about it?

These hearings are our first step.  Today we’ll make sure we understand what is happening and why.  Next week we will focus on what needs to be done to stem the current tide and who could and should be doing it, from the individual to the private sector, from state and local government to the federal government.

All of us—parents, schools, government, employers—need to see the rising childhood obesity rates for what they are: a medical emergency.  And it is time we worked together to do something about it.

I am delighted that we are joined by Senator Harkin.  He has been tireless in his efforts to bring this issue to Congress’ attention and find innovative solutions to this epidemic. And I want to thank my partner in this venture, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee, Senator Alexander, who also has a very real concern about these issues.  I turn it over to him for his opening statement.

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