Study: One third of Mass kids overweight

Over 30 percent of children in the state are overweight, a study released on Sept. 8 by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said.

63.2 percent of public school students of the group studied were in the healthy weight category, while 16.9 percent were overweight and 17.3 percent were obese, according to the study.

DPH used students in grades 1, 4, 7 and 10 during the 2008-2009 as the pool for their study.

The local statistics are "comparable to the national numbers for this decade," said Dr. Carine Lenders, assistant professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and division director of pediatric nutrition at Boston Medical Center.

"It is a nationwide problem, starting to be seen in other developed countries and in countries in transition," Lenders said. "Because this weight problem has evolved over only three decades, it is unlikely to be a genetic evolution. Rather, it is a combination of toxic environment superimposed on heredity."

This "toxic environment" includes large portion sizes, processed foods, fast food, high consumption of sugary drinks, abnormal eating habits, fewer fruits and vegetables and sedentary lifestyles, Lenders said.

Kelly Bradshaw, a BU Nutrition &' Fitness Center dietetic intern, said this environment mostly harms the poor.

"We &- including our government, businesses and consumers &- have made it far easier, and cheaper, for us to eat unhealthy food," Bradshaw said. "Access to unhealthy food, now found everywhere... is unlimited, whereas healthier food options &- raw fruits &' vegetables, lean meats, low fat dairy options, and whole grains &- are often limited to those who fall into a higher socio-economic status rank."

The study shows a variation from city to city. For instance, only 9.6 percent of children in Arlington were found to be overweight or obese, whereas 46.6 percent in Lawrence were overweight or obese.

This may serve as further evidence that there is a socioeconomic factor involved in the obesity epidemic.

Arlington, a relatively wealthy suburb of Boston, had a median family income around 98,000 dollars in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In addition, over 90 percent of its residents are white.

Lawrence, on the other hand, had a median family income of around 29,000 dollars in 2007 and is made up mostly of minorities.

"All of these socioeconomic factors seen in Lawrence are linked with higher rates of risk for overweight/obesity and other health outcomes," Bradshaw said.

For the report, nurses calculated children's body mass indexes from 80 school districts.

BMI, which is weight divided by height squared, is a tool that can be useful in early identification of possible health risk factors. Doctors use it to make a rough estimate of whether someone's weight is appropriate for his or her height, though this measure does not always present an accurate picture of someone's health.

In children, BMI takes gender, age, height and weight into account. According to the study, "Children with a high BMI are more likely to become overweight or obese adults and be at a higher risk for diabetes, heart disease and some cancers."

The aforementioned illnesses are serious, yet many don't consider obesity to be life threatening.

This may be because obesity "is not recognized as a medically treatable condition. It is considered as a chronic disease and so can be postponed. [But] complications need prevention. Most of the money allocated to health care in this country is in treatment and not prevention," Lenders said.

However, obesity can be managed, as long as one is willing to make lifestyle changes to better his or her health.

Bradshaw said, "Massachusetts has created numerous, inexpensive or free programs that are designed to give citizens the tools to lead a healthy style. And that's what such programs and policies are&-tools to help us make the healthiest decisions."

However, such policies aren't foolproof.

"Short of putting policy and laws into place, our governments cannot truly force us to lead healthy lifestyle," Bradshaw said.

"As much as we need access to healthy foods and programming, individuals need to take responsibility as well," she added.