Obesity rate here is twice as high as mainland’s Hawaii youths, including those on Kaua’i, are more prone to becoming obese than youths anywhere in the nation. A recently completed University of Hawai’i study found youth obesity levels in the
Obesity rate here is twice as high as mainland’s
Hawaii youths, including those on Kaua’i, are more prone to becoming obese than youths anywhere in the nation.
A recently completed University of Hawai’i study found youth obesity levels in the state are twice as high as those on the mainland, sparking reactions by state health officials that childhood obesity in Hawai`i “has reached epidemic proportions.”
On Kaua’i, one in four youths could be susceptible to obseity, which can lead to health complications as adults linked to cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
And more Kaua’i youths could become obese because no comprehensive program exists to combat the condition, due to the lack of funding, health professionals here say.
A change could be in the making. But before that happens, state health agencies and Kaua’i organizations will have to lobby for portions of a $206 billion court settlement between the tobacco industry and 46 states, including Hawai’i, officials say.
The settlement calls for four big tobacco companies to make payments to the states over 25 years to finance anti-smoking programs in exchange for resolving healthcare claims for smokers.
With the funding, a slew of programs could be started on Kaua’i to help parents and youths deal with obesity through better dieting and exercise, according to Terri Fields-Hosler, a facilitator with the Kaua’i Nutrition Coalition.
The group’s chief goal is to bring together health professionals and residents to address nutrition issues and promote better health.
“We are very excited, because for the first time, Kaua’i would have money targeted for such issues,” said Fields-Hosler, who is a registered dietitian.
She said funds would be available for “organizations or community groups to put together a plan to address nutrition issues and programs to address this health crisis that exists for our children.”
Marla Silva of Ho’ Ola Lahui Hawai’i on Kaua’i, which has worked with obese residents, said if obesity “is not addressed at an early age, we are looking at the earlier onset of diabetes, higher cholesterol and more stress.”
“What we used to see in middle-aged people, we are seeing in young adults,” she said.
Kaua’i would be eligible for the tobacco-settlement health funds through the Healthy Hawai’i Initiative, a project by the state Department of Health offering small grants to communities that support increase physical activity, improved nutrition and reduced tobacco use.
Community groups could apply for grants for pilot projects “that could continue to grow and continue long after the funds are no longer available,” Fields-Hosler said.
Bruce Anderson, director of the health department, opened the way for such programs through his lobbying of the Legislature to pursue the tobacco funds, Fields-Hosler said.
Most of the tobacco funds are expected to be used for health-related issues in most states. But some states plan to use their share to fix inequities in public school financing, compensate farmers devastated by natural disasters and build levees to protect against flooding.
Hawai’i is one of the few states that have allocated 60 percent of its share to health issues, including nutrition, physical activity and tobacco issues, Fields-Hosler said.
Anti-obesity programs on Kaua’i would have to be modified to take into account local diets and attitudes about eating, Fields-Hosler said.
In spite of the lack of funds for comprehensive anti-obesity programs, a handful of Kaua’i organizations have tried to help, she said. Ho’ Ola Lahui Hawai’i is attempting to create a program, Wilcox Memorial Hospital and other groups are looking into starting one, and Kaua’i Athletic Club has operated a program for teens in the past.
Kelley Chaney, an outpatient dietitian and diabetes educator at Wilcox, said she counsels parents and children with obesity problems.
Also, Kaua’i County will sponsor a sports and health education program this summer. Enrollment is free to qualified individuals ranging from 10 to 16 years of age. Additional information is available from the Parks and Recreational Division at 241-6670 or Queen Liliuokalani Children’s Center at 245-1873.
Health officials said more programs like these are needed to address epidemic statewide obesity.
A study of Hawai’i children from the 1960s to the 1980s showed four to six of every 100 children ranging from 6 to 19 years of age were overweight. In the 1990s, the percentage of overweight children rose to 10 or 11 out of every 100, nearly double the number from 40 years ago.
On Kaua’i, that number could range from one in every three to four children, according to Fields-Hosler said.
When she studied for a masters degree in public health five years ago, “one in three children was obese and one in four adults was obese. We were slightly above the national average at that time,” she said. “The figures could be higher now.”
A survey done by a health coalition on Kaua’i last year determined obesity among adults and children was among the top health issues facing the island, Fields-Hosler said. The report involved interviews with medical professionals and residents.
The coalition included representatives from Wilcox, Mahelona and Kaua’i Veterans Memorial hospitals, the American Heart Association and the Native Hawaiian Health Care System, also known as Ho’ Ola Lahui Hawai’i.
In response to concerns about obesity among children in Hawai’i, local and nationally known experts gathered at the Childhood Obesity in Hawai`i conference on O’ahu in May to review possible solutions.
Staff writer Lester Chang can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
