Panel unveils 'strategic plan' to attack metro-area obesity

Rosa Ramirez, Rocky Mountain News

Published May 18, 2007 at midnight

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Eat healthy. Be active. Watch your weight.

That's the message from the Metro Denver Health and Wellness Commission, which announced Thursday a plan to tackle obesity in the region's schools, work sites and communities.

"This strategic plan is our recipe to reverse this trend and reap the economic and educational rewards that come with living actively and making healthy dietary choices," Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien, who chairs the commission, said during a news conference at Cheesman Park.

She said 55 percent of Denver-area adults are overweight or obese. In addition, one of every three children ages 2 to 14 are at risk of becoming overweight, she said.

Obesity can lead to other health problems such as Type II diabetes in children, said Dr. Jim Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado at Denver Health Science Center and co-chairman of the commission. "Type II diabetes is 100 percent preventable," said Hill, who added that Hispanic children are disproportionally affected by Type II diabetes.

In low-income communities, some barriers to healthy exercise include the lack of safe neighborhoods in which children can walk and play and the lack of access to parks and recreational facilities.

Theresa Donahue, executive director of the commission, said the report looks into ways to make it easier for communities to adopt healthy lifestyles, such as opening farmers markets and planting community gardens.

"We want to create community gardens in various areas so that people can not only grow zucchini, but get their exercise," Donahue said.

The commission is made up of nearly 80 community leaders in government, nonprofit organizations, business and education.

For more information, visit the commission's Web site at www.mdhwc.org.

Ramirezr@RockyMountainNews.com or (303) 954-5067

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