On April 27 – 28, 2012, a diverse group of researchers, physicians, teachers, and other professionals at the front lines of the childhood obesity epidemic met in Bimghamton, NY to discuss this alarming public health problem at New Thoughts About Causes, Prevention, and Treatment of Childhood Obesity, a conference organized by the Binghamton University Center for Civic Engagement. Researchers have found that the complications of obesity and overweight, which include type 2 diabetes as well as circulatory and respiratory diseases, stem largely from a chronic inflammatory state induced by excess body fat. Unfortunately, simple measures such as dieting and exercise are extremely difficult for most patients to implement, and even determining who needs to lose weight and exactly how much can be hard.
After a debunking of some common myths and legends about obesity, conference attendees heard from a series of speakers who covered the numerous facets of excess childhood weight gain. Far from being an individual problem, childhood obesity occurs in the context of a social landscape awash in high-calorie, low-nutrition food, especially for poor populations. Other speakers described several possible solutions, ranging from weight-loss surgery to improved physical education programs.
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