The Impact of Public Schools on Childhood Obesity

78% OF RESPONDENTS reported that their body weights were not a serious health concern. 1 Approximately one third of these respondents were obese, two thirds were overweight, and 15% of their children were overweight. This indifference is not appropriate. Obesity may soon replace smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Obesity may be responsible for approximately 300000 US deaths per year, and, unlike smoking, the prevalence of obesity is rapidly increasing. 2 Public health officials now refer to obesity as an epidemic. Unlike infectious diseases, obesity kills and disables by gradually increasing the risk for diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Recent studies estimate that obesity is more strongly associated with chronic medical conditions, and reduced health-related quality of life, than smoking, heavy drinking, or poverty. 3 Articles in this issue of MSJAMA emphasize the importance of societal change to address obesity. Tarayn Grizzard examines the undertreatment of obesity by American physicians. Susan Blumenthal, Jennifer Hendi, and Lauren Marsillo argue that a public health approach is required to address the myriad environmental and sociocultural factors contributing to obesity. Lawsuits have recently emerged to uncover and redress alleged food industry misconduct that may be contributing to the obesity problem. Richard Daynard, Lauren Hash, and Anthony Robbins discuss the future of this food litigation.