Initiative Hopes to Reduce Obesity Related Illnesses
With the 2013 passage of the Feed to Achieve Act, the Senate has followed up by introducing the West Virginia Move to Improve Act, or Senate Bill 455, in an effort to battle childhood obesity. According to a 2009 study, adult obesity costs West Virginia $8.9 million per year, while childhood obesity equates to $198.1 million in Medicaid costs. These obesity rates result in West Virginia having some of the highest rates in type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, arthritis, and obesity-related cancers. The Move to Improve Act would strengthen physical activity requirements, train instructors to provide encouragement for a healthier lifestyle, and providing healthy meals for students.
Current West Virginia law requires elementary school students to have 30 minutes of physical education at least three days a week. Moderate to vigorous exercise is recommended for 50 percent of class time, but the West Virginia Medical Journal found that these classes provide this for less than 27 percent of time. This bill would increase the requirement to a minimum of 30 minutes per day spent on physical activity, with a required 50 percent of that being moderate to vigorous exercise time.
To ensure the increase in physical activity does not reduce time spent on other subjects, lead sponsor Senator John Unger (D-Berkeley) said this would be integrated into the classroom for an innovative learning experience. Teachers and staff would receive proper training on different ways to integrate physical activity into lessons and how to encourage this healthy lifestyle to become a lifelong habit. The bill would also require all physical education class be taught by a certified physical education teacher.
Along with physical activity, legislators are hoping nutritious meals and snacks will help West Virginia’s obesity rates. The Feed to Achieve Act from the previous session makes free, nutritious breakfasts and lunches available to all students through nonprofit donators. The money raised may be used in a variety of programs approved by the Office of Child Nutrition.
Legislators hope these initiatives will have a positive effect on education, physical and mental health and the economy. By being physically active and eating nutritious foods, a child’s mind is said to be more focused. Senator Ron Stollings (D-Boone) said the bill would take the proper steps to reverse obesity-related illnesses and create a healthier, less expensive lifestyle for the state of West Virginia. A study by the Institute of Medicine found a connection between physical activity and muscle strength, lower body fat, stronger bones, and improved cardiovascular and metabolic health. The study also found it resulted in reduced anxiety and depression, as well as an increased self-esteem.
According to Stollings, taking the proper measures now will help these children in the long run.
“The studies show that if you’re an obese as a child, you’re going to be obese as an adult,” Stollings said. “This goes a long way to help our childhood obesity and would help prevent type 2 diabetes, hypertension, arthritis—all those other things that come about when a child is obese.”
The Move to Improve Act has been passed by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources and is being considered by the Committee on Education.
