Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito county health departments will be releasing regional and county-level data about the consumption of sugary drinks.
The new data will include information about the types of beverages youth are drinking and the implications this has for the obesity epidemic in the area.
The meeting is open to the public and begins at 1 p.m. Friday in the Whitney Rooms of the Monterey County Health Department at 1270 Natividad Road in Salinas.
Obesity is a public health crisis in California and the epidemic is especially of concern on the Central Coast, according to a press release from the Monterey County Health Department.
In San Benito County, 70 percent of adults and teenagers are overweight or obese, a problem that is exacerbated by the consumption of sugary beverages. In the nearby Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties, 57 percent of adults and teenagers are overweight or obese.
The speakers at this meeting will be San Benito County Health Officer Dr. Anju Goel, Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez and Monterey County Health Officer Dr. Edward Moreno, along with State Sen. Bill Monning and Monterey County Supervisor Jane Parker.
The report will also provide recommendations to improve the health and lives of residents.
