Hollister
– San Benito County falls below state averages in youth fitness
and nutrition, according to a new study on the well-being of
children throughout the state.
Hollister – San Benito County falls below state averages in youth fitness and nutrition, according to a new study on the well-being of children throughout the state.
The study, conducted by Children Now, compiled data taken over the last several years on California counties while looking at children’s health, socioeconomic status and education.
The findings showed that while more children here have regular access to a doctor than the statewide average, they are less active and more likely to be overweight.
Thirty-nine percent of San Benito County children are overweight, compared with 33 percent statewide and 32 percent in the Central Coast region, according to the study.
The trend toward youth obesity is of particular concern to public officials because they are uncertain why such rates are higher in this county.
“I don’t know that it’s any different than the reasons anywhere else,” said Dr. Liz Falade, San Benito County Public Health Services officer. “Children are doing less activities at school and they are not encouraged enough to go outside and play.”
Childhood health in the Hollister area has concerned healthcare professionals like Falade and other city and county officials.
“This (information) is going to have great implications for our community and particularly the education community,” San Benito County Superintendent Tim Foley said. “I would be interested in seeing what we have to do to remedy it.”
Foley said he was not surprised by that number, but he was disheartened to hear it.
“We have ample opportunity for fast food around here. You can’t go anywhere in town and be very far from a fast food stand,” Foley said. “In schools, the emphasis has been on serving healthier food, but perhaps our message is not getting through.”
Falade said she thought if San Benito County were more pedestrian- and biker-friendly, there would be an increase in activity among children.
“As we become more technology based and less connected to our food sources and we don’t walk places, it’s bad,” she said.
Even before the study, she noted, the San Benito County Health and Human Services Agency had been aware of an obesity problem among children. Falade believes addressing it requires a multi-pronged approach.
“I really think it will take all of us acting together in the areas that we have influence to get children to eat better,” she said, adding that one of the problems in addressing the issue was the lack of funding.
Children Now used data from the census, the California Department of Health and the California Health Interview Survey.
