Obesity rates still climbing

By PATRICIA NORRIS

pnorris@repub.com

SPRINGFIELD - Put the doughnut down and move away from it!

Although Massachusetts' obesity rate is among the lowest in the nation, public health officials say the battle of the bulge is not over, and in many areas it hasn't even begun.

Thirty-one states across the country showed an increase in obesity last year, including Massachusetts, according to a report released yesterday by the advocacy group Trust for America's Health. The ever-expanding national waistline has led some public health experts to conclude that being fat is not all about personal choice.

Higher-priced healthy foods, unsafe neighborhoods and the addictive-like properties of some sugary foods are worsening the problem, they say.

"There are a lot of great efforts out there, but in order to curb the overall obesity problem, there need to be some comprehensive federal- and state-mandated changes that occur communitywide," said pediatrician Dr. Crystal Wittcopp, director of the Pediatric Weight Management clinic at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

Wittcopp likens obesity's effects to the public health problems tobacco has caused. Changes in healthy food pricing and the way food is labeled would go a long way in building an arsenal to fight fat, she said.

Safe neighborhood initiatives would also be a plus because it would help free people up to exercise, public health officials say.

"If we're urging people to walk more, and their streets are not safe, that's an unrealistic expectation," said Jeff Levi, Trust for America's executive director. "If we're urging people to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and they don't have access to a supermarket or the cost is beyond their capacity, then we're not asking them to take responsibility for something they have control over."

But Sally Fogerty, assistant commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, said Massachusetts' low ranking in the report shows progress is being made here.

"We have been working hard over the last several years to get the message across that individuals need to be eating fruits and vegetables and need to increase their amount of physical activity," said Fogerty, adding that the state has expanded nutrition initiatives in its Women, Infant and Children programming and is partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield to bring nutrition and exercise programming to 112 middle schools. "We are really looking at the programs and how we can continue to get our message across," she said.

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