Childhood obesity was a concern in Georgia even before the pandemic.
It undoubtedly got worse after COVID-19 hit, as children and teenagers shifted into more sedentary behavior.
In a new GHN Commentary, Jennifer Owens of HealthMPowers and Debbie Kibbe of the Georgia Health Policy Center emphasize that the state can’t just “tread water’’ on dealing with obesity among children, but must take bold action.
“The latest Kids Count data shows we need to do even more if we are going to shift the trajectory, especially in this moment as we re-engage millions of children who have spent over a year tied to devices for learning and entertainment, and in many cases have endured long periods of isolation,’’ they write.