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The percentage of overweight children has doubled in the past 20 years. The percentage of overweight adolescents has almost tripled. Children in Tennessee and the nation are facing a health crisis. An estimated 15 percent of six- to 19-year-olds are considered overweight (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2002).Some statistics indicate the numbers of Tennessee children who are overweight could be as high as 46 percent (Monroe County Coordinated School Health Program, 2003). The impact on our health-care system is staggering. The total medical cost attributed to obesity in Tennessee was estimated at $1,840 million in 2003 (Obesity Research, Jan. 2004). The Tennessee Healthy Weight Network was formed to address the childhood weight issue. The network is a public/private partnership composed of 27 organizations and agencies. One of the first accomplishments of this network was to develop a state plan. This plan is designed to guide Tennessee communities to implement policies and educational programs to prevent or reduce overweight among children. View a copy of this state plan by clicking on this link.
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