Massachusetts Health Policy Forum

Childhood Obesity in Massachusetts: Costs, Consequences and Opportunities for Change

Forum held on June 19, 2008

Nearly 30 percent of children in Massachusetts are overweight or obese, and the number of overweight children has more than tripled in the past three decades. Unchecked, the individual and public health costs and consequences of this epidemic will become increasingly severe.

At this forum the latest data on the extent of this epidemic, cost consequences, and potential solutions for improving child nutrition and physical fitness were presented.

Featured speakers included Commissioner of Public Health, John Auerbach, the Senate Chair of the Committee on Public Health, Susan Fargo, the Mayor of Somerville, Joseph A. Curtatone, and Superintendent of Worcester Public Schools, James A. Caradonio.

This event was co-sponsored by The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation's Growing up Healthy Initiative. 

Agenda

Issue Brief

Conference Findings

Presentation