An expert told this reporter in an interview about childhood obesity that it remains a major threat to kids’ health, the emotional issues surrounding it are at least as important – if not more so. And these issues aren’t covered often in the media.
Dr. William H. Dietz is the director of the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Prior to his appointment, he was a professor of pediatrics at the Tufts University School of Medicine and director of clinical nutrition at the Floating Hospital of New England Medical Center Hospitals. His work in the field of pediatric obesity includes the first study to demonstrate the relationship between television viewing and obesity, the earliest report that overweight was increasing among U.S.
Ms. Ikeda is a nutrition education specialist with the College of Natural Resources' cooperative extension. She is a nationally recognized expert on pediatric obesity and the dietary practices of ethnic and immigrant populations. She is a pioneer in conducting community collaborative research on the food habits and dietary quality of California's low-income, immigrant and ethnic populations, and has developed culturally sensitive and relevant educational programs for these groups.
