Legislative committee tackles obesity rate in Nevada

By Cy Ryan

Wednesday, May 26, 2010 | 5:16 p.m.

CARSON CITY – Nevadans are an overweight group, and a legislative health committee is trying to figure out how to turn that around.

Two-thirds of the adult population in Clark County is overweight, a county health official says.

State statistics show 38 percent of Nevada children are either overweight or obese. That’s above the national average.

Health officials and doctors outlined programs Wednesday to the legislative committee, which will make its recommendation for law changes in July.

Drs. William Evans and Gary Mayman, who operate the Children’s Heart Center in Las Vegas, told the committee they have an innovative program to treat children who are overweight. It’s been operating for 10 years and has shown “highly successful” results.

It’s a 12-week program for children 7 and up and involves the whole family. It calls for a decrease in simple sugars such as sweet drinks, an increase in drinking water, adequate proteins and adequate fruits and vegetables.

Physical exercise is required, Evans told the committee, and it requires an effort by the entire family. The family must eat together and sit at a table with the TV off. Part of the program requires eating fruits or vegetables with every meal and drinking a glass of water before the meal.

Dr. Mayman said the physicians don’t have data on whether these children continue to lose weight after leaving the 12-week program. He said that information is being gathered.

Dr. Evans said it was “not a money-maker” but they have a “passion” to see these children lose weight.

The children are seen at almost no charge, they told the committee.

Nicole Bungum of the Southern Nevada Health District said 70 percent of children who are overweight carry it into adulthood.

Bungum, supervisor of the office of chronic disease prevention and health, said there are a number of programs available from the health district and schools to keep the weight down.

Two-thirds of the adults in Clark County are overweight, she told the committee.

Both the doctors and Bungum said there are programs on teaching people how to shop. Families are taught to read labels on packages of food and are given instructions on eating out.

“Surprisingly, there can be even healthy choices at McDonald’s,” Evans said. I know it’s been maligned but you can actually eat healthy at McDonald’s if you pick the right things.”

Kandi Qualls of the state Health Division told the committee that 20 percent of children in grades four, seven and 10, were obese in the 2007-2008 period. In Clark County the rate was 22 percent. The national average was 17 percent.

Qualls didn't have a specific reason why Nevada kids have a higher obesity rate than the national average. Part of it is likely the lifestyle and the culture, she said.

The committee will make recommendations to improve these programs and present them to the 2011 Legislature.