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State faces crisis of lazy teens

The Associated Press
Tuesday September 26, 2000

SAN FRANCISCO — Far from their image as beach-loving fitness freaks, California’s high schoolers are growing alarmingly fat and lazy on a steady diet of potato chips and video games, according to a study released Monday by the Berkeley-based Public Health Institute. 

If their habits don’t change, a third of the state’s two million teens could face “chronic and debilitating health problems” like diabetes, heart disease and cancer by their early 30s. At particular risk are Hispanic and black teens, whose chances of being overweight can be twice the rate of their white and Asian-American peers. 

The survey asked 1,200 teens to describe their eating and exercise patterns over the course of the previous day. Researchers said that though the questions covered just one day, the large number of respondents lets them generalize about broader behaviors. 

The study was released Monday to help open a two-day summit on teen health that begins Wednesday in Sacramento. 

“This is the best time of their life. It’s never going to get better than now,” said Dr. Carmen Nevarez, vice president of the institute. “We have to really do something.” 

The researchers say things are getting worse; Teen-agers are eating worse than their parents. For example, the study concluded, adolescents were twice as likely as adults to eat deep-fried foods. 

Nevarez encourages parents to set a table without junk food and schedule at least an hour of exercise each day. But that can be hard when many moms and dads subsist on french fries and puff uncontrollably after conquering a few stairs themselves. 

Diet is a major reason why minority children tend to be more overweight, said Arnell Hinkle, executive director of the California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program. Her Berkeley-based nonprofit agency develops nutrition and exercise programs in poorer neighborhoods. 

“It’s the environment of low-income neighborhoods, the corner stores,” Hinkle said. “It’s much easier to have access to sodas than vegetables.” 

But you don’t have to switch neighborhoods or put children on a crash diet. Simple changes, like walking instead of driving, cooking instead of eating out, and ignoring that sweet tooth, are all good first steps, the study said. 

Arellys Calderon, 22, said she doesn’t allow her 18-month-old son to eat candy, but she knows her taste for doughnuts and potato chips may rub off on him.