February 18, 2010

By John Mayo (D)

DeSoto County

Mississippi House of Representatives

We're in chambers now, voting on resolutions and a few bills on the calendar.

At 1 today we heard from Dr. John Hall of the University of Mississippi  Medical

Center.  The Center is putting together a world class research and strategy center to not only study obesity but come up with plans for reducing the problem.

His presentation was a eye opener as to the growth of obesity nationwide.  He is sending me his power point which I will put on my website. 

What was amazing was the rapid growth over the last 20 years where Mississippi and Alabama were the only two states that had a rate of over 15 percent, the highest rating at that time. Since then, three more levels have had to be added with the last being over 30 percent, where Mississippi still leads, and now only one state is below 20 percent or 15 percent, and that was Colorado.

In a CNN report I saw three-to-four weeks ago, the military is finding that recruiting is having a small but increasing problem because of the growing numbers of obese men and women.

Yes, this is a problem bigger than tobacco and after hearing Dr. Hall's presentation, one I am now more committed to playing a part in resolving than ever.

Maybe my two cent per ounce tax with subsequent funding of prevention members is not the whole answer, but it is certainly better than what I heard in yesterday's meeting to "do something, but not this."

More later

By the way, the University of Mississippi is sponsoring a "Worldwide Conference on

Obesity" here in Jackson in November.  He noted Mississippi should be the leader in this area because people from all over the world are using our state as a laboratory.

John