PRESS RELEASE
August 31, 2007
Supervisor Slater-Price Touts County’s Childhood Obesity Program
RANCHO BERNARDO – Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pushed his health care reform initiative during a news conference at Pearl Restaurant on Aug. 31, with area leaders including county Supervisor Pam Slater-Price.
Schwarzenegger said his plan will fix the broken health care system by making health care more affordable and accessible. The issue must be taken up by the Legislature before it recesses for the year on Sept. 14.
“Comprehensive reform has to be based on shared responsibility. Everyone has to pitch in, that way everyone will benefit,” Gov. Schwarzenegger said at the event.
A broad range of business, health care and local elected officials, including Slater-Price who represents Rancho Bernardo, spoke at the event in support of health care reform.
The plan makes up four components of reform, which includes rewarding healthy choices and containing costs. This component supports efforts to fight chronic conditions including obesity – an issue that greatly concerns Slater-Price.
Slate-Price spoke about her help in establishing the San Diego County Childhood Obesity Initiative. For this initiative, the County hired a Childhood Obesity coordinator and established a Leadership Council made up of area residents to promote healthy choices.
“Obesity has been labeled the single greatest public health threat,” Slater-Price said. “And it’s no wonder. Can you think of another condition predicted to shorten the life span of children to less than that of their parents?”
Slater-Price said that obesity kills more Americans every year than AIDS, all cancers and all accidents combined.
And California shares a good portion of that problem, she said. A report released on Monday, Aug. 27, indicates that California has the 32nd highest rate of overweight children – only 18 other states rank higher.
Obesity is also a costly problem, she said. The costs linked to obesity reach $21.7 billion a year, and about $75 billion nationwide – about half of those costs are paid by taxpayers.
“Childhood obesity is a complex problem and it requires comprehensive solutions that can be tackled through partnerships on all sides,” Slater-Price said.
Other event speakers included San Diego North Chamber of Commerce Chair Jim Roth, Scripps Healthcare President and CEO Chris Van Gorder, and San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Ruben Barrales.
To watch the news conference online, visit http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/7306/. To learn more about the County Childhood Obesity Initiative, visit Slater-Price’s homepage at www.sdcounty.ca.gov/bos3.
