Obesity An Issue For Indiana Children

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(UNDATED) - A health expert says Indiana needs to help its children fight obesity.

Doctor Elizabeth Nabel is the director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. She says, "Indiana is not doing so well, to be quite honest."

29 percent of Hoosier children are at risk for being overweight. 15-percent are actually obese.

As rates of overweight children and adolescents continue to rise, the federal government is highlighting the "We Can" campaign. That stands for Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition.

The Association of Children's Museums is now part of the campaign and is helping families by encouraging healthier behaviors in young people.

South Bend and Gary were two of the original three sites for this campaign in 1995. Indiana communities involved in the campaign this year include: East Chicago, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Gary, Goshen , Greensburg, Huntington, Indianapolis, Lafayette, Michigan City, Mishawaka, Plymouth, Poland, South Bend, Valparaiso, and Columbus.

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