One in Three Children in Pacifica Overweight

This week a statewide report explained youth obesity rates, placing Pacifica one percent below the county average.

According to the study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, 33.1 percent of Pacifica youth, or approximately one in three children, is overweight or obese as of 2010.

South San Francisco had the highest rate of cities studied in San Mateo County at 47 percent, and Burlingame had the lowest at 24.4 percent.

Researchers studied more than 250 California cities with populations over 20,000, finding a statewide average of 38 percent of children being overweight or obese. San Francisco came in at 31.7 percent.

Manhattan Beach had the lowest rate at 11 percent, and Huntington Park had the highest rate at 53 percent.

Last month, Patch on a national study from the Institute of Medicine on how community support can mitigate and prevent obesity in individuals. Here are a few of that study's recommendations for community engagement:

• requiring at least 60 minutes per day of physical education and activity in schools
• industry-wide guidelines on which foods and beverages can be marketed to children and how
• expansion of workplace wellness programs
• taking full advantage of physicians' roles to advocate for obesity prevention with patients and in the community
• increasing the availability of lower-calorie, healthier children's meals in restaurants

For a wider look at health in the region, in April, Patch on a study that ranked San Mateo County as the fifth healthiest in California, behind Marin, Santa Clara, San Benito and Placer counties.

Find a full list of cities from the recent youth obesity report here.

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