Health Forum Aims to Address Childhood Obesity

By: Bill Steckis Email

Updated: Fri 5:57 AM, Oct 19, 2012

Fifty school districts attend a health forum at Norris High School in Firth to address concerns for childhood obesity.

As bow-hunting exhibitions take over the Norris High School gymnasium, a health forum aims to promote healthy lifestyles.

The Nebraska Healthy Schools Forum, sponsored by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation attracts 50 different Nebraska school districts.

Health officials focus in on the challenge of raising healthier kids by addressing topics like nutrition, physical fitness, medical issues, and new information on childhood obesity.

"They are using a low hypoglycemic index diet for epilepsy and if the kids eat a healthier diet, they may have a better chance of getting control of their seizures," said Laura Neece-Baltaro of the Epilepsy Foundation.

"Represented at today's conference there are nearly 100 different school representatives of school wellness councils," said John Skretta, Norris School District Superintendent. "It's obviously fundamental to what schools need to be doing because as Dr. Breed, our Commissioner of Education said in his opening remarks today, healthy kids live better, healthy kids learn better."

It's a mantra adopted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, one of many physical fitness representatives on hand.

"It's very important at the Game and Parks Commission. We are all about getting kids outside, getting them engaged in the natural world but just getting them interested however they see fit," said Aaron Hershberger, Game and Parks Commission.