COLUMBUS - The Ohio Department of Health last week announced a new initiative to combat childhood obesity across the state. The early childhood obesity prevention grant program will fund high-need communities and build on existing community-based obesity prevention efforts. The state will provide $500,000 for the program in each of the next two years.

“More than one third of children are overweight or obese in Ohio,” said Dr. Ted Wymyslo, director at the Ohio Department of Health. “Ohio is ranked as the 12th worst state for childhood obesity. Chronic diseases and their risk factors, such as obesity, are estimated to cost Ohio nearly $60 billion annually in health-care costs and lost productivity. Without significant change these costs are projected to increase by nearly $100 billion by 2023.”

The program will take a holistic approach to early childhood obesity prevention by coordinating messages around physical activity and nutrition for children birth to 5 years of age. The health department says that evidence shows that efforts to reverse the upward trend of childhood body mass index should focus primarily on preventing obesity in those who are not yet overweight, specifically in the youngest age groups, as nutritional and physical activity habits are being developed.

Noting that childhood health and behaviors are directly influenced by parental health and behaviors, the health department says that the program will also focus on identifying parents who are at risk for or currently diagnosed with a chronic disease such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Parents will be referred to community resources to reduce their risk for or improve their control of their chronic disease.

Funded counties will work with their early childhood education centers, health-care systems and providers (both public and private), public health providers (such as Head Start), and other community partners (like YMCAs) to coordinate parent-centered education around physical activity and nutrition.