Erich “Coach E” Nall By Erich "Coach E" Nall We are facing a
tremendous problem in our country today. This problem is even
more prevalent in our African American and Latino communities.
The problem is obesity. Statistics indicate that 16-33% of
adolescent children between ages 4-13 are considered obese. The
rate of obesity among teenagers from ages 13-17 is already at
30%. By the end of 2010, 40%, almost half, of our children will
be considered obese or overweight. Obesity leads to many
ailments that children in the above groups are experiencing,
such as early diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and very
high cholesterol levels. In 2009, more than 300,000 children
passed due to problems associated with being overweight. We have
to come up with a solution. Let's look at the contributing
factors to obesity in our families today. The first is the
intake of foods that are high in calories. Our fast food nation
has provided our communities with a constant supply of oversized
portions that are excessively high i