Feature Story

December 3, 2007

Preventing Childhood Obesity: the Need to Create Healthy Places

United Way of Greater Los Angeles:

Preventing Childhood Obesity: the Need to Create Healthy Places has been

This brief published by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health examines the relationship between childhood obesity, economic hardship and availability of open spaces in dozens of LA County cities and communities. The brief defines economic hardship as an index of 6 indicators that includes poverty, as well as educational attainment. Childhood obesity rates are ranked and comparisons with each community are provided. Finally, general recommendations on what communities and cities can do to reduce obesity rates are presented.

Selected Findings:

* In the city of Los Angeles, about one quarter of children are considered obese.
* There is a general correlation between greater amounts of open space in communities (such as parks) and lower rates of childhood obesity.
* Manhattan Beach is ranked as the community with the lowest rate of obesity (4% of children), while Maywood has the highest percentage of obese children (37%).
* LA County has about the same rate of childhood obesity as LA City: 23%.
* Of all the cities and communities ranked, Hermosa Beach has the least economic hardship, and it has one of the lowest rates of childhood obesity: 7.4%.