Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) –A recent report identifying rising obesity rates among the state’s elementary school children shows the total share of kindergarteners who met the criteria for overweight or obese was 34.8% while 42.9% of third-grade students met the criteria. Rita Condon, the manager for the NMDOH Obesity, Nutrition and Physical Activity Program says that while the data may not reflect the whole state, it nonetheless “can tell us that there’s real work to be done in our non-metro areas around healthy food access and physical activity opportunities. Adding, that blaming, stigmatizing or bullying people about weight has consequences. Condon also stressed the need for effective policy solutions to address the issue, such as broader transportation options to grocery stores; more options for locally-grown produce; and creating safer parks or bike lines in communities.
