Heavyweights Join Child Obesity Fight

At a school in Harlem, two men from Arkansas who know a lot about dieting declared war Tuesday on childhood obesity, which they said could lead to heart disease, diabetes and shortened life spans.

Former President Bill Clinton, whose heart disease and love of burgers and barbecue have been well-chronicled, and the once-obese Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who’s pushing a book about his weight-loss success, joined with the American Heart Assn. in announcing their health campaign.

“The truth is that children born today could become part of the first generation in American history to live shorter lives than their parents because so many are eating too much of the wrong things and not exercising enough,” Clinton said.

Huckabee said he lost 110 pounds after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

“Two years ago I would not have been asked to be here today to speak to this issue, for the simple reason that I would have been about the worst role model you could have had,” Huckabee said. “My doctor sat me down and said if you don’t change your lifestyle you’re in the last decade of your life.”

Estimates are that 16% of U.S. children are obese and up to a third are overweight or obese.

The pair announced the effort at a school gym around the corner from the hospital where Clinton had heart bypass surgery last year.

Although they described few specific measures, they said they would work with schools, communities, the restaurant and food industry and the media to develop programs and policies designed to encourage healthier food choices and more exercise.

“We’re going to give this our best shot because we want all these children to live to be 90 years old and to be healthy doing it,” Clinton said.

Robert Eckel, president-elect of the heart association, said that “even more disturbing than the actual prevalence of obesity in children is the startling rate at which obesity is rising. The rate has doubled in children and tripled in teens in just the last 25 years.”