Comment Log Display

I write as family physician from Long Beach and a consultant on
diabetes and obesity prevention for the Long Beach DHHS and wish
to point out how CARBS changes to the built might affect the
health of my city beyond the obvious respiratory benefits to
reducing air pollution.

First know Long Beach has one of the highest rates of diabetes and
obesity in the state in both adults and children. This is a major
public health problem. Like physicians and public heath
departments everywhere we struggle daily to reverse the trend as
well as find resources to treat diabetes - a costly disease

Twenty-four percent of our 5-19 year old children are overweight
and the majority of these will be overweight as adults at high
risk for diabetes. Our children are also unfit. In Long Beach,
more than 25% of children in 5th grade and 45% of 9th graders did
not score in the healthy fitness zone on the California physical
fitness test. The problem is multi-factorial but a lack of
physical activity is important.

If CARB’s built environment made families feel it is safe to let
there children bike or walk to school this would help turn the
tide of childhood obesity.  How much is unsure but consider that
in 1960 more than 60% of children walked or biked to school. 
Today that number is only 13% - many people don’t have safe
routes. If built environment changes double the number of children
who walk to school it would increase fitness and decrease obesity. 
For example, if a 60 pound child, a walking a mile each way to and
from school they would burn an extra 100 calories per day. Over
the school year, that extra 100 calories per day would equal five
pounds of energy expended. In a small child 5 pounds may be enough
to make an overweight child normal weight and more fit. 

How would the CARB changes affect our adults? In Long Beach, 25%
of adults are obese and 38% are overweight. Currently, Long Beach
has a rate of diabetes approaching 10% - which is almost twice the
rate of 1999 and higher than the LA county average. 

If even 10% of our adult population were able to change their
method of transportation to and from auto to walking we could
potentially reverse the trend in obesity. For example a 15 minute
one way walk, the average 150 pound person would burn
approximately 200 extra calories per day. Over the course of a
year, those individuals that would burn 52,000 calories more than
they would have otherwise – 52,000 calories is equal to 15 pounds!


This is of course only speculative but it demonstrates the
potential benefit adoption of the Global Warming Solutions Act
could have to an unaddressed area of health. A detailed statewide
analysis of how changes in the built environment affect the
obesity epidemic and diabetes must be included for a complete
picture to emerge.  If these measures would avert even a small
portion of the costs associated with treating diabetes and
obesity, millions of dollars could be saved annually. Finally, it
must be emphasized that the costs averted translate to suffering
prevented – by preventing diabetes and its consequences–
blindness, kidney failure, limb amputation, and early death. 
Thank you
Dr. Julie Bolton 
Public Health Physician Consultant
City