The future of any nation lies in its children.  If recent British studies are correct, American children are preparing for a sad destiny.

            In Britain, about a third of mothers are now classified as obese.  American figures are worse.  Academic physicians in London followed hundreds of pregnant obese women, wishing to test the long observed results that large mothers have large children.

            A full 13.4% of the London children were high weight births.  What was not expected was that 18.8% of the infants were low weight births.

            Most pediatricians fear low weight infants. In later years, they experience many problems with development, and at school.

            Other results were worse.  A full 11.9% of the London infants were born premature, approximately twice BritainÕs national average.  Pre-eclampsia, which puts both the motherÕs and the childÕs survival at risk, clocked in at 11.7% of first births, versus about 2% in the population at whole.

            A few days later another London hospital reported on birth defects in obese mothers.  The rates of spina bifida and other neural tube defects were twice the population average, along with high numbers of heart defects and cleft palate.

            Deaths during pregnancy are rising in Britain despite greater medical and public health attention.  Over half the deaths occur amongst the obese.

            The bottom line   Š children of obese mothers start off life with more birth defects; more developmental delays; more troubles in school; higher rates of cardiovascular disease; and much higher rates of diabetes in later life.

The American Condition

            Obesity is increasing in the US, especially amongst the poor, who with the economic crisis are more numerous.  If youÕre poor, you have to survive on food stamps.  Since the passage of the Welfare Reform bill in 1996, food stamps are often the main public assistance poor mothers obtain.

            What can you get for food stamp money?  The foods providing the most calories, the biggest bang for the buck, are the same foods heavily subsidized through our national farm bills. What you can afford to feed families, especially big families, is lots of pasta and processed starches.  If youÕre poor and you need calories for growing children, a lot of the cheapest calories come from junk food.

            Southern states like Mississippi have the highest rates of obesity.  In studies of poor southern mothers, starches and junk food are exactly what they buy.  Commonly a fair bit of these calories come from soft drinks, where the main nourishment is provided by high fructose corn syrup.

            There are many arguments whether high fructose corn syrup is worse than cane or beet derived sugar.  If youÕre a growing infant, you donÕt want much of either.  You want mixed nutrients of many kinds, with different proteins, complex carbohydrates, vegetable based fats, anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins. ThatÕs food most poor mothers canÕt afford.
            The result of our present national food policies is that obese people get more obese.  Pregnant obese women often gain a great deal of weight during pregnancy, which then makes for more medical complications for child and mother.

            This will cost us a packet.  An inefficient, over laden health care system is hardly doing a brilliant job at prenatal care.  Even now our infant mortality statistics are twice those of countries like Singapore.  Children of obese mothers will be born sicker, will have more problems in school, and will develop expensive, chronic illnesses at early ages.  Type 2 diabetes was unheard of in children thirty years ago.  Now, itÕs common. Predictions are that a third of American children will grow up to become diabetic.  For children of obese mothers, the disease will come earlier and harder. 

What To Do

            The national debate about health care obscures the main problem Š we need to discuss health, not health care. The economy and future productivity of the nation are determined to a high extent by the health of the population.  There is no benefit to making your country sicker.

            Which is what present policies have accomplished.  Health is linked to how we live Š how we move, what we do, what we eat.  Subsidizing agribusiness to create cheap products that creates a more obese population only ensures our future health care costs will dwarf our capacities to pay them.

            And then there are the human costs.  ItÕs truly sad dealing with an obese, diabetic kid.  Many of the pleasures of youth pass them by.  They canÕt play like other kids.  The medications they take slow them down physically and mentally. In a nation focused on weight, they are treated with social ostracism.

            Farm bills are not just food bills, theyÕre health bills.  Hopefully a new administration will pay attention to proposals that cut budgets and improve national health.  There isnÕt enough money to pay for what we need now.

            Do we have to make our future worse?

Dr. Matthew Edlund practices sleep medicine and psychiatry in Sarasota.  His new book, Designed To Last, is available online. He can be reached at 365-4308 and via his Web site at doctoredlund.com.