New Vancouver health centre tackles childhood obesity
Last Updated: Friday, October 6, 2006 | 3:29 PM PT
CBC News
The British Columbia government plans to spend $400,000 a year on a new centre to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity in the province.
Gordon Hogg, minister of state for ActNow B.C., made the announcement Thursday at the Childhood and Adolescent Obesity Conference in Vancouver.
The new Centre for Healthy Weights is based at B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver and will treat up to 200 families every year.
The program is designed to help children and families change their lifestyles through counselling, diet and exercise.
Recent statistics reveal that nearly 25 per cent of Canadian children are considered overweight or obese. Hogg said the government is looking at a holistic approach to address the issue.
"I think it is frightening to think that the next generation of children will be the first generation to not live longer than their parents," he said.
Childhood Obesity Program 
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