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Letter from the Editor

Taking on childhood obesity

Fighting obesity and tobacco, while searching for tomorrow's health leaders.

Your editor practices what she preaches. At Dr. Cory's home, her grandkids must learn to swim--and early, too!

From the March/April 2006 Issue

The health team at the Post is on a mission! Our goal is to address the crisis of obesity in American children. During the past two decades, the percentage of children who are overweight has more than tripled, leading to a rise in adult onset diabetes. Once considered extremely rare among American youth, adult onset diabetes is now being treated in children's hospitals in unheard-of numbers.

Through the Post and our seven children's health magazines, we are also tackling tobacco and other drug addictions that face America's youth.

To reach our goal, each year we invite children from around the country to Indianapolis to compete in a variety of sport, academic, and musical competitions—activities that keep children engaged and excited about learning. We search the country over for the brightest and best…for the smart, fit kids who want to compete with other countries to excel in science, medicine, genetics, nutrition, and sports.

Many eager young participants spend months practicing swimming turns, track speeds, soccer, basketball, tennis, and even putting. The goal is to compete with their peers for
trophies, prizes, and scholarships.

Some come for second and third years. Last year, an eight-year-old won the spelling bee and went to Washington, D.C., as a Jack and Jill cub reporter at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She hopes to compete there next. We like to think of our Jack and Jill National Spelling Bee in April as the minor league event leading up to the annual Scripps Bee each May.

Our spelling list includes health foods from around the world, because we want kids to cook healthy foods.

We want to spark their interest in strong bodies, so we give them "body parts" word lists to learn.
To nurture generations of "Smart Fit Kids," we get children on the learning track early. We advocate "Think College," "Think Reading," "Think Sports," "Think Excellence!"

Throughout it all, we emphasize fun!

Children who compete in track, swimming, tennis, piano, or national spelling competitions are too engaged to risk their chances of success by smoking or using drugs.

Is your child or grandchild a swimmer, a gifted speller, soccer champ or a basketball hot shot? If so, we invite you to send that child to our 16th Annual Tulip Time Scholarship Games on April 22, 2006.
To learn more about the games and to register, please see the announcement on page 64 or visit our Web site at www.scholarshipgames.org.

I hope that you will continue to support our ongoing effort to promote health and prevent disease

-- Cory SerVaas, M.D.

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