Study Asks Who's to Blame for Childhood Obesity?

FM Staff

Is childhood obesity an individual or societal issue? And who should be tasked with the responsibility to respond to the rising epidemic?

A new poll commissioned by Research America and the Endocrine Society asked those questions and found that 52 percent of Americans think obesity is a public health issue.

With that, the responsibility to help address obesity lies to some or a great extent with parents (98 percent agree), individuals (96 percent), schools (87 percent), health care providers (84 percent), the food industry (81 percent) and government (67 percent).

The study also found that 67% would be willing to pay $1 per week more in taxes if they were certain the money would fund research to improve health.