This week health care leaders from across the state gathered at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center to announce new health outcomes goals, steps being taken to address obesity in Louisiana, and to issue a challenge to the people of Louisiana to eat healthier and exercise more. The announcement was made in conjunction with a release of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center's annual report, Louisiana’s Report Card on Physical Activity and Health for Children and Youth. This is the fourth year Pennington Biomedical has released such a report. Instead of releasing a letter grade, though, this year’s report takes a new approach by establishing baseline data for each of the key 19 obesity indicators that Pennington tracks and then setting specific statewide targets for improvement in each indicator by 2020.

The data and targets in the 2011 Louisiana’s Report Card on Physical Activity and Health for Children and Youth are specific to the population of children and youth in Louisiana and take a more aggressive approach than the national objectives. The report calls for a 20 percent improvement in physical traits such as obesity and physical fitness, and a 40 percent improvement in modifiable behaviors such as physical activity and nutrition by 2020.

For a copy of the Report Card summary and the full research report, go to the PBRC website or www.louisianareportcard.org.