Research at Indiana University

Cognitive, Behavioral, and Economic Approaches to Childhood and Adolescent Obesity Conference

Friday, September 5, 2008
2:00 Remarks - Wylie Hall 005

Welcome to the afternoon sessions of today's conference. My name is Sarita Soni, Vice Provost for Research at Indiana University. It is indeed a pleasure to spend a few moments with you and to thank you for the energy and time you are expending to consider the critical aspects related to obesity which is so prevalent in our society. Reviewing the list of speakers, I am impressed at the wide range of topics that are being addressed in little more than one day.

In the state of Indiana alone, obesity continues to climb. Although the state dropped in the national rankings, from 9th to 11th, a recent report found that 27.5 percent of Hoosier adults are obese, up from last year's figure of 26.8 percent. Children and adolescents don't fair much better in the U.S. in general - since the 80's there has been more than a three-fold increase in overweight children and young adolescents.

There are no quick fixes, but this conference and the work that has preceded it will help to identify better solutions to turning around this growing epidemic.

The newly established Bureau for Social Sciences Research here at IU funded last year's cross-disciplinary conference on obesity that helped to jump-start efforts that followed. The creation of a working group got busy right after the conference and succeeded at garnering more funding through the USDA as well as through an internal grant program in my office called the Faculty Research Support Program (FRSP). This too was a multi-disciplinary effort, combining faculty expertise in the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

I applaud all your efforts and hope the momentum from this conference will help establish more multi-disciplinary initiatives that will aid in the quest for wellness and good health among our children and adolescents.

Enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your stay in Bloomington.