CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN AMERICA
WORLDWIDE COVERGE AT DRISCOLL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

March 9, 2004
11am-12pm
4th floor Joseph M. Sloan Medical Building

(Corpus Christi, TX) Childhood obesity in America is reaching record numbers and the children of South Texas are adding on to the statistics of this growing problem. Child obesity can lead to a number of complications in early life to adulthood. One of the health related issues is Diabetes.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is touring the state of Texas recognizing what many families are seeing first hand, the trend of children growing up in a world of obesity. One of their stops is Driscoll Children's Hospital where we are educating parents and children how to eat right and exercise. They will visit with Dr. Stephen Ponder, a Pediatric Endocrinologist, who works with children directly affected by obesity and who are facing diabetes. They will also feature three of Dr. Ponders’ patients who are changing their lifestyle due to their recent diagnosis of being overweight or having diabetes.

Driscoll Children's Hospital would like to invite you to visit more with the BBC and their involvement with bringing the issue of Obesity in America to a worldwide audience. The BBC and Dr. Ponder will be available for comment Tuesday, March 9th from 11am until Noon.

About Driscoll Children’s Hospital
“Improve the health of adults and you give them back their health …
Improve the health of children and you give them their life.”

Since opening its doors in 1953, Driscoll Children’s Hospital has been offering hope and healing to the children of South Texas for half a century. The facility is a 200-bed pediatric tertiary care center with pediatric board-certified specialists representing 19 medical and nine surgical specialties. Each year, more than 6,000 children are admitted for inpatient care, 5,000 for day surgery, and 50,000 for outpatient primary and specialty care, as well as 40,000 for emergency care, as the first South Texas hospital with emergency services exclusively for children. Additionally, Driscoll maintains a state-of-the-art ground/air transport team, 20-bed pediatric intensive care unit, 40-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and specialized medical outreach.

www.driscollchildrens.org

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