Study Reveals Poor Exercise and Eating Habits

It's a disturbing trend with tragic consequences. A new study reveals many Florida middle school students have poor eating habits and get very little exercise. The governor's task force on obesity is looking into the problem.

Andre O'Neill hopes by the time his eight-year-old son gets into middle school the state will require physical education classes everyday.

A new study involving middle school students shows less than half of them go to P.E. everyday. The study also shows they're developing poor eating habits; half skip breakfast and one in three kids has access to fast food at school.

It's a trend Anne Bowden finds very upsetting. As a member of the governor's task force on obesity, it's up to her to come up with solutions. That would be a bold initiative considering right now the only state requirement is that kids have one year of P.E. some time before they graduate and education commissioner Jim Horne has been opposed to mandates from the beginning.

Dr. Larry Deeb treats children with diabetes, one of the many health affects of obesity. He says the task force should be prepared to make dramatic even unpopular decisions.

"We're going to have a lot of people I'm afraid with serious cardiovascular disease if we don't change things," says Dr. Deeb.

Andre O'Neill is anxious to see if this task force will take action which will help his son Andre, Jr. stay healthy and fit. The study of middle school students also shows nearly one half of them eat at fast food restaurants twice a week.