NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
Nashville is one of several cities on the front lines in the battle against childhood obesity, but we have more work to do than most.
A panel of leading experts, including former Senator Dr. Bill Frist, met Friday to discuss the subject.
They gathered at the downtown branch of the Nashville Public Library to talk about possible solutions that go far beyond healthier meals.
"It takes looking at the social determinants of behavior - why people don't eat, why people don't exercise. It's a complicated problem but one that takes an entire community aligning the incentives around a healthier community," Frist said.
Experts said a lot of things have contributed to the problem, such as packaged food that lasts a lot longer than the fresh alternative and usually costs less, too.
One solution that came up is for parents to set the example for their kids. If they focus on maintaining a healthy diet and exercising, their kids may follow suit.
The Nashville Health Care Council helped put on the discussion, along with WSMV's parent company, the Meredith Corporation.
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