In 2003, the East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics formed the Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center in response to the national and regional epidemic of childhood obesity that is threatening the health of our children. Regional studies in eastern North Carolina show about half of all children are at risk for overweight or are overweight in the region. Several studies have found almost twice as many children in eastern North Carolina are considered overweight (about 30%) compared to children nationally (17%).
