MY TURN: Memphis. Fattest city in America? - Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

Even though our entire nation is in the throes of an obesity epidemic, it probably did not surprise too many of you that Memphis is ground zero.

Yes, Newsweek magazine using new research statistics crowned Memphis as the fattest city in America.

Predictably, that resulted in news articles across the country poking fun at us, like this one in the New York Post that begins, "It's time for folks in Memphis to cut back on the barbecue."

Fat chance of that. Still, the epidemic of obesity is painful for all of us. We'll all get stuck with the bill in the form of higher medical costs and those costs are predicted to reach $550 billion over the next two decades. Already more than 12 percent of Memphians are suffering from diabetes and health experts forecast that the number of people suffering from severe obesity will double over the next 20 years.

One great way to fight the obesity epidemic – start your children out with good diet and exercise habits. Childhood obesity is also an epidemic and health experts say that contrary to what many people think, most babies do not outgrow their baby fat.

That's my turn. Now it's your turn. To comment on this segment or anything else, email yourturn@wmctv.com or call 800-465-1210.