Iowa has the 14th-highest rate of childhood obesity in the nation, according to a new report, “State of Childhood Obesity: Helping All Children Grow up Healthy,” released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In Iowa, the obesity rate for children ages 10-17 is 16.4% — with 50,200 young Iowans having obesity. The data comes from the 2017 and 2018 National Survey of Children’s Health, along with analysis conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Nationwide, 4.8 million young people ages 10 to 17, or 15.3%, have obesity. Addressing the issue will require policy changes at every level of government, according to Dr. Richard Besser, the foundation’s president and CEO. The report includes several policy recommendations to help ensure more U.S. children have consistent access to healthy foods. Over roughly the last decade, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has committed more than $1 billion to helping all children grow up at a healthy weight. To see tips for parents from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and prevention for helping kids maintain a healthy weight, click here.