Childhood Obesity - A Nationwide Concern

We found this article from the CDC especially informative and helpful, with links to programs and information below. Through our FRESH n' LOCAL hot lunch program, we work with schools to fight childhood obesity. Unhealthy school lunches are a main contributor to the childhood obesity epidemic in our country.

"Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.^1,2

Obesity is the result of caloric imbalance (too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed) and is mediated by genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.^3,4 Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term health impacts:

• Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.⁵
• Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.^3,6
• Obese youth are more likely than youth of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.⁶

Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and developing related diseases.³

Make a Difference at Your School: Key Strategies to Prevent Obesity outlines 10 evidence-based strategies for schools to implement in addressing childhood obesity.

General information about obesity among young people and specific facts about determining the body mass index of children and adolescents:

CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

Child and Teen BMI Calculator

General information on healthy eating and physical activity in childhood and adolescence:

Nutrition and the Health of Young People

Physical Activity and the Health of Young People

Article taken from the CDC's webpage.