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News
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Monday, 13 July 2009 00:00 |
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 The Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) recently released a report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America 2009, which found that child obesity rates in every state exceed 20%. In addition to the over-eating of unhealthy, high-calorie food, the report found one of the main causes of child obesity is hours of media consumption, which leads to inactivity. The report highlights how obesity affects children's health:
- Nearly 32 percent of U.S. children and adolescents are overweight or obese (at or abovethe 85th percentile of BMI for age).
- Approximately 60 percent of obese children aged five to 10 years had at least one cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor such as elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, or blood pressure -- and 25 percent had two or more CVD risk factors.
- Childhood weight problems can lead to complications such as elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, joint problems, type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, asthma, depression, and anxiety.
- Severely overweight and obese children often suffer from depression, anxiety disorders, isolation from their peers, lowself-esteem, andneating disorders.
In response to this obesity epidemic, The National Institute on Media and the Family has developed Switch, a way to help children and families develop healthy lifestyles, targeting three key areas: physical activity, screen time, and nutrition. To learn more about Switch, click here.
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