Childhood Obesity As A National Security Threat
When First Lady Michelle Obama launched her Let’s Move program she described childhood obesity as a national security threat. “A recent study put the health care cost of obesity-related diseases at $147 billion a year,” Mrs. Obama said. “This epidemic also impacts the nation’s security, as obesity is now one of the most common disqualifiers for military service.”
The statement happened at a ceremony at the White House during the launching of the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign which was attended by many officials of the President’s cabinet. And on December 2010, a few days before ushering the New Year, a new nutrition bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama to promote better eating habits among children.
Childhood Nutrition Standards Should be Mandatory
For nine months, school kids consume up to 505 of daily calories, making them overweight. If the schools they go to, do not offer healthy meals and beverages, kids will not do well in school. If so, obesity will continue as they take on unhealthy eating habits.
Public school lunches are served to more than 32 million kids. These lunches are one of the reasons why kids fall prey to unhealthy foods. In turn, it causes a greater impact on the children’s health.
Coke Hired PR Firm to Head Off Negative Publicity from PTA Moms
Following proposals from various sectors to ban sodas and other sugary drinks in schools vending machines and cafeterias, Coca-Cola has hired a PR firm to ward off negative publicity pertaining to its beverage products.
In San Francisco, Mayor Gavin Newsom ordered the removal of Coke and other sugary drinks in vending machines on city property as part of the state’s campaign to end childhood obesity. In Philadelphia, its School Reform Commission approved a ban for the sale of all sodas in 2004 in schools for K-12 students. Likewise, New York Mayor Bloomberg says food stamps will no longer be used to buy coke, candy and other sugary beverages.
Soft drinks are considered to majorly impact the soaring rate of childhood obesity in the US; hence, its removal in school vending machines and from within easy access to children is being strictly implemented across states to reduce further increase in obesity cases. Apart from weight gain and obesity, too much consumption of soft drinks is also being linked to other health hazards which included osteoporosis, bone fractures, tooth loss, and diabetes
Shopping for Healthy After School Snacks
Compared to adults, children in general have higher energy level and metabolism that make them still hungry despite taking three full meals a day; therefore, giving them after school snacks are just fine as long as they are given in schedule and are packed with nutrients. As a general rule, children must be served with snacks two hours before meals. This way, they are still full with appetite by the time they reach dinner. Likewise, supplementing them with snacks keeps them from gorging heavily during mealtime.
However, as much as parents want to give their kids the best snacks they can afford, it is inevitable to occasionally fall on the difficulty of shopping the “right” after school snacks. What kinds of foods should be served during snack time? How do we vary the choices so our kids don’t get bored seeing and snacking on the same thing? These are just some of the questions that can leave any parent dilly-dallying in the grocery aisles and before they knew it, they usually end up getting more sweets and high sodium content chips.
Kids Need to Walk to Head Off Childhood Obesity
In San Francisco, the Shape Up Coalition has tripled its Safe Routes to School program, and the events included walking school buses converging on the grassy median where Dolores and San Jose Ave meet by 8:20am and walk to Fairmount Elementary, 65 Chenery St., in Noe Valley by 8:30am. The Coalition received a grant amounting to $500,000 from the California Department of Transportation to create a comprehensive Safe Routes to School program for San Francisco elementary schools.
Sadly, amidst the growing childhood obesity in America, we hardly see children kids walking to school, or at the very least, getting involved in activities that would allow them to be in good shape. While eating healthy is highly demanded among children, having an active routine helps in shaking those excess calories that kids get from vending machines.
Join the Fight Against Childhood Obesity in America
America’s battle with childhood obesity continues. At least, that’s what statistics revealed, wherein two-thirds, or more than 190 million Americans are overweight or obese, and $147 billion medical burden are recorded every year. And what’s even more alarming is the rate among preschool-aged children have significantly doubled, whereas, tripled among children 6 to 19 years old over the past 25 years.
The big question we are facing now is how do we save children from being victimized by this epidemic? How do we put a stop on a crisis that gives not only social trauma among children but also a huge burden among families? Are we missing the right action here that makes obesity rate grow quicker?
Childhood Obesity is an Important Issue in Reducing Health Care Costs
In 2009, a government-sponsored research was publicized with some shocking findings about the relation of increased health care costs to the increased rates of obesity in less than a decade. The study was conducted by researchers at RTI International and funded by the CDC Foundation analyzed data from the 1998 and 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys. It was found out that in 1998 the medical costs of obesity in the US were estimated at around 78.5 billion dollars a year, half of which was financed by Medicare and Medicaid. Furthermore, between 1998 and 2006, the prevalence of obesity in the US went up by 37 per cent.
This and the current data of obesity and health care costs are the main concerns why the new administration is pushing hard to encourage people, particularly children, to start eating healthy foods and engaging in physical activities. Congress has reauthorized the children nutrition act and other sectors are also doing their share in alleviating the growing problem by serving healthier options to people and ramping up the nutritional campaign nationwide—targeting specifically children. There is a loud clamor to stop bleeding on the issue and we cannot afford to see more children being admitted to the hospital due to serious weight-related illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, etc. It’s best to keep in mind that the success in the reduction of obesity cases is critical in reducing national health care costs and working together to achieve this can likewise result to a better economy in the future.
USA Must Tackle Nationwide Childhood Obesity Epidemic
Have you had the time to check what your kids are eating lately? How proactive have you been in checking with your kids’ school the kind of nutritional foods they are serving in their campus cafeterias? These are pertinent questions that shouldn’t be left unattended by parents these days considering the growing rate of childhood obesity in the US.
Statistics have already spoken the alarming concern which prompted President Obama to officially declare September as the National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, saying, “We now face a national childhood obesity crisis with nearly one in every three of America’s children being overweight or obese.”
Junk Foods in School Vending Machines Causing Childhood Obesity
As schools are removing unhealthy foods out of the popular vending machines, studies have been conducted in order to find out what vended foods and beverages can do towards the human body. Among these studies is from the University of Michigan. Based on this study, the researchers found out that vended foods and beverages may be linked to obesity, diabetes and coronary artery disease.
UM Medical School’s research study further stated that school children who are consuming foods that they purchased from junk food vending machines will likely develop a poor diet quality. Consequently, these children will become overweight or obese. Plus, they are at greater risks for chronic health problems like diabetes and coronary artery disease.
Kids Healthier Eating Starts at Home
The advent of vending machines has greatly influenced children’s eating habit in the recent years. In some ways, vending machines have been stereotyped as the coolest invention to roll out loads of M&Ms, Skittles, Lays, Pringles, Doritos, and Coca-Cola products in only a matter of seconds with the help of some coins. Though vending machines are now trying to break that stigma by offering fresh healthy options, expecting kids to start eating healthier starts at home.
Jax Allebaugh, a proud mother of three— all studying in Grace Christian School—knows clearly that packing healthy lunches and snacks is a good way of ensuring kids are eating healthy in school, aside from making it as a requirement of the school for all its students. This combined effort of parents and schools makes children appreciate healthy food and allows them to enjoy fresh produces without feeling the urge of running to the nearest school vending machine. Grace Christian School gives specific guidelines to parents on what kind of healthy food to pack for their kids and to keep the campaign more fun they organize contest to see which class can bring healthiest snacks. Furthermore, the school encourages children and parents to go for more milk and water than juices, particularly those that have preservative contents.