Fighting Childhood Obesity
Children's Defense Fund
Former President Bill Clinton and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee are from different political parties, but they've teamed up on a new campaign: battling childhood obesity.
The American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation have partnered to create the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and together with Governor Huckabee, the Alliance is dedicated to stopping the rise in childhood obesity by 2010 and teaching all children about the importance of good nutrition and physical activity.
Experts estimate sixteen percent of American children are currently overweight---more than 11 million.
They're especially alarmed because just like for American adults, these numbers are rising rapidly: the rate has doubled for children over the 25 years, and tripled for teenagers.
Some adults may see a heavy child as a sign of a healthy eater, or might think of weight as mostly connected to looks.
But we need to be reminded that there are serious risks for some overweight children that go far beyond teasing on the playground.
Instead, they may be getting set up for a lifetime of the increased health risks that come with being overweight.
Today's children and teenagers are also less likely than past generations to spend free time running around outdoors and more likely to spend it on the couch watching television or playing video games, often with snacks and sodas right next to them.
Many districts have cut back on gym time and even recess, and the quality of school meals and easy availability of snacks and soft drinks in many school vending machines have been some of the first targets in the new war on child obesity, and one of the places there's already been progress.
