SEARCH BLOG
Main | National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) funds long-term efforts to reduce childhood obesity
Tuscon, Arizona community leaders band together to raise child obesity awareness state-wide
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011 At 7:23 am
It’s nice to see communities come together to combat the child obesity epidemic.
Of special note, in Tuscon, Arizon, the Pima County Health Department, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and Arizona’s leading newspaper for kids, families and classrooms — Bear Essential News for Kids — have teamed up to launch a new program to get kids moving!
Together, these organizations have created a regular feature in the Bear Essential News for Kids newspaper called “Power Up With Healthy Choices.” 4th graders from Booth Ficket Magnet School were some of the many students who received the first edition and it’s already making a difference. Kids are recognizing the importance of eating healthy and becoming more informed about good eating habits and also learning about the “science behind the food they eat.” The publication additionally promotes fitness as a way of life and encourages its young readers to routinely exercise with their parents and families.
Donald Gates from the Pima County Health Department says childhood obesity is a major problem, and the education needs to start young. “Chronic diseases related to obesity and the healthcare spending related to obesity is reaching 147 billion dollars a year in the United States alone,” says Gates.
My take from this publication program is that it takes a consolidated effort by community leaders to advocate the importance of healthy eating and fitness at an early age. I would love to see a similar kind of effort take place in the local Arlington, Virginia community. If anyone knows of such an effort here locally, please let us know about it! We’d love the opportunity to highlight community efforts like these in our own back yard!
Dr. William Booker 