Leadership for Healthy CommunitiesAdvancing Programs to Support Healthy Eating and Active Living

Childhood Obesity Prevention:

Resource Toolkit Training

Module 1:Childhood Obesity & The Need for Action

Prevalence

Nearly 1 in 3 children and adolescents in the U.S. is obese or overweight.

Prevalence

Ogden C, Carroll M and Flegal K. “High Body Mass Index for Age Among US Children and Adolescents, 2003–2006.” Journal of the American Medical Association, 299(20): 2401–2405, May 2008.Ogden C, Flegal K, Carroll M and Johnson C. “Prevalence and Trends in Overweight Among US Children and Adolescents, 1999–2000.” Journal of the American Medical Association, 288(14): 1728–1732, October 2002.

1963–70

1971–74

1976–80

1988–94

1999–2000

2003–06

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Ages 2 to 5

Ages 6 to 11

Ages 12 to 19

Prevalence

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, CDC.

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1985

Prevalence

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 2009

Source: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, CDC.

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%

Social Costs

Obese children have an increased risk of:• Type 2 diabetes • Cardiovascular disease • Asthma• Sleep disordered

breathing • Depression

Social Costs

Obese children are:• More likely to be

bullied or rejected by their peers

• Absent from school significantly more than average-weight children

Effects of the Epidemic

Today’s children may be the first generation to

live sicker and die younger than their parents’ generation.

Effects of the Epidemic

Employers lose roughly $73 billion per year to obesity-related costs in health care services, absenteeism and loss of worker productivity.

We could spend $344 billion in obesity-related

heath care costs in 2018

Race, Ethnicity, Income & Geographic Disparities

• African-Americans• Latinos• American Indians• Low-income

populations• Residents in the

Southeast region of the United States

• Rural residents

Policymakers Have a Role to Play

Barriers exist that limit residents’ abilities to access healthy foods and engage in safe physical

activity.

Policymakers like you can pass policies to remove these barriers and provide access to the tools that

help people live healthy lives.

Environmental Barriers to Physical Activity

Kids spend hours a day in school, but they aren’t getting enough chances to be active while there.

Only 3.8% of elementary schools

provided daily physical education or an

equivalent in 2006.

Environmental Barriers to Physical Activity

Kids need safe places to play in their neighborhoods.

Communities with high levels of

poverty are less likely to have parks,

green spaces and bicycle paths and

lanes.

Environmental Barriers to Physical Activity

in 2001.

Kids need safe sidewalks and bike trails in order to walk to school and local playgrounds.

Only 16% percent of school-aged children

walked or biked to school in 2001.

Environmental Barriers toAccessing Healthy Foods

In some communities, parents aren’t able to purchase healthy foods because they don’t have access to a local supermarket.

Environmental Barriers toAccessing Healthy Foods

The foods offered to kids in schools has an impact on their overall diets.

Up to 50% of total daily energy intake can be consumed at school.

Discussion Activity

Which environmental barriers to healthy eating and active living exist

in your community?