Make A Difference This National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five children in the US is obese. This poses a health risk because it often leads to health problems that were once considered adult problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Additionally, many end up suffering from depression and have low self-esteem with the average child suicide rates also seeing a spike.

One of the best ways to reduce childhood obesity is to improve eating and exercise habits among children. By taking a preventative measure, many conditions that can have a direct bearing on the child’s health in the future can be controlled or even altogether nullified. 

September: Make a difference this National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

September being National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month is a great opportunity for both parents and children to raise awareness about the obesity epidemic and look for solutions that are practical and easily implementable. 

Here is how you can get involved:

1. Make people aware of the food they eat and encourage families to make small changes, like keeping fresh fruit within reach or going for walks.
2.  Spread awareness in the community school, and motivate teachers and administrators to make schools healthier. Ask them to provide healthy food options and daily physical activities for students.
3.  Request doctors and nurses to be leaders in their communities and offer programs and seminars on the subject, “How to prevent childhood obesity”.

Since obesity is consistently associated with an increased risk for metabolic diseases and cardiovascular disease, community health care providers or clinics can use ambulatory ECG to measure children’s heart rate and pulses. This way, parents can track their children’s health and diet. 

Make a difference in children’s lives this National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. Join a community to raise awareness about the problems associated with obesity and health risk associated with generations to come.