From the article…..”I found an interesting article from KUHF News about tackling childhood obesity written by Florian Martin. There are millions of obese or overweight children all over the United States (and the world). It has been on the rise, with little hope in sight. Some major cities have shown some progress, but not enough on the national level. Many children are very sedentary, as technology has taken over physical activity as the number one choice of ‘playtime’ – and dietary habits are leaning towards the processed or refined selections, which are rich in fat and empty calories. The CDC has stated that one third of US children and teen are obese or overweight. I encourage all of you to visit the KUHF web site to listen to a newscast about this, as well as reading about some organizations making a difference in the fight against childhood obesity. Education is the key to success, then implementation. Together, we can make a difference.”
Childhood obesity is an ever-growing concern in the United States and even more so in Houston. One way to tackle the problem is to get students moving in the classroom.
More than one-third of children and adolescents nationwide were overweight or obese in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here in Houston, the CDC says, 14 percent of high school students were obese in 2011.
Dr. Shreela Sharma at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston says childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions.
“Children who are obese are at a very high risk for being obese as adults, which increases their risk for type 2 diabetes and they have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Also, being obese increases your risk of mortality from all causes.”
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation wants to bring down childhood obesity by 2015. The organization was founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation in 2005. This year, the Alliance has teamed up with celebrity fitness coaches and a fitness dance company to help schools integrate daily exercises into the classroom.
Tara Stiles is a former model and current yoga instructor in New York City. She is one of the celebrity fitness experts who are part of the “Fit for a Healthier Generation” campaign.
“They’re really designed to get kids up and moving right on their desk at school, so the teacher pops the tape in between, you know, math class and science class and the kids all get up and they get excited and they do their fitness break.”
More than 100 schools in the greater Houston area are participating in the campaign by using the instructive videos and other resources provided by the Alliance. To get students interested, the exercises aim to be fun for kids.
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