"F" as in Fat!

Is there anyone out there who still doubts that America is getting fatter – especially our children? The sixth annual “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America” report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation paints a clear and chubby picture.

In 30 states, 30 percent or more of the children ages 10 to 17 are obese or overweight, meaning they’re heavier than 85 to 95 percent of kids their age. In the nation overall, rates of obese and overweight children ranged from 44.4 percent in Mississippi to 23.1 percent in Minnesota and Utah. Find the rate in your state.

Among adults, Mississippi again had the highest rates of overweight and obesity, at 32.5 percent, and Colorado the lowest with 18.9 percent. Find the rate in your state.

The report notes several key findings that could be contributing to the problem. For instance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture school meal program has yet to implement revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans updated in 2005, and many schools fail to enforce state physical education requirements for students. Only eight states include physical activity requirements in their childcare center licensing regulations.

And right now, when kids are out of school, they fall victim to the "summer slide," meaning they’ll gain weight two to three times faster than they would during the school year. Time to round up the family, turn off the T.V., and head out for a little recreation.
Learn more from the Trust for America’s Health Web site.

Keep up with health news on Christina Elston's Health-E blog and on Parenthood's Children's Health News video report, updated daily.