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MCC Daily Tribune

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month is in September, and it is dedicated to educating children and their families on how to prevent childhood obesity. It provides numerous opportunities for families, schools, and communities to share information about their plans and events aimed at educating children on how to deal with health issues such as obesity. This month is also an excellent opportunity for parents to learn more about how they can help their children’s health. We are constantly challenged as parents, teachers, and caregivers of young children to find ways to prevent childhood obesity.

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CHILDHOOD OBESITY AWARENESS MONTH

  1. Learn about childhood obesity

    Observe Childhood Obesity Awareness Month by learning more about the disease and how to prevent it. Educate yourself, your family and friends, your school, and your community.

  2. Organize a local event

    Anyone can organize a local event to teach children the value of physical activity and healthy eating for their overall well-being. Many resources are available on the website to assist you in commemorating this month and educating children about obesity.

  3. Donate to an organization

    Donate to a charity that fights childhood obesity. There are great organizations out there doing wonderful things for our children. Consider donating to one of these wonderful organizations right now.

5 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT CHILDHOOD OBESITY

  1. One in six children are affected

    More than 12.7 million American children have obesity — that’s almost 20% of all children aged two to 19.

  2. Overweight children become overweight adults

    Obese children are much more likely to become obese adults, as well as develop life-threatening diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

  3. Your ethnicity affects your likelihood of obesity

    Obesity affects approximately 48% of non-Hispanic Blacks, 42% of Hispanics, 36% of non-Hispanic Whites, and 12% of non-Hispanic Asians.

  4. Childhood obesity can lead to depression

    Children who are overweight are much more likely to be bullied than their normal-weight peers.

  5. Snacking adds an additional 200 daily calories

    Kids snack a lot, especially when they're watching T.V. or playing video games, and one study found that children consume about 200 extra calories per day.

WHY NATIONAL CHILDHOOD OBESITY AWARENESS MONTH IS IMPORTANT

  1. It promotes healthy eating habits

    The holiday promotes healthy eating habits and an active lifestyle. This will help kids reach a healthy weight for their age, height, and gender.

  2. It encourage parents

    It encourages parents to be role models for their children by eating healthy foods, being physically active, and limiting screen time. Plus, it gives parents the information they need to make informed decisions on raising healthy kids.

  3. It educates parents

    This month educates parents about the importance of fruit and vegetables. It also teaches them how to eliminate sugary drinks from their children’s diets.

Sarah Benedict
MCC Wellness Council
09/22/2022