May
10
2014
Childhood Obesity Facts
Childhood obesity rates remain high. Overall, obesity among our nation’s young people, aged 2 to 19 years, has not changed significantly since 2003-2004 and remains at about 17 percent.
• Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.
• The prevalence of obesity among children aged 2 to 5 years decreased significantly from 13.9% in 2003-2004 to 8.4% in 2011-2012.
• There are significant racial and age disparities in obesity prevalence among children and adolescents. In 2011-2012, obesity prevalence was higher among Hispanics (22.4%) and non-Hispanic black youth (20.2%) than non-Hispanic white youth (14.1%). The prevalence of obesity was lower in non-Hispanic Asian youth (8.6%) than in youth who were non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black or Hispanic.
• In 2011-2012, 8.4% of 2- to 5-year-olds were obese compared with 17.7% of 6- to 11-year-olds and 20.5% of 12- to 19-year-olds.
Note: In children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years, obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the sex-specific CDC BMI-for-age growth charts.
Obesity and extreme obesity rates decline among low-income preschool children
• Obesity and extreme obesity among U.S. low-income, preschool-aged children went down for the first time in recent years, according to a CDC study.
• From 2003 through 2010, the prevalence of obesity decreased slightly from 15.21% to 14.94%. Similarly, the prevalence of extreme obesity decreased from 2.22% to 2.07%.
• However, from 1998 through 2003, ...
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May
01
2014
NATIONAL PHYSICAL FITNESS AND SPORTS MONTH, 2014
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Sports keep children healthy, teach them to work as part of a team, and help them develop the discipline to achieve their goals. During National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, we encourage America's sons and daughters to get active and challenge everyone to join the movement for a happier, fitter Nation.
For 4 years, First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative has worked with community and faith leaders, educators, health care professionals, and businesses to give our children a healthy start and empower schools to build active environments. My Administration launched the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, replacing the old Physical Fitness Test to put a stronger emphasis on students' health. We also created the new Presidential Active Lifestyle Award, which encourages all Americans to commit to eating right and getting regular exercise. Because everyone should have the chance to get active, the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition is expanding I Can Do It, You Can Do It! -- a program that creates more opportunities for Americans with disabilities to participate in fitness and sports. For more information or to learn how you can get involved, visitwww.LetsMove.gov and www.Fitness.gov.
By leading more active lifestyles, we can invest in our futures and encourage our children to do the same. This month, ...
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Feb
28
2014
The latest CDC obesity data, published in the February 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, show a significant decline in obesity among children aged 2 to 5 years. Though overall obesity rates remain unchanged, rates in young children improve. Obesity prevalence for this age group went from nearly 14 percent in 2003-2004 to just over 8 percent in 2011-2012 – a decline of 43 percent – based on CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Although the JAMA study does not specifically compare 2009-2010 with 2011-2012, NHANES data does show a decline in the 2 to 5 year old age group during that time period – from just over 12 percent in 2009-2010 to just over 8 percent in 2011-2012.
“We continue to see signs that, for some children in this country, the scales are tipping. This report comes on the heels of previous CDC data that found a significant decline in obesity prevalence among low-income children aged 2 to 4 years participating in federal nutrition programs,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “We’ve also seen signs from communities around the country with obesity prevention programs including Anchorage, Alaska, Philadelphia, New York City and King County, Washington. This confirms that at least for kids, we can turn the tide and begin to reverse the obesity epidemic.”
While the precise reasons for the ...
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Jun
10
2012
Obesity is the Second Leading Cause of Preventable Premature Death, Killing 5,800 New Yorkers Annually, and is the Only Major Public Health Issue in America that is Getting Worse!
The Mayor’s Task Force on Obesity has proposed initiatives – including limiting the size of sugary drinks, significant contributors to the epidemic – with the goal of reducing the percent of obese adults by 10 percent and children by 15 percent over the next five years. Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx is at the center of the obesity epidemic, where obesity and diabetes rates are the highest in the city. The Mayor was joined by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, Montefiore Medical Center President and CEO Dr. Steve Safyer, Montefiore Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and Pediatrics Chair Dr. Philip Ozuah, Director of Montefiore School Health Program Dr. David Appel, Director of Montefiore B'N Fit Program Jessica Rieder, Chairman of the Montefiore Department of Family and Social Medicine and Director of Community Health and Wellness Doctor Peter Selwyn, President of the New York Health and Hospitals Corporation Alan Aviles, HealthFirst President and CEO Pat Wang, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland, Food Policy Coordinator Kim Kessler and Department of Education Deputy Chancellor for Operations Kathleen Grimm.
One in Three Adult New Yorkers Has Diabetes or Pre-Diabetes
“In New York City nearly 60 percent of ...
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Jun
03
2012
Here are some interesting, shocking and very real statistics and definitions about obesity that you should know. Data is taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), Let’s Move (Letsmove.gov), National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and from Canada, the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS).
In 2007–2009, the prevalence of obesity in Canada was 24.1%, over 10 percentage points lower than in the United States (34.4%). The prevalence of obesity is significantly higher among U.S. adults than among their Canadian counterparts.
Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are obese: 33.9% (2007-2008)
Percent of adults age 20 years and over who are overweight (and not obese): 34.4% (2007-2008)
Percent of adolescents age 12-19 years who are obese: 18.1% (2007-2008)
Percent of children age 6-11 years who are obese: 19.6% (2007-2008)
Percent of children age 2-5 years who are obese: 10.4% (2007-2008)
An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
Body mass index (BMI) is a measure used to determine childhood overweight and obesity. It is calculated using a child's weight and height. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but it is a reasonable indicator of body fatness for most children and teens.
Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.
In 2008, more than 1.4 billion adults, 20 and older, were overweight. Of ...
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May
21
2012
Our Overweight Teenagers Are At Risk For Serious Health Problems
Okay, so this does not come as a surprise. More than half of the overweight teens (ages 12 through 19) in the United States (and probably the world) have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar and this places them at a very high risk for heart attacks and many other serious heart problems. In fact, according to the study published in the journal Pediatrics (May 21, 2012), “the percentage of adolescents who were diagnosed with diabetes or pre-diabetes, went from 9% to 21%.” Much more needs to be done to get our kids back on the healthy track. Even more needs to be done to identify teens with potential health risks. Bottom line: have your kids get a check up at your medical provider. If they are obese, overweight or even just a bit over their BMI, make sure you get the blood sugar (glucose), cholesterol and blood pressure checked also.
Regular Eating Times Are Important In A Healthy Diet
It seems that eating at a regular interval is very important to maintaining a healthy weight. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies found that “regular eating times and extending the daily fasting period may override the adverse health effects of a high-fat diet and prevent obesity, diabetes and liver disease in mice.” According to senior author Satchidananda ...
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Apr
16
2012
New Flu Virus Making Headlines: Influenza A (H3N2)v
Just as we all thought the flu season was coming to a nice and peaceful conclusion, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a warning about a new strain of influenza A (H3N2) virus-labeled “A (H3N2)v”. Apparently there have been 12 reported infections with this new strain. Whats interesting is that influenza A (H3N2)v is composed of genes from avian, swine and human viruses. Children under the age of 10 are the most vulnerable. The 2011-2012 influenza vaccination does provide some protection against A (H3N2)v and there is a specific vaccination that is being manufactured that will provide direct protection.
Obesity Epidemic Report: Waistlines Continue to Expand!
Here we go again-one day the obesity epidemic is solved. The next day we wake up and read that “by the year 2020, one in five American children will be obese.” What do we believe? Well, recent research coming out of Columbia University’s School of Public Health (Claire Wang, MD, ScD-American Journal of Preventive Medicine), suggests that by analyzing weights of children from 1971 to 2008 (NHANES), the average weight of these children will increase by 2 kilograms, if no action is taken. This translates into the following: 21 % of children ages 2 through 19 would become obese. And by “action” Wang and her associates came up with the following:
Just to stay at ...
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Jul
11
2011
Hello my fans and yes, we are getting fatter. A report released this past Thursday, July 7th, 2011
F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future*, reveals that the obesity rates across America are increasing. That’s right, there are more obese individuals in 16 states than in 2010. And there was no state in the United States, that reported a decline in obesity rates. Yes, we are all getting fatting-well most of us!
Here are the percentage of obese adults in all 50 states-see it for yourself**:
|
State
|
%
|
|
State
|
%
|
|
Mississippi
|
34.4
|
|
Maine
|
26.5
|
|
Alabama
|
32.3
|
|
Washington
|
26.4
|
|
West Virginia
|
32.2
|
|
Florida
|
26.1
|
|
Tennessee
|
31.9
|
|
Alaska
|
25.9
|
|
Louisiana
|
31.6
|
|
Virginia
|
25.9
|
|
Kentucky
|
31.5
|
|
Idaho
|
25.7
|
|
Oklahoma
|
31.4
|
|
New Hampshire
|
25.6
|
|
South Carolina
|
30.9
|
|
New Mexico
|
25.6
|
|
Arkansas
|
30.6
|
|
Arizona
|
25.4
|
|
Michigan
|
30.5
|
|
Oregon
|
25.4
|
|
Missouri
|
30.3
|
|
Wyoming
|
25.4
|
|
Texas
|
30.1
|
|
Minnesota
|
25.3
|
|
Ohio
|
|
...
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Mar
28
2011
As you all know, my pal Nerdel and I are big supporters of the Presidents Challenge and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move programs. The intent of both of these fantastic programs is to get all Americans, young and old, into better shape. Both programs encourage you to eat healthier meals and snacks at school, at home, at work and whenever you go out to eat! And both programs emphasize the need to perform some type of physical fitness activity each and every day. The Presidents Challenge program has many individual activity categories based on age and lifestyle and you can earn many cool awards and medals by registering your fitness performance.
Here’s a little history: On September 14th, 2010, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius along with the co-Chair of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition-Dominique Dawes and Let’s Move Executive Director Robin Schepper, launched the Million PALA (President's Active Lifestyle Award) Challenge. The goal of the Million PALA Challenge is to get 1,000,000 youth and adults, from all over the United States, to sign up and participate in the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) over the year. The ending date is slowly approaching-September 2011.
How does the Million PALA Challenge work? “The Presidential Active Lifestyle Award, or PALA, can be earned by taking part in 60 minutes of physical activity for kids ...
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Mar
12
2011
I Just got back from the March 4 Hunger which took place on a beautifully cool morning on the Broad-walk in Hollywood, Florida. Over 400 runners, walkers and joggers took part in this great event which raises money for Feeding South Florida. People from all over the country including vacationers, residents, boot camp workoutsters , and kids ran walked and jogged the 5K (3.1 mile) course in temperatures starting in the fifties and ending in the 60’s. With the ocean breezes, salt air and sunshine, the conditions couldn’t have been better!
Feeding South Florida is an amazing not-for-profit organization that is devoted to “empowering and assisting people in need and improving their lives”. They provide food and other grocery products to the hungry and educate the community to fight hunger and poverty. With one in six adults and one in four kids in the United States alone in the hunger column daily this organization has its work cut out for it. The poverty numbers have increased over the past few years with this current economic slow down. Almost 60 million Americans are at the poverty level. There are over 21 million kids (children 18 and under) at the poverty level. In Florida alone, there are over 1 million children( 18 and under) and 2 million adults (age 19 and older) in the poverty classification.
In 2009/2010, Feeding South Florida provided over 24 ...
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