According to medical experts, the greatest threat to our children's health is the condition of being overweight or obese. For children, being overweight greatly impacts the quality of their lives, and brings on health problems, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, joint problems, psychosocial effects, and adult obesity. Studies show that if the childhood obesity epidemic in America continues, this generation of children may live sicker and die younger than past generations.
In order to reverse this trend and ensure a more healthy future for our children, we must all work together to create more healthy environments. Early childhood education providers can encourage healthy habits by supporting best practices for nutrition and physical activity in the child care environment.
Support for this work was provided by a grant from the Obici Healthcare Foundation.
