Do you and your children live in the "fat belt?"
According to a new report by the nonprofit Trust for America's Health, "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America," the fat belt stretches through the South and into the Southwest, but the heaviest children are found in Washington D.C.
Is it surprising? Not really, since we are well aware of nutrition and physical activity levels of children. Nonetheless, it's still pretty disturbing. According to the Washington Post, which reports the story, "today's children are likely to be the first generation to live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents" if the obesity rate doesn't turn around.
8-31-2007 @10:07AM ann lemons said... Has anyone else noticed that older and older children are riding in strollers these days? Is that part of the problem, albeit a small one?
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8-31-2007 @10:24AM jsmylie said... Ironically, that picture is actually from Germany.
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8-31-2007 @1:36PM Adriane said... I wonder if socio-economics play into this and if so, how much? I'm not sure about the south on the whole, but outside DC city center is fairly rough neighborhoods...Totally just speculating here...but, not enough money to buy healthy food? Not enough time (long job hours, single mothers/fathers) to spend cooking? Crappy schools that don't offer good nutrition or excersize time? Nowhere safe for young children to play? I think the picture is a bit misleading in that it seems like the problem is overeating food and laziness...
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8-31-2007 @5:30PM MJ said... This pic is so sad........make him run and paly instead of mcdonalds when i grew up this ws a very special treat! Parents feed your kids at home good food and l;et them play and excercise. it is terrible to have to limit food for a child.
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9-02-2007 @11:09PM Woods said... I agree with Adriane's thought. And the picture frightens me. I'm a senior in high school but even looking at children in elementary school now, barely a decade younger than me, I see a change average weight.
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