GOAL: Promote health and reduce chronic disease associated with diet and weights.
(1) Increase quality and years of healthy life.
(2) Eliminate health disparities by race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, disability status, and other characteristics.
OBJECTIVE: (19-3) Reduce the proportion of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese.
PROGRESS: This objective has moved away from it's target. Between 1988–94 and 1999–2002, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years (19-3c) increased from 11 percent to 16 percent, moving away from the target of 5 percent. Identical trends were observed among children aged 6 to 11 years (19-3a) and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years (19-3b).
DISPARITIES: These are grouped into groups such as:
1. Gender, Income, and Disability
2. Race and Ethnicity
OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES: It seems as though there are many more opportunities than challenges within this goals and objectives. A lot of these opportunites are found within the schooling system but, as we talked about today in class, it is sometimes hard to convince people the importance of it and see past the money. Yes, everyone wants to see others healthy but it comes at a cost not not everyone is willing to pay. Some opportunites found and stated by Healthy People 2010 are "The classroom offers another opportunity to foster healthy behaviors in children and adolescents. While some classroom curricula address a range of topics on nutrition and physical activity, others focus on specific topics such as the scientific principles of energy balance within the body or on high blood pressure prevention."
EMERGING ISSUES: There are many health issues emerging with childhood obesity. Appropriate Monitoring such as efficacious data collection, medical care, and quality assurance, is needed to evaluate the benefits and risk of these and other therapies. They want to focus on prevention rather that treatment and they believe with the greatest interest from individuals (seeing past the money) there IS hope to improve and meet the objective regarding obesity in children.
RELATED BILL:
H.R.1585
Title: To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve standards for physical education.
Sponsor: Rep Kind, Ron [WI-3] (introduced 3/18/2009) Cosponsors (42)
Latest Major Action: 3/18/2009 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
My Political Representatives: Rep Ellison, Keith
Recommendation: Vote Yes for H.R. 1585 to amend the Emelentary and Secondary education Act of 1965 to improve standardsfor physical education.
Posts
With my background in personal training, the issues of obestiy lies close to my heart. I have worked with people that are overweight, and it is sad to see their lifestyle be the conductor of their weight problem. It would be great to have a law passed that reduces children's exposure to poor nutrition habits at school. Ie- Having a donut and pop for lunch, and not be monitored that this diet is ok. Hopefully school's kitchens and the staff can start getting more involved with instruction on healthy food choices.
ReplyDeleteSara,
ReplyDeleteGreat Post, again as with many of these issues, I think that the cure is in education, much of this education has to come form home when it comes to nutrition since that is where most kids get there meals. Our society is based on being in a hurry and fast foods aren't the best for us. This is definitely an issue in the USA.
Sara,
ReplyDeleteGood post. I did a similar one of staying active. I agree with Derek in the fact that I think it's up to the schools and home life to take charge of someones nutrition/diet. Habbits start at an early age and I think it's important to teach good ones.