Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity


The epidemic of childhood obesity represents a major crisis for our nation. Without effective intervention, rapidly increasing obesity levels will dramatically impact our children's future and result in deep social, physical and economic costs for society as a whole. The nation now spends $177 billion a year on obesity-related health care, 83 cents of every health care dollar.
The childhood obesity epidemic is attributable to numerous, interrelated, negative changes to children's lives in recent decades. Children spend less time at school and home engaging in physical activity and have increased access to heavily-promoted junk food, and time-crunched parents have less time to prepare healthy meals. Furthermore, children living in unsafe neighborhoods are less likely to have access to places for active play, increasing their chances of becoming overweight. Obesity is particularly concentrated in low-income communities, in part because less-expensive food tends to be higher in calories and lower in nutritional value.
Learn More about Childhood ObesityFacts & Figures Policy Recommendations Related Links
Fact & Figures More than three million children in California (33%) are overweight or obese. Nationally, childhood obesity has more than doubled in the last three decades.
About one-third of children, ages 12-17, living in low-income communities, do not get regular physical exercise, compared to one-quarter of young people living in affluent neighborhoods. A lack of safe places to play nearby in many low-income communities is a key contributor to this disparity.
Fewer than half of California's schools provide mandated amounts of instructional time for physical education.
In 2005, California had more than four times as many fast food restaurants and convenience stores as supermarkets and produce vendors.
Of television ads aimed at children, 34% are for candy and snacks, 28% are for cereal, and 10% are for fast food. None of the food ads targeted at children promote fresh fruits and vegetables.
Young children with TV sets in their bedroom are at increased risk of becoming overweight.
Policy Recommendations
Develop and pursue a comprehensive, coordinated childhood obesity policy agenda. Growing public concern about the severity of the childhood obesity problem has led to numerous policy proposals aimed at everything from food marketing to school meals. To date, however, those policy efforts have been fragmented and uncoordinated and not focused solely on children, limiting progress by drawing policymaker attention away from the multivariate solution required. A coordinating body is needed to effectively pursue a multifaceted strategy toward addressing childhood obesity that simultaneously holds policymakers and the food and advertising industries accountable.
Improve the nutritional environment in California schools. Offering nutritious, appealing school lunches can increase the number of children who choose healthy meals over less-nutritious alternatives, thereby decreasing their chances of becoming overweight or obese. Providing healthy breakfast options is another way for schools to help students maintain a healthy weight and can help students focus on schoolwork, since fewer children will start class hungry. Incorporating nutrition education and exercise into the school day can encourage better eating habits and increased activity among students. While many California schools have made substantial improvements to their nutritional environment, many others have not yet been able to achieve these important, challenging improvements.
Limit the reach of unhealthy food and beverage advertising aimed at children. Advertising is very effective at influencing children's consumption habits, food preferences and purchase requests. Recent voluntary actions by the food and beverage industry and media companies are a start, but additional actions are required to get to a healthy balance in food advertising to children.