Over the past several decades we have witnessed childhood obesity grow to epidemic proportions. More than 23 million children and teenagers are obese or overweight. That is roughly one child in every three. Locally, as evidenced by the 2009 Clermont County Youth Health Assessment, nearly 30% of Clermont County fourth graders were determined to be overweight or obese.
These youngsters are at risk for developing serious health problems in adulthood, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and several types of cancer. The financial impact is a sobering $14 billion per year in direct health care cost alone. The psychological consequences can hinder these children academically and socially.
The Clermont County Coalition for Activity and Nutrition (CAN) was formed in 2009 to improve nutritional awareness and encourage physical activity. CAN invites the community to visit our website often for information about no cost or low cost places and spaces for physical activity along with tips on how to work exercise into your life. There are also tips on healthy eating. Clermont CAN encourages everyone to Be Active and Eat Smart.
The effort begins at home. Parents have enormous influence over their children’s lifestyles by the example they set and the decisions they make. By modeling healthy eating and physically active lifestyles, we can set our children on the road to a lifetime of good habits. All children deserve a healthy start in life; it’s our responsibility to make that possible. Learn more at www.HealthierKidsBrighterFutures.org.