First lady Michelle Obama, our country’s children’s health advocate, who released 70 goals as part of the government’s campaign against childhood obesity, said that panel found that women could help reduce childhood obesity by 1) maintaining a healthy weight when they become pregnant and 2) by breast-feeding their babies. “For the first time, the nation will have goals, benchmarks and measureable outcomes that will help us tackle the childhood obesity epidemic one child, one family and one community at a time,” Mrs. Obama said.

Obese and overweight children are at higher risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other illnesses, and some public health experts say, if this trend isn’t remedied, children today may live shorter lives than their parents. Mrs. Obama said that the goal is to solve the problem so babies born today will come of age at a healthy weight. Of course, there’s much to be done, but the problem is urgent indeed. And, though over dozen federal agencies, including the Education, Agriculture, Health, Interior and Transportation departments, participated in the Childhood Obesity Task Force, it holds an “advisory only” position.

We can all become children’s health advocates by writing to our government representatives and letting them know that that we want action, in addition to advice, when it comes to the health of our country’s children, such as the proactive step that Congress has taken to begin the process of updating the guidelines for foods served in schools, including what is offered by vending machines.

Technorati Tags: breastfeeding, childhood obesity, Childhood Obesity Task Force, childrens health

Children with unhealthy diets generally become adults with a lot of health issues. And, excessively overweight children, in days gone by, more often than not remained overweight and became adults with a variety of weight-related diseases. But, this is no longer the case. Experts say that overweight adolescents are starting to suffer problems that used to plague mainly middle-aged adults — early heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

“I don’t think that most parents truly appreciate the role soda pop has in causing weight gain,” Padilla said. “It is unfortunate that soda is actually cheaper than milk and even bottled water in many instances.”  Padilla said California needs to do more to educate the public about the health effects of drinking too much soda and to consider its options for reducing soda consumption among children.

Though we may feel that politicians let child-related issue fall between the cracks as they argue and debate often nonsensical topics, let’s encourage those legislators who take an active and meaningful role in helping to tip the scales of health on the side of our children.

For more information, go to reuters.com

Technorati Tags: childhood obesity, early heart disease, overweight adolescents, type 2 diabetes