Childhood Obesity Declines In Several States, CitiesYour Health ...

From USA Today?..

Some cities and states are trying to make their schools and communities healthier to reduce childhood obesity.

Nutritional improvements made in the foods served at schools could help reverse the nation?s childhood obesity epidemic, and the first evidence of that is in places that have implemented changes early.

Childhood obesity rates have declined slightly in several cities and states that are tackling the issue including Mississippi, California, New York City, Philadelphia, El Paso and Anchorage, according to two groups that are tracking the trend.

?We?ve had 30 years of increasing rates of obesity, but we might be seeing the turning point for this epidemic,? says pediatrician James Marks, a senior vice president for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which issued a summary report on the topic. One of the foundation?s goals is to reverse childhood obesity in this country.

The gains are pretty small in some communities, but if nothing else they reverse long-building trends of higher obesity rates among kids. ?There are enough communities that have had declines that it shows any community that makes these kinds of changes could see their children get healthier,? Marks says.

Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest,a Washington D.C.-based consumer group, which did its own analysis of the changes, says, ?We are seeing decreases in obesity in places where they are making a concerted effort to address the problem, mostly in schools. They?re not just crossing their fingers and hoping the problem goes away.?

A 2010 law directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update the national nutrition standards for all food served in schools. The standards are designed to improve the health of about 53 million children who attend primary and secondary schools. Kids consume about 30% to 50% of their daily calories while at school.

The changes that went into effect this year mean students are being offered healthier options and slightly fewer calories at lunch, Wootan says.

Some cities and states also have increased the quantity and quality of physical activity for students, and many have instituted strong nutrition guidelines for the types of foods that can be sold in vending machines, ? la carte lines and school stores, she says.

The decline in childhood obesity could become more widespread with the improvements being made in school food nationwide, Wootan says.

Greater declines in obesity are likely to come when the government implements rules for competitive foods, such as candy, chips, soda, cookies and pastries, sold in vending machines, ? la carte lines and school stores, she says. Those should be released later this year and go into effect in two years or so, Wootan says. ?That?s where we?ll see a bigger impact.?

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Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/?p=5905

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