How to Set Children's Health Goals
The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 has more than doubled in the past 26ars, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006. The rate among adolescents aged 12 to 19 more than tripled, increasing from 5% to 17.6%. footnote 1
Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. Obesity in adulthood increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and a general poor health status. footnote 2
According to a 2006 CDC survey, 23% of black children and 20% of Hispanic children had not received the recommended five-vaccine series by the age of 35 months. footnote 3
Thirty-two percent of low income children ages 2-17 had not visited a dentist in the last year, according to the same 2006 study.
What will you do to help young people stay healthy?
1. Obesity Prevalence, CDC, accessed 2009, http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/childhood/prevalence.htm
2. The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics (2006) http://childstats.gov/americaschildren/care.asp.
