Copyright © 2010 by the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the California Medical Association Foundation Pilot Version, May 6, 2010 All rights reserved. Individuals and organizations participating in this training may reproduce any of these materials but solely for the purpose of training within their organizations. Any such reproduction should include an acknowledgement as follows: Reproduced, with permission, from the Be Our Voice: Mobilizing Healthcare Professionals as Community Leaders in the Fight Against Childhood Obesity, Advocacy Resource Guide, copyrighted by the National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality. No other reproduction is authorized without the written permission of the copyright holder. This work is sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Write to: National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality 30 Winter Street, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02108-4720 (617) 391-2700
[email protected] Mobilizing Healthcare Professionals in the Fight Against Childhood Obesity | Advocacy Resource Guide |May 2010 2 January 2010 Nearly one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. This epidemic is taking its greatest toll on children living in underserved communities. Many of these children are developing diseases that until now were only seen in adults, including type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Their weight is putting them at a disproportionate risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancers. Each time you see the toll this epidemic is taking, it probably feels overwhelming. It is frustrating to spend time educating families about the importance of physical activity only to hear local schools have slashed time outside the classroom.