Education A National Roundup

Report Demands Action to Tackle Youth Obesity

October 08, 2004 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The battle to end childhood obesity will require a long-term commitment by the federal government, schools, communities, and policymakers to change societal attitudes, concludes a report released last week by a federal advisory committee.

Presented to Congress by the Washington-based National Academies’ Institute of Medicine, the report recommends that schools at all levels institute new nutritional standards for cafeteria and vending-machine foods, increase their emphasis on physical education, and revise school curricula to promote healthy eating.

Jeffrey Koplan, the vice president of academic health affairs at Atlanta’s Emory University, who chaired the 19-member committee that produced the report, said in a statement that “we must act now and we must do this as a nation. This report is calling for fundamental changes in our society.”

“Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance” also calls for parents to encourage healthier eating habits for their children at home, and encourages physicians to check the body mass index of every child annually. The report is online at www.nationalacademies.org.

Communities need to expand opportunities for both children and adults to exercise by changing zoning requirements to require the building of more sidewalks, bike paths, playgrounds, and recreation areas, it says.

Federal statistics estimate that nearly 9 million U.S. children over the age of 6 are considered obese, Mr. Koplan said.

Events

Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Boosting Student and Staff Mental Health: What Schools Can Do
Join this free virtual event based on recent reporting on student and staff mental health challenges and how schools have responded.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Curriculum Webinar
Practical Methods for Integrating Computer Science into Core Curriculum
Dive into insights on integrating computer science into core curricula with expert tips and practical strategies to empower students at every grade level.
Content provided by Learning.com

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: October 11, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: September 27, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: September 20, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education From Our Research Center What's on the Minds of Educators, in Charts
Politics, gender equity, and technology—how teachers and administrators say these issues are affecting the field.
1 min read
Stylized illustration of a pie chart
Traci Daberko for Education Week