Turnarounds: Childhood obesity decreases slightly; More kids walking to school

The National Center for Safe Routes to School recently published research showing that the trend of several decades has finally been reversed:  More kids are walking to school now than in recent years: 

The childhood obesity rate in Missouri--and many other states--has decreased for the first time in decades. Click for full size image. Image courtesy CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/childhoodobesity/index.html

New research from the National Center for Safe Routes to School – based on parent survey data collected by nearly 4,700 U.S. schools from 2007 to 2012 – shows that more K-8 students are walking to and from school across the country.

According to the data, the percentage of K-8 children who walked to school in the morning increased from 12.4 percent to 15.7 percent (representing a 27 percent increase). Similarly, the percentage of K-8 children who walked from school in the afternoon increased from 15.8 percent to 19.7 percent (representing a 24 percent increase).

“We have heard anecdotally that more families are choosing active transportation for everyday trips, and this first-ever large dataset provides evidence that this is indeed the case for the trip to and from school,” said Lauren Marchetti, director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School. “This encouraging news illustrates the importance of continuing to invest in building safer infrastructure, promoting safety awareness and continuing programs like Safe Routes to School.”For many years, doctors have been wringing their hands as more and more U.S. children grew fat. Now, that may be changing, with the first evidence of a national decline in childhood obesity.

The CDC reported on research showing that childhood obesity rates have dropped in many states--also reversed a decades-long trend:

In 18 states, there were at least slight drops in obesity for low-income preschoolers, health officials said Tuesday.

After decades on the rise, childhood obesity rates recently have essentially been flat. A few places – Philadelphia, New York City and Mississippi – reported improvements in the last couple of years. But the report from the Centers for Disease and Control Prevention shows signs of wider-ranging progress.

"Now, for the first time, we're seeing a significant decrease in childhood obesity" nationally, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, CDC director.

But rates are still too high, he added. One in 8 preschoolers is obese in the United States, and it's even more common in black and Hispanic kids.

The CDC's online report adds these additional facts:

1 in 8

About 1 in 8 preschoolers is obese in the US.

19

Obesity among low-income preschoolers declined, from 2008 through 2011, in 19 of 43 states and territories studied.

5x

Children who are overweight or obese as preschoolers are 5 times as likely as normal-weight children to be overweight or obese as adults.

Obese children are more likely to become obese adults and suffer lifelong physical and mental health problems. Obesity rates in low-income preschoolers, after decades of rising, began to level off from 2003 through 2008 and now are showing small declines in many states. However, too many preschoolers are obese. State and local officials can play a big part in reducing obesity among preschoolers.

State and Local Officials can:

• Create partnerships with community members such as civic leaders and child care providers to make community changes that promote healthy eating and active living.
• Make it easier for families with children to buy healthy, affordable foods and beverages in their neighborhood.
• Help provide access to safe, free drinking water in places such as community parks, recreation areas, child care centers, and schools.
• Help local schools open up gyms, playgrounds, and sports fields during non-school hours so more children can safely play.
• Help child care providers use best practices for improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, and decreasing computer and television time.

Our Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri includes the goal of increasing the number of Missourians who regularly bicycle and walk, including support of the national Safe Routes to School program, which encourages communities to make it safer and more inviting for children to walk and bicycle to schools in the community.  Your membership and support helps turn our vision into reality!