September is Childhood Obesity Month

August 23, 2012 | Community News

More than 23 million children and teenagers (31.8 percent) ages two to 19 are obese or overweight. “National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids (NJPHK) recognize the serious threat obesity poses to the health of America’s children and the importance of decreasing its prevalence not only in the state of New Jersey, but across the entire United States,” stated Darrin Anderson, Deputy Director, NJPHK.

 During the month of September, NJPHK communities will sponsor several activities to promote healthy environments.    These events and activities include:

Camden—Community playground build day in Northgate Park on October 20th

New Brunswick—Community viewing of film written and produced by elementary school students on childhood obesity challenges faced in their community

Newark—Community Build Day of a Born Learning Trail in Nat Turner Park on September 26, 27 and 28th

Trenton—Ribbon cutting ceremony of first healthy cafeteria created in Trenton at Monument Elementary School on September 12

Vineland—Kickoff of Healthy You programs at various community sites.  Healthy You is a  weight management program that teaches overweight children and their parents how to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles

“The growing rate of childhood obesity in our country is alarming and the financial implications add up to a sobering $14 billion per year in direct health care costsalone,” said Bill Lovett, Director of NJPHK.

Established in September 2012 by presidential and congressional proclamations, the National Council on Childhood Obesity Awareness Month encourages individuals and organizations to do whatever they can to build understanding of the causes and implications of childhood obesity and to earnestly seek solutions to stem the epidemic.

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