Editor:

Eat Healthy and Be Active! On Oct. 6, the 80th annual Child Health Day, the Federal Health Resources and Services Administration challenged parents, caregivers, teachers, school nurses and adults who care about kids to grapple with a serious health issue: childhood overweight and obesity.

Recent studies suggest that one in six U.S. children between the ages of 2 and 19 is overweight. Childhood obesity is an even more serious – and growing – health concern for children and adolescents. In less than 30 years, obesity has more than doubled among children ages 2 to 5 and more than tripled among youth ages 6 to 11 and adolescents ages 12 to 19.

Health consequences are serious, including increased risk for asthma, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions. Fortunately, overweight can be reversed or prevented by helping children and adolescents stay active and develop healthy eating habits.

What can you do? Be a role model. When children see parents, caregivers and other adults enjoying healthy foods and being physically active, they are more likely to do the same.

Visit the Child Health Day Web site to find out how you can help keep this problem from growing at mchb.hrsa.gov/childhealthday/.

Contact Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition (CHCC) at 602-3550 for information and resources in your community.

CHCC is a community-based health promotion coalition working to promote tobacco prevention and cessation, substance abuse prevention, physical activity and nutrition in the community and schools. The coalition is a program of the University of New England’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. CHCC is a Healthy Maine Partnership.

Megan Rochelo, MPH

Director, Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition