September was Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and, according to the annual report The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, we still have some work to do in Rhode Island!
How does the Ocean State rank in The State of Obesity report?
- 13.2% of 10- to- 17-year-olds are obese in Rhode Island
- 10.7% of high school students are obese in our state
Rhode Island has lower childhood obesity rates than many other states, but 13.2% and 10.7% are still far too high! We have to make sure that all kids have access to healthy foods and safe places to play and be active – we need to create a culture of health in our state where the default choice is the healthy one.
Rhode Island's success can serve as an example to the rest of the country - but we can't put ourselves on a pedestal while leaving 10% of our kids behind.
The American Heart Association is starting a petition asking the Governor-Elect to prioritize childhood obesity prevention in our state – click the following link to sign today: http://www.yourethecure.org/composeletters_open.aspx?AlertID=35459
The petition will be delivered after the General Election in November.
To view The State of Obesity report visit: http://stateofobesity.org/states/
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