In the beginning......

When I started researching childhood obesity for my class project my first thought (and my original thesis) was "There have always been fat kids, I was a fat kid.  Is childhood obesity really much more of a problem now or are we just more aware of it so it seems like a bigger issue?".  That's what I was going to base my paper on; the media was making a big deal out of a problem that Americans have had for decades.  One of the first websites I visited was the US Center for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov) and discovered just how wrong I was.  Here are some "did you know" facts I learned on day one:

1. Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled in the last 30 years.  
2. In 2008 more than one third of American children & adolescents were diagnosed overweight or obese. 
3. In 1980 only 7% of children ages 6-11 were obese.  That number was 20% in 2008. Percentages of obese adolescents ages 12-19 went from 5% in 1980 to 18% in 2008. 

That last statistic surprised and saddened me.  It also began my mission to find out what's causing this epidemic and how to stop it.  I know I personally am not going to be able to stop childhood obesity but hopefully I can make a difference. 

As part of the final project for my class is to create some kind of a multi-media visual project of some kind. I chose to do this blog and my plan is to keep adding to it even after this class is over next week.  My hope is by sharing the information I have found and will continue to find that it will help someone help their child(ren) get healthier. 

I will share the link to this blog with my classmates, and post it on my Facebook page hoping that friends will also share the link on their page.  If you've happened to come across this blog and think it might help someone please share it.  The more we get the word out the better!

~Jennifer~

References:
Childhood Obesity Facts (2011).  www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm