Childhood obesity is one of our nation’s leading health threats. Today nearly 1 in 3 children and teens in the U.S. are overweight or obese. The obesity epidemic is clearly taking its toll, as more and more kids are developing conditions and diseases typically associated with adults. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 3 individuals born in the year 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes. In vulnerable populations, that number increases to 1 in 2 individuals. If obesity among kids continues to increase, many believe this current generation of young people will become the first in American history to live shorter lives than their parents.
To combat this growing epidemic, the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation united in 2005 and formed the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California joined the Alliance in 2007and serves as a co-lead along with President Bill Clinton and Tim Gardner, MD, Immediate Past President of the American Heart Association.
The goal of the Alliance is to stop the nationwide increase in childhood obesity by 2010 and to take bold, innovative steps to help all children live longer and healthier lives. The Alliance is having a positive impact on the places that can make a difference to a child’s health: homes, schools, doctors’ offices and communities.
The Alliance is uniquely positioned to create change by combining the American Heart Association’s extensive reach into communities across the country, credible science expertise, strong presence in schools and nationwide network of volunteers and supporters with the entrepreneurial approach, powerful influence and innovation of the William J. Clinton Foundation.
To ensure that future generations won’t struggle with illnesses associated with poor food choices and lack of physical activity, the Alliance is taking preemptive measures against obesity by focusing on four key initiatives:
