Health

United Way works for a healthier Community

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%. One out of five young people ages 10 to 17 in Virginia is obese or overweight, according to the results of the first Virginia Childhood Obesity Survey, commissioned by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY). The highest rates of childhood obesity in the Commonwealth were found in Southwest Virginia.

  • The highest childhood obesity rate is found in Southwest Virginia (28%), 1 out of 3 children.
  • Only 4% of young people meet the USDA recommendation of nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
  • 92% of youth surveyed eat snacks such as chips and candy or drink soda at least once a week, and 21% of kids consume it seven days a week.
  • On an average school day, almost half of young Virginians watch two or more hours of TV and 33% play two or more hours of video games.

Obesity remains the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, behind tobacco use. More than 60 percent of Virginia adults are obese or overweight. Childhood obesity can lead to serious health problems once seen only in adults, including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea.

Contributing factors to obesity are eating habits, physical activity and screen time. Prevention strategies include school nutrition, physical fitness programs, pediatric health care approaches and marketing.

Our Goal

Reduce the number of children in Southwest Virginia that our obese.

Our Strategy

Achieving our goal requires us all to become more aware of obesity and the potential effects they have on our children. Working to change policies and practices, such as extending recess time during school, will enable more children to live healthier lives.

  • Limit access to non-nutritious food in schools, e.g., by limiting the types of foods that can be sold for fundraisers or by not allowing sale of foods in vending machines.
  • Make water available and promote consumption of water in place of sweetened beverages.
  • Provide point-of-purchase prompts to highlight healthier alternatives such as fruits and vegetables.
  • Institute school policies that increase activity such as expanding school-based physical education classes, active recess, and walking or biking to school.
  • Promote exercise and recreation in communities, e.g., by allowing evening access to school recreational facilities.
  • Increase access to fitness centers and athletic facilities: access can be increased in a number of ways, including physical access/location accessibility and reduced costs or sliding scale fees to improve economic access.
  • Implement breastfeeding programs to increase breastfeeding initiation, exclusive breastfeeding, and duration of breastfeeding.
  • Promote local food systems and farmers' markets.