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The bad news:
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health issues facing America today. The problem has grown at an alarming rate in the past two decades; childhood obesity is now a national epidemic. In the past 30 years the childhood obesity rate has more than tripled for children ages 6 – 11 years. Today, more than 9 million children over the age of 6 years old are considered to be obese. This is the first generation that has a lower life expectancy than that of their parents. The healthcare costs associated with this epidemic are overwhelming. It has been estimated that in 2002, $96.2 billion dollars was spent on diseases caused and related to obesity, which is 9.1% of all U.S. healthcare costs. Childhood obesity is a complex issue and crosses all socioeconomic barriers. There are a collection of reasons why this epidemic has occurred. Some are:

• Nutrition education is not part of the common elementary school curriculum.
• School lunch programs are antiquated and need overhauling.
• Pressure on families to lower food costs, decrease food preparation time, leading to frequent intake of convenience type foods high in calories and fat.
• Poor neighborhood and city planning, discouraging physical activity in the places we live.
• A decrease in physical activity to school, during school, after school.
• An increase in sedentary screen time, like watching television, computer, and video games.
• A decrease in the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• The list is long and these issues need to be tackled immediately to begin the catalyst for change to stop the childhood obesity epidemic in its tracks.

The good news:
The great news is that childhood obesity can be prevented and treated. There are many things that can be done to help children and their families take on healthier lifestyles to prevent serious health issues. American Institute for the Prevention of Childhood Obesity (AIPCO) is armed with Ms. Cala Ries, our tool to successfully educate elementary school students on nutrition. The prevention and treatment of childhood obesity and its related problems is the goal of the AIPCO. AIPCO is committed to educating and getting the full support of health care professionals, elected officials, policy makers and the general public to have a better understanding of the childhood obesity issue. This is the first step in effectively curing the epidemic.