By Janet Walberg Rankin, Ph.D., FACSM
The childhood obesity statistics in our country are troubling, but not unsolvable. As a doctor of sports medicine, I was encouraged by the recent Center for Disease Control and Prevention report showing a decline in obesity rates among low-income preschoolers around the country, including in Washington State.
The study found that programs such as First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative are increasing awareness around the country of the need to get kids to be more physically active. Still, we need to do more to keep those numbers headed in the right direction and ensure there is support for creating opportunities to keep kids moving. The ActivEarth initiative promotes active transit such as biking and walking and is a partial answer to this challenge.The program encourages improvements to community infrastructure that increase access to safe and enjoyable physical activity.
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