1. How is obesity defined? BMI Formula: kg/m2
Many BMI calculators exist on the web or on phone apps
Google BMI calculator, plug in your weight and height

2. How is obesity defined? Children
Overweight = BMI at or above the 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile
Obese = BMI at or above the 95th percentile

3. Rates of obesity Obesity in Colorado Adults Obese: 21%
Overweight: 56.8%
Preschoolers
Obese: 10%
Overweight: 14.1%
These are 2010 numbers from the CDC, which updated some of those figures over the summer for low-income preschool-aged children, which is ages 3-5.
The latest figures show that 19 states saw a downward trend in preschooler obesity. Those states saw obesity rates drop anywhere from .3% to 2.6%; and 21 states saw no change in obesity rates, which have tripled since the 1980s.
But, Colorado was one of three states in this latest report to see its obesity rates go up among preschoolers. Our figures went from 9.1% to 10%
The national average is 14.4%. Hawaii has the lowest rate at 9.2% while Puerto Rico had the highest rate at 17.9%. Excluding territories, California was the state with the highest rate of preschool-aged obesity at 16.8%.

4. Individual changes Healthy habits Eat 3 meals/day
Drink milk instead of soda or juice
Turn off the TV
Portion control
Eat together
Studies show that children who eat 3 meals a day have a 63% lower risk of being overweight. Children who skip breakfast are hungry and consume more food prior to lunch – increasing their daily intake
We also know that children who drink milk instead of juice or soda are leaner. Plus, childhood is an important time to develop bone mass so they need calcium from milk
Nearly a quarter of the adolescents in Colorado reported drinking a can, bottle or glass of soda at least once a day, according to CDC figures from 2010.
Having a television and/or computer in a child’s room is the No. 1 risk factor for obesity
Give children smaller portions of food and wait for them to ask for more food instead of serving large portions
Eating together as a family promotes socializing and it prevents kids from making their own food choices because when they feed themselves they are more likely to pick convenience food or less healthy options

5. School programs Colorado kids 20.7% participate in daily P.E. classes
25.1% watch 3 or more hours of television per day on an average school day
Only 10% of Colorado schools always offered fruits or non-fried veg in vending machines or school stores
CDC statistics from 2010 found that only 20.7% of Colorado adolescents attended daily physical education classes in an average week.
In contrast, 25 percent of Colorado kids watch 3 or more hours of television per day, on an average school day
And only 10% of the schools in Colorado always offered fruits or non-fried vegetables in vending machines, school stores or snack bars whenever foods and beverages were offered
This is a troubling statistic because studies show that school-based interventions are an effective tool in reducing obesity.
School-based interventions that were found to be effective include:
Teaching about healthy eating, physical activity and body image
More P.E. classes and movement skills
Better nutritional quality of school food
Better support for teachers and staff in these programs
Lastly, these studies showed no adverse impacts of implementing these changes

6. Community efforts Philadelphia School changes School wellness councils
Fresh Food Initiative
Healthy corner stores
After-school programs
Mass media campaigns
The city of Philadelphia embarked on a series of programs that resulted in a 5% drop in obesity in children ages 5-18 from
There were also larger decreases in African American boys and Hispanic girls – ethnicities with traditionally greater risk for obesity
They helped implement changes in school policies to limit sugary beverages in vending machines, stores and school events. They also directed some SNAP funding to support nutrition education in 200 schools
They removed fryers from school kitchens and shifted from whole milk to low-fat milk
They created Wellness Councils for 170 schools and used them to introduce breaks during the school day for exercise and fitness – the city of Denver is just now creating wellness programs for schools
They started a Fresh Food Initiative – this led to nearly 20 new supermarkets opening in some communities that hadn’t seen a local supermarket in generations
Worked to expand farmer’s markets and healthy food in corner stores – They were able to get 650 corner stores opened in neighborhoods with the highest rates of poverty to increase access to healthy foods for more than 60,000 Philadelphians
Created more bicycle lanes and more accessible parks to help give children safe access to exercise and play
Created after school programs that set standards and created opportunities for physical activity
Implemented mass media campaigns to highlight the negative health effects of sugary beverages on children, especially as it relates to childhood obesity and Type II diabetes
One school program trained teachers to provide pedestrian and bike safety education to 2nd-5th graders and the program reached more than 40,000 students

7. Community efforts Advertising
At least $10 billion per year is spent on marketing of all types of food to children in the U.S.
As a side note,
The leaders of the projects in Philadelphia were asked what else they would like to be able to do to combat obesity and they said they wished the had more money to spend on advertising because children are so influenced by advertising and they don’t know that just because something is being advertised to them that it can be bad for them
A separate study showed that at least $10 billion per year is spent on marketing of all types of food to children in the U.S.
Advertising is no longer just on TV. Ads are embedded into video games, cell phones and on the Internet

8. Community efforts WIC Displayed in waiting areas
Parents see it while waiting for appointment and wonder if their child is overweight
Parents will bring up the subject later during their appointment