Adolescent Health: Planting Seeds for a - Society for Public Health ...

Nutrition and
Physical Activity:
Action for healthy
adolescents
Adolescent Health: Planting Seeds for a Healthier Generation
National Health Education Week | October 15-19, 2012
Risk and Protective Factors
Health Challenges
Many risk factors contribute to the overweight and obesity epidemic among
Adolescents who are overweight or
adolescents, including:
obese are at risk for serious
immediate and long-term health
Sedentary behaviors (e.g., watch TV, play video and/or computer conditions that that are all once
games)
considered almost exclusively adult
Family lifestyle and history of obesity
diseases. These conditions include
Greater availability of fast food restaurants and convenience stores the following:
Widespread marketing and exposure to unhealthy food and
beverage via TV and media
Immediate
Lack of safe places in the community to be physically active 12
High blood pressure and
Low parental education
cholesterol
Low income households
Heart disease
Race/ethnicity
Pre-diabetes
American Indian youth are nearly twice as likely as white youth to Bone and joint problems
be obese and Hispanic and African-American children are over
Breathing problems
thirty percent more likely to be obese than white children 13
Sleep apnea
Depression
Poor self-esteem
Protective factors that promote healthy eating and physical activity include:
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Parents and schools who create healthy and balanced environments
Long-term
where learning about weight control is a normative behavior
Heart disease
Community access to supermarkets and farmer markets,
Type 2 diabetes
affordable healthy food and beverage choices, sidewalks, green
space, parks and recreation facilities. 14 Stroke
Cancer 1,15-17
Strategy in Action!
National Take-Back Initiative
Massachusetts Action for Healthy Kids ® . Created in 2002, Action for Healthy Kids ® is a national school-based
health campaign to fight the national epidemic of childhood obesity. The initiative promotes sound nutrition and
good physical activity in children, youth, and schools in partnership with schools, community leaders, and
volunteers. During the 2009-10 school year, Action for Healthy Kids® reached 4.5 million kids in 9,200 schools
nationwide. To promote healthier eating and regular exercise for children and families the MA Action for Healthy
Kids (MA AFHK) has numerous online, no-cost toolkits such as (1) Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge and
ReCharge! Energizing After-School for students K through 6 that emphasize healthy eating at home and school; (2)
awarded 20 area schools with mini-grants to develop school breakfast programs, summer nutrition programs, and
offer healthier food choices in vending machines; and (3) a Wellness Policy Tool framework to help develop, implement,
and evaluate community wellness policies. Read the MA AFHK newsletter for more resources and information
at http://take.actionforhealthykids.org/site/Clubsclub_id=1142&pg=main.
Society for Public Health Education • National Health Education Week 2012 | 30