As rates of childhood obesity increase, the healthcare industry understands the urgent need to take action. Today, children are being diagnosed with a host of obesity-related health conditions previously seen exclusively in adults, including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. If no action is taken, these problems will only escalate as obese children get older—overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight adults.

Tackling childhood obesity is the right thing to do, both for the health of our children and for the strength of our healthcare system. Costs associated with obesity-related health problems represent a huge burden on our healthcare system. The healthcare industry has an invested interest in stopping this epidemic before it weighs down their bottom line.

Learn more about the issue of childhood obesity.

The Role of the Healthcare System

Healthcare providers, insurers and other industry representatives play critical roles in promoting healthy lifestyles for children. While the healthcare community is concerned about childhood obesity, most are not equipped to prevent, diagnose or treat the condition. Common barriers include a lack of time, knowledge and reimbursement for providing appropriate counseling, along with the poor availability of effective interventions.

The Alliance is working to overcome these barriers by collaborating with industry experts to find solutions for healthcare providers to better address this epidemic.

Join the Alliance’s Healthcare Initiative

The Alliance invites representatives from across the healthcare field to join us as we explore strategies and solutions to assist healthcare providers, insurers and others in the industry in curtailing childhood obesity. To learn more about how to get involved or for general information on the health costs and effects of childhood obesity, please email healthcare@healthiergeneration.org.