Today in the United States, nearly 25 million children are obese or overweight. Childhood obesity is increase at an alarming rate, and if current trends continue, today's kids could be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents.
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a partnership between the Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association, launched in 2005, with the mission to eliminate childhood obesity and to inspire all young people in the United States to develop lifelong, healthy habits.
The Alliance applies a comprehensive approach to reach children in their schools, communities, homes, and doctor's offices to stop childhood obesity before it starts. The Alliance's Healthy Schools Program is supporting more than 3,000 schools through in person and online resources and ideas to make school environments healthier for students and staff. Going into its third year, the Healthy Schools Program has already helped many schools to transform lunch menus, enact fun group exercise clubs, and get students involved in thinking up new ways to be healthier.
This September, the Alliance celebrates the second annual "Go Healthy" Month, inviting kids across the nation to join the fun and get fit through activities and events in their communities. From home, kids can participate in an exciting and interactive online game called myGo Healthy Challenge at www.igohugo.com.
For more information, visit the Alliance on the web at www.healthiergeneration.org.
PROFILE
The Mixed Nuts, a student group in the Waterville Public Schools, helped administrators made big changes.
