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Help End Childhood Obesity

Sponsored by: William J. Clinton Foundation

Nearly 1 in 3 children are obese or overweight in the United States today. If current trends continue, today's kids may be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents.

What's causing this rise? Children are eating increasingly unhealthy foods more often and exercising less. One in four children does not participate in any free-time physical activity, and only three out of ten high school seniors report eating green vegetables "nearly every day or more."

Too many parents don't have enough time to prepare -- or can't afford --healthier foods. Too many schools have been put in the position of ending physical education programs, relying on vending machines with sugary treats to raise much-needed cash, and ultimately serving foods in the cafeteria that may not be the healthiest.

But there is good news: we have the power to help our children make better decisions and help our schools provide students with healthier options.

Pledge to make a difference in a child's life and help halt the growing epidemic of childhood obesity.

deadline: 9-17-2009
goal: 20,000

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THE PLEDGE

I pledge that I will provide healthy and nutritious meals for children in my care. I will limit the amount of high-calorie soda they drink.

I will encourage the children in my care to exercise more, and I will join them to set a good example.

I will look at foods offered in my local school's cafeteria, store and vending machines to see what healthy food choices, like fruits, nuts and veggies, are available to students and staff. If my local school isn't doing enough to fight childhood obesity, I will work with my school community to encourage them to look to the Healthy Schools Program to help change their minds and their menus! (At: www.healthiergeneration.org.)

Sincerely,
[Your name here]

We took action on “Help End Childhood Obesity”!

# 13,681:

4:35 pm PDT, Sep 16, Janice Sturdy, United Kingdom

# 13,680:

6:11 am PDT, Sep 15, Jeffrey Turner, Illinois

# 13,679:

6:00 am PDT, Aug 31, Demetria Cavallari, Pennsylvania
No child deserves to be unhealthy.

# 13,678:

11:03 pm PDT, Aug 30, Name not displayed, Malaysia

# 13,677:

10:55 am PDT, Aug 28, Cynthia Jacobs, West Virginia
I have struggled with obesity my entire life. I cannot remember a time in my life when I have not been overweight, from the time I was four years old. During my childhood, I was in the minority, but now, that is no longer true. I know the terrible impact it makes on a young person's life to suffer both the physical and emotional backlash of this condition. I urge parents to make the necessary changes, such as eating healthily and watching portion sizes, cutting out sodas and limiting sweets in favor of water and fruits. Be more active and include your children in family activities that keep them active, too. Most importantly, remember, you lead by example. They will do what you do, so if you're being the couch potato in front of the computer or TV, then they will! If we don't address it now, we can expect that our children's lives, and the lives of future generations will carry a higher, earlier mortality rate and the quality of that life, even before death, will not be the level it could be if they were not hindered by the extra weight, and all that brings with it, both physically and emotionally. Please act now! Don't assume because it's offered by the cafeteria at school that it will be well-balanced. Be vigilent and monitor!

# 13,676:

6:33 am PDT, Aug 27, Kathleen Notarino, Connecticut

# 13,675:

11:44 am PDT, Aug 25, Ariel Anderson, Alabama

# 13,674:

3:32 am PDT, Aug 21, Toni Zadzilka, New York

# 13,673:

1:24 am PDT, Aug 17, Gabriella Takacsne berky, Spain

# 13,672:

8:59 pm PDT, Aug 15, Angelo Feldkamp, New Mexico

# 13,671:

5:35 pm PDT, Aug 15, Barbara Hines, South Carolina

# 13,670:

12:34 am PDT, Aug 15, Andrea Hasara, Nevada

# 13,669:

10:57 am PDT, Aug 14, Angela Fazzari, Arizona

# 13,668:

9:08 am PDT, Aug 13, Trena Chamness, Florida
I think the reason for childhood obesity is our kids do not get to play out side like they use to. Schools have PE and most of them have no recess. We played fast and hard. Today kids set on the couch playing vidio games and stuffing there faces, with chips candy and pop. Parents are over worked and use vidio games for a time of peace so they can relax after work. So sad to see the American way of life distroyed bit by bit. Our elders knew how we should live to be healthy, they raised a generation of healthy smart kids. When familys sat down to dinner, lunch, breakfast, togeather the family unit was intact. We need to go back to the family ways again.

# 13,667:

3:56 am PDT, Aug 13, Keri German, United Kingdom

# 13,666:

8:42 am PDT, Aug 12, Barbara Ersfeld, Washington
Children have no sense of what is good for them and what is not. They only care what they like. It is up to us, as adult caregivers, to give the proper care and nourishment to little bodies so that they may grow healthy and strong and limit the intake of refined foods, sugars and white flour so that they have a chance. Besides this, the social stigma of even a little bit of overweight is still strong in our schools. You are not doing your child any service to permit soda pop consumption, for instance, or desserts and chips every day. I know they want them. It isn't good for them! Parents need to learn to say "no" and mean it for the sake of their childrens health and well-being. Many children don't even cultivate a taste for fresh fruits and well-prepared vegetables because parents allow them to say, "No thank you," without even sampling them. Some children will not even taste chicken, roast beef, hamburger, fish, unless it is coated with crusty fried gunk...Time to learn that the child is not the boss because s/he doesn't know what is best for him/her. You, parents, have to take your job a lot more seriously for your child's physical and emotional well-being.

# 13,665:

12:14 am PDT, Aug 12, Tere Kennon, California
If you are overweight as a child or adolescent you are more likely to be obese as an adult. Obesity can shorten your life and put you at risk of developing heart disease and many other health conditions.

# 13,664:

8:50 pm PDT, Aug 11, Name not displayed, California

# 13,663:

11:16 am PDT, Aug 11, Clova Wolfe, Canada
Teaching healthy habits in childood eradicates childood obesity, and thus produce a healthy generation who will continue to live the healthy lifestyle they learned as children, and teach the same to the next generation.

# 13,662:

8:59 am PDT, Aug 11, Name not displayed, California

# 13,661:

4:36 am PDT, Aug 11, Olga Knapik, Poland

# 13,660:

3:50 am PDT, Aug 11, Dominika Styczynska, Poland

# 13,659:

12:50 am PDT, Aug 11, Name not displayed, Malaysia

# 13,658:

6:45 pm PDT, Aug 10, Name not displayed, Canada

# 13,657:

5:39 pm PDT, Aug 10, Shirin Shushtarian, Canada

# 13,656:

4:46 pm PDT, Aug 10, Aaron Hunter, Nevada

# 13,655:

12:26 pm PDT, Aug 10, Connie McAtee, Utah
Several reasons but the most important one is that they are our future and what good are they going to be or even be there if they are over-weight or obese!

# 13,654:

11:31 am PDT, Aug 10, ANA MARIA OBRIST, Chile

# 13,653:

9:45 am PDT, Aug 10, Steve Galvin, Florida

# 13,652:

8:31 am PDT, Aug 10, Iris Block, New Jersey

# 13,651:

8:07 am PDT, Aug 10, Diane Lou, Oregon

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Help End Childhood Obesity

This petition has been closed.