QUICK LINKS: Did You Know? Preventive Health Care Are you Striving to have a Healthy Family? RESOURCES: Health and Wellness Educational Resources Technology Resources Wealth Building

Obesity is a National Health Problem – children are at an increased risk. The number of obese youngsters (generally defined as being over 20 percent overweight) has doubled in the last 20 years. (Centers for Disease Control).

OVERCOMING OBESITY: Does Your Child Struggle with Weight?
Kids these days while away their leisure time in the sedentary company of video games, telephones, and e-mail. They spend on average over 20 hours a week watching television. Given their overall lack of exercise and unhealthy diets, is it really any wonder that obesity is a growing problem in American children?

CDC Initiative Combats Childhood Obesity - Oprah, Maury Povich, Montel, and even Jerry Springer have dedicated entire shows to adolescent obesity. And the reason is clear: It’s a common problem with drastic consequences if not addressed. Now, the Youth Media Campaign (now dubbed VERB Campaign) launched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aims to end those days of imbalanced meals and near-to-none or nonexistent physical activity for kids. The goal of the VERB Campaign is to foster a positive and healthy lifestyle among children ages 9 to 13, not only by encouraging them to eat right and get active, but by helping their influencers (i.e. parents, older siblings, youth leaders, teachers, and the media) guide them. "The influencers are a crucial part of the success of the campaign," says Adrianne C. Smith, who is an organizer of the campaign. The VERB Campaign hopes its efforts will decrease child obesity, which can lead to diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart disease, and stroke. Help your child, young relative, or adolescent family friend fight obesity by becoming educated. Log onto www.verbnow.com or www.cdc.gov. —Feona S. Huf

Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better – a national media-based program designed to encourage Black women 18 and over to maintain a healthy weight by becoming more physically active and eating healthier foods.

Infant mortality is a key determinant in measuring the health status of a nation. In 1999, the infant mortality rate for African-Americans was 14.6 per 1,000 live births compared to 5.8 per 1,000 live births in Whites. (National Center for Health Statistics 1999).

45,000 African-Americans die each year from tobacco related illnesses than whites (CDC 1998).

African-American children are less likely than white children to have a primary care provider, less likely to access medical care and face long travel times and long waits when they access care. (Kaiser Family Foundation Report 1999).

Sickle Cell Disease, affects 1 in 400 African Americans. Sickle Cell Trait is present in one in ten African Americans.

In 1998, African-Americans comprised 17% of students with specific learning disabilities; 21% of children with serious emotional disturbances; and 35% of children identified as mildly retarded. (US Office of Civil Rights survey data). Rates for learning disabilities among African-American children appear to be the most accurate. However, compared to their white counterparts, African-American children are more likely to be identified as mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed and to be enrolled in special education classes; this is especially true for African-American male children.

The Federal Government through the Office of Minority Health and its sister agencies in the Department of Health and Human Services works to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of effective health policies and programs aimed at eliminating disparities in health. Click here for Closing the Gap Home Page - www.healthgap.omhrc.gov