New "Take the Lead" PSA to highlight Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative
The Office of the Surgeon General is disseminating the PSAs as part of its "Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future" public information initiative.
The new PSAs encourage adults to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles to improve their personal health and set an example for children to follow. More than 12.5 million children and adolescents — 17.1 percent of people ages 2 to 19 years — are overweight.
"Early intervention against overweight and obesity is crucial," said Acting Surgeon General
As they grow older, overweight children and adolescents are more likely to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes.
"To ensure a healthy future for America's children we must help kids get the recommended 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity," Dr. Galson said. "Using family time to help children develop good habits will benefit them now and throughout their lives."
The National Public Health Information Coalition, an independent organization dedicated to improving America's health through public health communications, will help distribute the PSAs to health departments nationwide and promote posting the announcements to the departments' Web sites.
The PSAs will be featured beginning today on
In the "Take the Lead" PSA, children emulate the adults as they exercise, make healthy food choices, and practice good hygiene. The PSA closes with a message from Dr. Galson urging everyone to take a part in leading our youth to a healthy future. He also directs the audience to the Office of the Surgeon General's Web site to receive a parent or caregiver checklist. The Spanish PSA "
For more information about the Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future Initiative and to view the PSAs, please visit http://www.surgeongeneral.gov.
Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.
CONTACT: Jennifer Buschick (202) 205-0143
SOURCE U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Surgeon General