Health News
The November issue of Kentucky Living magazine, published monthly for member-customers of the state's electric cooperatives, focuses on children's health. Editor Paul Wesslund writes that the stories and statistics on the current state of the state's kids are "scary."
Reporter James Nold Jr. writes that when experts were asked about their concerns for the state, childhood obesity was front and center. The state ties Georgia and Arkansas for the second highest share of children (37 percent) who are obese, and it trails only Mississippi among children 10 to 17. That?s more than one in three kids who are grossly unfit.
Also of concern are Kentucky children's high rates of asthma, abuse, neglect, and cigarette smoking. The numbers for these are so bad and so seemingly out of control now that health professionals would be happy just to see them remain stable in the future, instead of continuously rising.
Nold writes that the experts' urgency on these matters was palpable. A lot of them talked about the way poor nutrition can harm children now and throughout the rest of their lives. They also expressed deep concern for the lack of dental education and care, the need for more exercise and for more parent involvement in all of their children's choices.
The magazine, which has a Health Club for children, notes that the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service provides nutrition education to students in all 120 counties. For more information on the club, or to join, go to www.KentuckyLiving.com and click on "KL Health Club." (Read more)
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- Health Coalition Asks Nickelodeon To Stop Marketing Sugary And Fatty Snacks To Children
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Health News
Electric cooperatives' monthly magazine looks at the poor health of our state's children
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| Courtney Cagle, 14, of Clinton learns how to cook healthy spaghetti in UK's Cooperative Extension nutrition program |
Reporter James Nold Jr. writes that when experts were asked about their concerns for the state, childhood obesity was front and center. The state ties Georgia and Arkansas for the second highest share of children (37 percent) who are obese, and it trails only Mississippi among children 10 to 17. That?s more than one in three kids who are grossly unfit.
Also of concern are Kentucky children's high rates of asthma, abuse, neglect, and cigarette smoking. The numbers for these are so bad and so seemingly out of control now that health professionals would be happy just to see them remain stable in the future, instead of continuously rising.
Nold writes that the experts' urgency on these matters was palpable. A lot of them talked about the way poor nutrition can harm children now and throughout the rest of their lives. They also expressed deep concern for the lack of dental education and care, the need for more exercise and for more parent involvement in all of their children's choices.
The magazine, which has a Health Club for children, notes that the University of Kentucky's Cooperative Extension Service provides nutrition education to students in all 120 counties. For more information on the club, or to join, go to www.KentuckyLiving.com and click on "KL Health Club." (Read more)
- Child Obesity Persists Among The Poor And Less Educated; Early-life Factors Also Matter; Kentucky's Rate Is High
Although youth obesity has become slightly less prevalent, most of the improvement has been restricted to children in families with higher salaries and educations, according to a Harvard University Kennedy School of Government analysis by Robert...
- Community-based Solutions To Childhood Obesity Show Signs Of Progress Elsewhere; Will Kentucky Pick Up On Them?
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News For decades, researchers reported with alarm the increasing trend of overweight children in America, with one in three kids on the way to developing Type 2 diabetes. Across the country, action has been taken to address...
- Newly Formed Kentucky Health Cooperative Gets Ok To Offer Plans In State's Health Insurance Exchange
The new Kentucky Health Cooperative's health-insurance plans have received approval from the state Department of Insurance and will be available on Kentucky's insurance exchange market when it opens in October. ?This is a red-letter day for Kentuckians,?...
- Health Coalition Asks Nickelodeon To Stop Marketing Sugary And Fatty Snacks To Children
A coalition of health groups thinks maybe it's time to enlist SpongeBob in the childhood obesity fight. Earlier this week, the groups asked the Nickelodeon Channel to stop airing commercials that promote unhealthy foods with the help of the doofy...
- September Is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
September has been proclaimed national Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, with President Obama asking Americans to "take action by learning about and engaging in activities that promote healthy eating and greater physical activity by all our nation's...