The American Heart Association implements many community actions for preventing childhood obesity

The American Heart Association commends the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council for recommending a solid array of meaningful community actions in their new report Local Government Actions to Prevent Childhood Obesity. Overweight children have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight adults.

With childhood obesity rates on the rise nationwide, our youngsters have substantially greater risks for developing and dying from chronic illnesses such as heart disease and stroke in early adulthood. But we can play a critical role in helping our children live longer, healthier lives by reaching them where they live and play through increased physical activity and improved nutrition.

The American Heart Association is committed to continuing our advocacy effort and the contributing role we have at the state and community level to implement many of the report's recommendations such as advancing menu labeling legislation, implementing safe routes to school, improving nutrition and physical activity in before-and-after school programs, increasing access to healthy and affordable foods, and making changes to the built environment that increase availability of walking and biking trails and recreational facilities.

By making comprehensive policy and environmental changes, we can dramatically improve the health and well-being of our children and reduce their risk for chronic diseases. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention should be applauded for sponsoring this study and providing a framework for a national call-to-action.