Childhood Obesity summit 2011 key messages

Some highlights from the National Obesity Conference:

Keynote speaker was Chef Sam Kass, the white house chef.  He said to really impact change, the private sector had to be involved.

The key message continues to be consistent from previous conferences.  We will need significant changes that go beyond the local level.  The federal and state governments need to look at policies that will promote healthier foods and discourage marketing of less nutritious foods.

A great deal of sessions were devoted to advertising to children and one of interest was the baby carrots that were repackaged to look more like a chip snack and characters were used to promote the product.  Guess what happened?  Sales of baby carrots rose.

So this shows how powerful and influential packaging and messaging are.  Wouldn't it be great if we had a fun character like Chef Solus on all the fruits and vegetables.  Kids would look forward to going to the produce section as that would be the fun section of the grocery.

There were teenagers who also spoke on the last day.  They shared some of the local programs they either initiated or were involved in to promote healthy eating to their community and especially children.  This was very inspiring and motivating for everyone to hear their passion to make a difference at such a young age!  It just reminds us how all these small steps really can work together to make a difference to the community at large.

The conference also had some fun with yoga and power walks to get everyone moving!  It was great to see lots of familiar faces and talk with participants.

Nourish Interactive has always been committed to making nutrition and healthy foods fun and appealing to kids.  We believe that healthy food can be fun with just a little creativity!

Support for the Parents with the Overweight Child

Should I Put My Child On A Diet Article Dietitians advice on dieting and the overweight child.

Understanding Childhood Obesity Related Conditions Article Implications of childhood obesity related conditions.

Understanding the BMI For Children Article What is BMI and how it is used to determine your child is at a healthy weight.