ALARMING!!!

This past Friday we went to an event at StoneCrest about childhood obesity pervention sponsered by, get this, Cartoon Network (now that seems like an oximoran). See more of the Get Animated tour at: http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/promos/getanimated/

Well, the stats on childhood obesity made me extremely sad and ill. Here are a few that just made me SUPER ill:
1) There are MORE than 9 MILLION children over 6 years of age that are considered obese!! Yes, 9 MILLION!
2) 70-80% of obese children and adolescents will become obese adults.
3) Of obese children ages 5-10, 61% have at least one risk factor for heart disease and 25% have two or more. (This is something I am very concerned about given my horrible family history of heart disease)

Mark is no small man, I know, but he was fairly big as a child thus he had a poor start with his weight. He did not spent a ton of time outside running around getting excercise. Where I was always outside until as late as possible (likely because I was so annoying that my mom and sisters couldn't stand it, lol). From the beginning of Kaya eating real food, Mark has been the one that is more careful of what she eats (like getting no sugar added jelly as opposed to regular full sugar added jelly). As far as being outdoors, I am the biggest pusher of that one as I am very much an outdoors person (even in this nasty heat... we have to get out for a few hours or I go nuts, lol). At any rate, we are fans of doing everything we can to help Kaya (and Connor) get a good start in terms of excercise and nutrition. Oh, we benefit from that too b/c we eat better and get some excercise too!

There are walks with the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition) all around the country. The one in Nashville is on September 20th which the four of us will be walking. You might see any email from me to ask for donations later. Here is that link: http://www.walkfromobesity.com/

My friend Chandra and her son Ryan were interviewed on this video clip from the local news. Kaya and myself are in the background of the clip too, lol. http://www.wkrn.com/global/story.asp?s=8775888 The woman interviewed with a blue shirt on, Pam Davis (I believe) was 160 pounds heavier. She had gastro surgery and is now in a job to help others that were just like her years ago. We talked for awhile as I shared how important this issue is to my family. I told her that Mark had given up soda about 5 months ago and has lost 30+ pounds (he has not been weighed in 2.5 months, so likely more). She shared a simlar story of her 18 year old son who did the same and lost 25 pounds.

Anyway, I wanted to share some of these stats and links. :)