The prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM) has issued a new report, Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies, that outlines the key steps needed to prevent obesity in children from birth to age 5.
- The physical effects of obesity from “Methods of Healing” website (www.methodsofhealing.com)
The IOM report shows how communities can promote physical activity and healthy eating by giving young children healthier food, play, and learning environments. Changing the environments and choices that we make available to children is central. The business book Nudge suggests that governments, industries, communities, and families should work to make the healthiest choices the easiest ones. A recent press release by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) outlines the main recommendations from the obesity prevention report, including:
- ensuring that recreation areas encourage all children to be active;
- allowing community residents to use school playgrounds and recreation areas when schools are closed; and
- establishing voluntary nutrition and marketing standards for the food and beverage industry.
- establishing dietary guidelines for children from birth to age 2
