A comprehensive report on the causes and solutions for childhood obesity in the United States has taken a new approach to the epidemic. The report, which was released on Thursday by a panel of top researchers, calls for a broad societal strategy rather than focusing on personal responsibility.More in linkThe proposals, by the National Academies' Institute of Medicine, include healthier meals in schools and restaurants; more opportunities for physical education at schools and in communities; restrictions in television advertising to children; and education of health professionals and children to make better choices.
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The committee recommended:
- The enactment of nutritional standards for all food and beverages served in school and development of programs to teach health education with annual assessments of student weight;
- Expansion of physical activity for students in school to at least 30 minutes a day;
- Voluntary development and setting of guidelines for advertising and marketing to children;
- Authorization of the Federal Trade Commission to monitor the guidelines;
- Availability of more healthful food and beverage options, including nutrition information;
- Community programs to promote nutrition and regular physical activity, with changes in zoning to include sidewalks, bike paths, parks and playgrounds;
- Availability of healthy foods at home; parental encouragement of physical activity and limiting children's recreational viewing of television, video games and computers to less than two hours a day;
- Creation of a federal interagency task force to coordinate activities.
Dr. Shiriki Kumaniyika, an associate dean for health promotion and disease prevention at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and a committee member, said the problem could not be addressed piecemeal. "You can't remove any of the recommendations in order for them to work," Dr. Kumaniyika said.