The Canadian Medical Society released their 2006 National Report Card today showing that despite 26% of children being classified as either overweight or obese, only 9% of parents report that their own child is overweight. Whatever attribution you might make for this disparity of perception and reality, the fact remains that parents, for the most part, do not see the personal relevance in getting more involved in preventing childhood obesity. Results from another study also document the notion that few parents are prepared to help their overweight or obese child lose weight.
What is also interesting in this survey are the very high percentages of people who endorse policy approaches to curbing the obesity epidemic.
- 92% support mandatory physical activity for children in schools.
- 87% support a mandatory school curriculum on the benefits of physical activity and healthy diet.
- 81% endorse removing junk foods (high in sugar, fat and salt) from school vending machines.
- 63% favor tax breaks on purchase of healthy foods.
- 80% support tax deductions for parents to offset fees for sports or other physical activity programs.
- 43% support a sales tax on junk foods.
The Globe and Mail reports that the CMA's policy convention this week is expected to call on Ottawa and the provinces to adopt some specific targets for improving child health, and to support the adoption of a Charter of Children's Health.
I wonder what the percentages would be in the US? And it's not too early to start thinking about Healthy People objectives for 2020.
via The Morning Cup
technorati tags: Canadian_Medical_Association, Childhood_Obesity, Obesity_Prevention, Parents, Policy
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