Resolution for awareness and prevention of childhood obesity.

At the 2006 Annual Conference and Exhibition, the ACEI membership passed the following resolution:

Whereas ACEI is an international organization; and

Whereas ACEI is committed to supporting young children (infancy to 11 years old) and young adolescents (12 to 14 years old) worldwide; and

Whereas ACEI promotes not only educational rights of children but also their inherent rights and well-being; and

Whereas ACEI is concerned with the alarming increase in childhood obesity, among all racial/ ethnic, age, and gender groups (1), worldwide "in the past several decades" (2); and

Whereas childhood obesity is a serious worldwide health issue, and "according to the International Obesity Task Force, at least 155 million school-age children worldwide are overweight or obese" (3); and "approximately 22 million children under 5 years of age are overweight across the world" (4); and "in the United States the [number of] young people who are overweight has more than tripled during the past 20 years" (5); and

Whereas childhood obesity leads to "high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, insulin resistance, and increased incidence of musculoskeletal injuries;" as well as these young children and young adults can "become high risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other chronic diseases as they grow into adults" (1); and

Whereas childhood obesity not only affects young children and young adolescents physically but also affects them socially, cognitively, psychologically, and economically (1,2); and

Whereas childhood obesity affects the overall well-being of children and adolescents and is preventable (6);

Therefore, be it resolved:

ACEI will endorse awareness and prevention of childhood obesity worldwide; and

ACEI will, work, through continued publications and joint efforts, with other professional education organizations to promote awareness and prevention of childhood obesity as well as its social, cognitive, psychological, and economic effects; and

ACEI will continue efforts and encourage future efforts in research and publication regarding the issue of childhood obesity; and

ACEI will encourage young children and young adolescents to be playful and physically active; and

ACEI will promote physical environments for young children and young adolescents that advance play; and

ACEI and its membership will actively seek the involvement and advocacy of parents and the larger community in a joint effort to emphasize the critical importance of healthy lifestyles of young children and young adolescents; and

ACEI will take the lead in articulating the critical and essential need for healthier young children and young adolescents to all educators, parents, and policymakers worldwide.

Notes:

(1) Burriss, K. G., & Harrison, J. B. (2004). ACEI Speaks: Obesity and Children. Olney, MD: Association for Childhood Education International. www.acei.org

(2) Lynn-Garbe, C., & Hoot, J. (2004/2005). Weighing in on the issue of childhood obesity. Childhood Education, 81, 70-76.

(3) International Obesity Task Force and Website. www.iotf. org/childhoodobesity.asp

(4) Deckelbaum, R. J., & Williams, C. L. (November 2001). Childhood obesity: The health issue. Obesity Research, 9, Suppl. 239S-243S.

(5) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Department of Human Services. www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/

(6) American Obesity Association. www.obesity.org/subs/ childhood/