Obesity
Obesity is a serious problem for all ages across the United States. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease,
stroke, and a variety of other conditions. It also can lead to social stigmatization, discrimination, and lowered
self esteem. Data released in 2009 show
that nearly one-third of children and adolescents in the U.S. are
overweight or obese. The Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC), a program of Children’s Memorial Hospital, was formed in 2002 to address
this problem.
The problem is especially severe in Chicago. Data released by CLOCC in 2003 showed that Children’s kindergarten-aged children were overweight at more than twice the national rate. Working with over 2,000 Chicago-area experts
representing over 800 organizations who are dedicated to preventing and
decreasing obesity, CLOCC focuses on preschoolers and supports initiatives at
the individual, family, community, and societal levels to promote healthy and
activity lifestyles for Chicago children and families. In addition, CLOCC is actively involved in
research and public policy efforts to curb this epidemic.
Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle - 5-4-3-2-1 Go!™
As part of its childhood obesity prevention work, CLOCC
developed a public education campaign to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors
for children and families. The
cornerstone of this effort is 5-4-3-2-1
Go!, a message which outlines these daily recommendations:
- 5
servings of fruits and vegetables
- 4
servings of water
- 3
servings of low-fat dairy
- 2 or
less hours of screen time
- 1 or
more hours of physical activity
Hundreds of organizations and corporations are supporting 5-4-3-2-1 Go! in a variety of ways with
the common goal of getting these evidence-based recommendations out to children
and families to promote a healthy lifestyle.