Childhood obesity is a severe problem in the United States and Texas, where 1 in 3 children are overweight or obese, including almost half of the state’s Hispanic children. Currently, more than 1.1 million little Texans spend time at the state’s nearly 20,000 early childcare and education (ECE) programs. Unfortunately, over 30% of Texas’ children between the ages of 2 and 4 are already overweight or obese.
Healthy living matters. Promoting physical activity in ECEs is a critical step in reducing obesity at an early stage. It also encourages healthy behaviors that support children during early development and later in life. Early childhood is a critical time for obesity prevention because it’s a phase where children begin to develop taste preferences, learn to walk and play, and copy the behaviors they see.
In working together to ensure that these opportunities for quality training exist, we provide children with a greater likelihood to be at a healthy weight, prevent chronic diseases, and improve academic success and classroom behaviors.
We are working on preventing childhood obesity and invite you to join our “Calls to Action” and commit to providing and promoting quality training opportunities in obesity prevention. See our resources below.
New ECE Professional Resources
Sign our ECE Professional’s “Call to Action” to commit to helping prevent childhood obesity.
Trainer Resources
Sign our Trainers’ “Call to Action” to commit to helping to prevent childhood obesity.