National Childhood Obesity Month

September is National Childhood Obesity Month and is the time dedicated to educating children and their families on how to prevent childhood obesity. According to the CDC, 1 in 5 children in the United States are obese, and Native American children have a higher prevalence of obesity than US children overall. Childhood obesity is a complex health condition that puts kids at risk for health problems like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

The good news is that childhood obesity is preventable and can be treated through healthy eating habits and physical activity. This month, the Jemez Public Health Program is on a mission to raise awareness on how we as a community can positively support our youth to maintain and achieve good health with three simple goals.

Our first goal is to encourage and educate Hemish families about the importance of eating whole foods daily. Whole foods are grown from the ground and are scientifically proven to reduce the risk of obesity when eaten at every meal. This month’s education will include tips for how to identify whole foods at the grocery store and time and budget-friendly recipes the entire family can enjoy. Throughout September, the Food Sovereignty Program will also offer free produce vouchers to encourage families to include more traditional whole foods in their daily meals. Produce vouchers can be printed by clicking the link below or picked up at the Jemez Public Health Office. Produce is limited and only available while supplies last. Families can redeem their produce vouchers at the Jemez Public Health Community Farm located by the San Diego Riverside Charter School during chili roasting hours, Monday through Thursday between 9 am – 2 pm.

(Click image to enlarge and print)

Our second goal is to encourage youth to get out and move! Daily physical activity reduces the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and childhood obesity. The FiTT Team will encourage youth to exercise this month by collaborating with the After-School Program at the Walatowa Fitness Center and Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc at Cochiti Lake for their first annual youth summit. For more information about the youth summit, contact Gail Romero by emailing gromero@fsipinc.org. As for community events, the Walatowa Trail club will be hosting a Gratitude Run which will be held on September 21, 2022. And last, we want to remind all community members to mark their calendars and register for the run of the season, Owl Springs 8! The FiTT Team is working hard to make sure community members have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and achieve their health goals as a family.

Our third goal is to improve and expand our Health Education & Health Promotion programming by surveying our youth. As we collaborate with different programs throughout the month, we will ask our youth what they want to learn in terms of whole food education and physical activity. We look forward to sharing the results with the community as a call to action! Whole foods make whole communities, and by making whole foods and physical activity a daily family practice, we can make a difference in the health of our youth!