• Why are more kids overweight now?
• What is the role of the family?
• What common themes did I encounter?
• What lessons did I learn?
• What are my hopes for the future?

(image: photo of Newsweek magazine with "Fat for Life?" cover story)

• Increase in calories, portion sizes, sweetened drinks/snacks, fast food and snack food, and TV, video and computer game time
• Decrease in exercise, gym, recess, and consumption of Low-fat milk, fruits and vegetables

Source: Lisa Hark, PhD, RD

(image: diagram with "Unhealthy Lifestyle" in the center, surrounded by unhealthy behaviors noted above)

Source: Lisa Hark, PhD, RD

(image: diagram of a see-saw with Food Intake on one side outweighing Growing, Developing, Metabolizing and Exercising on the other side)

Percent of 8-18 year-olds with each medium in their bedroom:

• Television - 68%
• VCR/DVD player - 54%
• Video game console - 49%
• Cable/satellite TV - 37%
• Computer - 31%
• Premium cable channels - 20%
• Internet access - 20%

(image: bar graph depicting what media kids aged 8-18 have in their bedrooms)

• Huge consumption of sweets, drinks, snacks.
• Kids eating what ever they wanted day and night.
• Many diets low in vitamins and minerals.
• Rotten teeth, poor sleep, lack of energy, HTN, pre-diabetes, excess weight, mood swings.
• Highly sedentary lifestyles
  • TV and video games in most bedrooms
  • Kids vegging out for hours and hours

Percent of all 8-18 year-olds who say they have:

• TV rules that are enforced "most" of time - 20%
• TV rules that are enforced some, a little or never - 26%
• No rules about TV - 53%

(image: pie graph depicting how many children 8-18 have rules governing watching television)

Percent of 8-18 year-olds living in homes where:

• TV is "usually" on during meals - 63%
• TV not usually left on during meals - 36%

(image: pie graph depicting how many 8-18 year olds live in households where the TV is left on during meals)

• Under reporting of TV and videogame use
• Children are running the household
• Parents want to take control but can't
• Healthy lifestyle is a low priority when busy

(image: diagram illustrating various social norms and values, sectors of influence, behavioral settings, and individual factors contributing to the prevention of overweight and obesity among children, adolescents, and adults")

(image: five level pyramid diagram illustrating five categories/groups needed for addressing obesity, starting at the bottom level with the individual, followed by family, organizations, community, and public policy)

(image: photo of creatively bottled spring water)

(image: photo of carrots in SpongeBob Squarepants packaging, and photo of Bugs Bunny)

• Parents prioritize & discipline better-starting early.
• Food industry creates more healthy foods for kids.
• Advertising unhealthy foods to kids is prohibited.
• Recess everyday and gym at least 1 x per week is mandated in ALL U.S. schools.
• TV shows increase coverage of healthy lifestyles.