September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

AMA Supports National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Reiterates the importance of getting all family members involved in making healthy food choices and increasing physical activity

CHICAGO – Today, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced its support for National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and renewed its commitment to help improve the health of our nation’s children.

“Obesity kills more Americans every year than AIDS, all cancers, and all accidents combined. It is causing health problems in children that were unthinkable 30 years ago. That is why the AMA is working to halt the spread of obesity,” said AMA Board Member Mary Anne McCaffree, MD. “As physicians, we know the importance of instilling healthy habits early in a person’s life and getting all family members involved in making healthy food choices and increasing physical activity.”

The AMA Healthier Life Steps toolkit is a comprehensive online tool designed to ignite greater discussion between patients and physicians about healthy lifestyle choices and empower patients to jumpstart a healthy eating and exercise plan that works for them. Patient screening checklists, intervention plans, motivational tools and other program components can be downloaded free of charge from the AMA’s website.

“Making healthier lifestyle choices like eating healthier and getting adequate exercise, dramatically reduces the risk for obesity and its health complications,” said Dr. McCaffree. “The AMA is committed to obesity prevention and reduction and will continue working to provide patients and physicians with the resources they need to combat obesity.”