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Today in our nation, almost one in every three children is overweight or obese. Though the numbers are staggering, it shouldn't come as a surprise when you consider the changes in our culture over the past three decades. Children today play video games instead of hopscotch, watch TV instead of riding bikes and chat with their friends online instead of playing with them in person.

The statistics are even worse in Arkansas, named in 2009 as the state with the second highest percentage of obese children (37.5 percent), according to a report by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“I think it [has] a lot to do with the fast paced society,” said Ashley O’Roark, a registered dietician from Arkansas Children’s Hospital who coordinates the Wellness, Health, Action and Motivation (WHAM) Clinics. “Parents don’t have time to cook at home, [and] kids are getting more involved in screen time, [like] video games and TV,” she said. O’Roark also said that many parents are not educated about what healthy eating is. “It’s surprising because you assume that with all the education available, everybody knows, but the reality is that that’s false.”

According to reports, the highest childhood obesity risk in Arkansas was found among minorities. Forty seven percent of Hispanic students were reported as obese or overweight, along with 42 percent of African American students, 39 percent of Native American students and 36 percent of Caucasian students.

Spotlight on Healthy

To help combat these numbers, the Arkansas Minority Health Commission recently launched a summer camp designed for obese or overweight girls from underserved communities. The inaugural “Camp iRock” was held June 19-25 at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center. Forty girls from throughout the state were invited to the week-long residential camp, where they enjoyed activities, workshops and exercises aimed at promoting physical activity, healthy lifestyles and building self-confidence. Raven Symone from “The Cosby Show” and “That’s So Raven,” who is an advocate for building self-confidence, even made an appearance on the last day of camp.

According to Dr. Idonia L. Trotter, executive director, the Minority Health Commission created this camp because of the focus that has recently been placed on the issue of healthy lifestyles. Programs likes “Let’s Move,” founded by Michelle Obama, have put the issue in the limelight and caused more people to start thinking about the future of America’s children.

Other local programs are popping up as well. The WHAM Clinics at Arkansas Children’s Hospital are held periodically on Saturdays and combine education about physical activity, healthy eating, motivation and goal setting for adolescents. Upcoming clinic dates are July 23, Aug. 27, Oct. 1, Nov. 12 and Jan. 7. Students must have a physician referral to attend.

O’Roark said that parents are invited to attend the class with their children. “We want it to be a family lifestyle change [and] not just the kid making the changes,” she said.

Like Parent, Like Child

Gary Goodrich, general manager of Anytime Fitness in Jacksonville, agrees that parents are an equally important part of the equation for getting kids healthy. In fact, the fitness franchise recently held a campaign called the “Coalition of Angry Kids,” which promoted holding parents responsible for their children’s poor health habits.

“The likelihood of kids following in their parents’ footsteps is great,” Goodrich said. “I really try to engage members. I really try to show them the difference that they’re going to make for their families.”

To back up this mission, Goodrich is offering a free 30-day membership, a free 30-minute training session and free 30-day access to AnytimeHealth.com’s food journal and workout videos for parents who wish to set an example for their children.

“Any parent that wants to reach out in an effort to not only change their life but change their kid’s life, we’re an open door for them,” he said. “We want to see people get healthy. And it’s a scary commitment, but that’s what we’re here for.”

However, O’Roark said there are plenty of simple things families can do every day at home to start getting healthier. First, she recommends her clients cut back on sugary drinks. Also, she recommends increasing physical activity to sixty minutes per day, increasing prepared meals eaten at home to at least five per week, decreasing screen time to less than two hours per day and increasing fruits and vegetables to five servings per day.

“Of course we don’t expect anyone to make all these changes at once,” she said. “It takes time. But these are crucial steps to ensure children build good habits to remain healthy and active their whole lives."