Child advocacy

Obesity

About one in three children and teens in the U.S. is overweight or obese. Read more.

Obesity is a serious problem for all ages across the United States. Obesity increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and a variety of other conditions. It also can lead to social stigmatization, discrimination, and lowered self esteem. Data released in 2009 show that nearly one-third of children and adolescents in the U.S. are overweight or obese. The Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children (CLOCC), a program of Children’s Memorial Hospital, was formed in 2002 to address this problem.

The Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children has announced that it has received $5.8 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to partner with the Chicago Department of Public Health on obesity prevention. Learn more here.

The problem is especially severe in Chicago. Data released by CLOCC in 2003 showed that Children’s kindergarten-aged children were overweight at more than twice the national rate. Working with over 2,000 Chicago-area experts representing over 800 organizations who are dedicated to preventing and decreasing obesity, CLOCC focuses on preschoolers and supports initiatives at the individual, family, community, and societal levels to promote healthy and activity lifestyles for Chicago children and families. In addition, CLOCC is actively involved in research and public policy efforts to curb this epidemic.

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle - 5-4-3-2-1 Go!™

As part of its childhood obesity prevention work, CLOCC developed a public education campaign to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors for children and families. The cornerstone of this effort is 5-4-3-2-1 Go!, a message which outlines these daily recommendations:

5 servings of fruits and vegetables
4 servings of water
3 servings of low-fat dairy
2 or less hours of screen time
1 or more hours of physical activity

Hundreds of organizations and corporations are supporting 5-4-3-2-1 Go! in a variety of ways with the common goal of getting these evidence-based recommendations out to children and families to promote a healthy lifestyle.