Board Member Jennie Finch
Our Mission: To provide every child the opportunity to play and be active on a daily basis
Led by professional athletes Grant Hill, Jennie Finch, Gary Player, Paul Pierce and a coalition of 37 professional athletes, both active and retired from 15 sports, have united to fight the childhood obesity epidemic in America. This core group has developed ‘nPLAY, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) foundation. The goal is to provide every child the opportunity to play and be active on a daily basis. This group of world class athletes has committed themselves on both a national and local level to work with and encourage administrators, teachers, students and parents to make schools a place where kids and be active, eat healthier and integrate wellness into the every day culture so our children can have the futures they deserve.
Goals
Coming Soon
Facts About Childhood Obesity
- 1 in 3 children are obese or overweight.
- Studies show that nearly 34 percent of children and teens in America are either overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.
- Studies show that children’s obesity has surpassed smoking as the #1 concern among parents in the United States today.
- Physical consequences of childhood obesity include: increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and trouble sleeping.
- It has been estimated that children developing Type 2 Diabetes before the age of 14 will have their lifespan shortened by 17 to 27 years. (Dr. Ken Cooper, Paper Delivered at the World Diabetes Day Conference in Dallas, Texas on November 11, 2008).
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that more than one in three children born in 2000 will suffer from Type 2 diabetes (Narayan, et al., 2003).
- 40% of America’s elementary schools have eliminated recess and limited physical education while 75% of high school students are not enrolled in any physical education classes (PTA, 2006; Haskins, Paxson, & Donahue, 2006; Daniels, 2006).
- This may be the first generation in nearly 100 years to NOT outlive their parents. (Brownell & Horgan, 2004).
- According to the United States Department of Defense, nearly 20% of men and 40% of women who apply are denied entry into the military due to overweight, excluding those who enter and do not pass the physical (Beactive NC, 2006).
- Researchers concluded that a change in weight status during the first four years of school is a significant risk factor for girls in regard to negative school outcomes (Mikkila et. al, 2003)
Hope
- The Surgeon General recommends an increasing of physical activity to at least 60 minutes a day and 30 minutes of vigorous physical activity 3 times a week.
- The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases found that a 7% weight loss together with moderate levels of physical activity decreased the number of new diabetes type 2 cases by 58%.Studies show that children who are physically active and are fit perform better academically.
- In a 1992 study, Lavin, Shapiro and Wiel analyzed 25 studies on childhood obesity and academic achievement and concluded that children performed consistently at a higher level when labeled as healthy.
- Researchers Sibley and Etneir in 2003, through meta-analysis of 44 studies pertaining to physical activity and cognition in children, determined that there is a statistically significant positive relationship between physical activity and cognitive functioning in children.
- Providing opportunities for increased physical activity leads to improved student achievement and test scores (Symon, Cinelli, Groff, 1997; Calfas & Taylor, 1994; Shepard, 1997).
- Physical activity in children is also psychologically beneficial as determined in a meta-analysis of 20 studies on depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, self-concept, stress / anxiety, and depression (Calfas & Taylor, 1994).
- The estimated indirect and direct costs of obesity related illness was $24.1 billion for adults and more than $38 million for children.
- Physical inactivity, excess weight, Type 2 diabetes, and low fruit and vegetable intake cost the average NC resident $2,900, the average NC worker $6,200, and the average NC employer $120,000.
- Every overweight or obese child in the state of North Carolina will consume upwards of $200,000 in direct medical expenses in their lifetime.
- In a 2006 study commissioned by BEActive NC it was determined that if every citizen of North Carolina were to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity by 5%, the decrease in Type 2 diabetes and overweight could produce cost saving benefits of $1.54 billion a year, and increase the possibility of prolonging lifespan by 17-27 years.
Financial Implications
- The annual cost to society for childhood obesity is estimated at nearly $1.47 billion and, within the next decade obesity related costs are forecasted to hit $1.4 trillion.
- Obesity has been linked to a 36% increase in healthcare spending, more than for smoking or drinking.
- In 2008, a study showed that obese employees cost employers $45 billion a year.
