This report tracks trends in obesity-related rates and policies. It finds that much progress has been made during the past 5 years in bringing attention to the obesity problem and in better understanding the reasons for the rise in obesity rates. In addition, many communities and states have been taking action with promising programs to make physical activity and good nutrition more accessible to more Americans. However, this report also concludes that until these promising programs are widely adopted and there is a steady stream of funding to sustain them, only limited progress will be made. Overall, the United States is failing to address the obesity epidemic in proportion to the threat that it poses. America's future depends on the health of its children, but it is failing them by not treating the obesity epidemic with the urgency it deserves. Addressing the obesity crisis must be a shared responsibility. This report concludes with a recommendation to create a National Strategy to Combat Obesity that will involve individuals and families, communities, schools, employers, businesses, insurers, and government to find ways to address the epidemic. This strategy sets national goals, starting with a goal of reversing the trend of childhood obesity by 2015.
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