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BEAUFORT, S.C. - Knees creak to stand on swollen feet, a heavy breath sighs with the work it takes to stand and walk into the doctor’s office for the verdict: type 2 diabetes. This is a snippet of life with obesity.
Obesity affects about 35 percent of adults and 17 percent of children in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control.
Semper Fit and the Department of Defense launched a campaign to support and promote central health concepts in families and communities, according to Marine Administrative Message 462/14.
“It’s very important to establish healthy habits early and to follow Department of Defense recommendations,” said Jeffrey Sussmane, M.D., a pediatrician at the Naval Hospital of Beaufort. “You should offer your child healthy choices to eat and opportunities for physical activity in early childhood.”
The DoD and Semper Fit recommendations are easily remembered by the mnemonic 5210: five or more fruits and vegetables a day, two hours or less of screen time, one hour or more of physical activity and zero sweetened drinks.
“What’s good about 5210 is that learning healthy behaviors at an early age can carry over into adulthood and contribute to better health overall,” said Harriet Fisher, Semper Fit program coordinator. “An obese child more than likely will become an obese adult.”
Fat cells develop during childhood and stop developing by adulthood, said Fisher. Weight loss during adulthood decreases the size of fat cells, but will not decrease the number of fat cells.
There are many health concerns that come with being obese, including an increased likelihood of developing cancer, heart disease and diabetes, said Sussmane.
Through the 5210 campaign, Semper Fit and the DoD hope to stop obesity in its tracks.
“Speak with your medical home about offering these healthy choices and how to begin them successfully in your family,” said
Sussmane.
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 12.05.2014 11:05 |
| Story ID: | 149486 |
| Location: | BEAUFORT, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 5210: Preventing obesity through healthy habits, by Cpl Sarah Cherry, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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