Childhood obesity listed as number one concern amongst parents.

The annual survey taken by the University of Michigan, CS Mott Children's hospital has just been released. This survey interviews adults about their concerns regarding children's health in their community.

Here are the 2009 results:

• For a second year in a row, parents have listed childhood obesity as their number one concern!
• What has changed is that in this 2009 survey, Hispanic and Afro-American parents also listed childhood obesity as their number one concern.
• The survey showed that now 42% of adults believe this is a big problem

I remember when I first had the idea of creating an interactive website that would teach kids about nutrition and support parents in promoting healthy lifestyles to their kids, I was told by many people that this was not an important matter for parents. I was wasting my time etc... I knew as a nurse, this was a very important topic and I believed then and now that parents are concerned about the health of their children and childhood obesity is a growing concern.

I focus on early nutrition education because that is the long term solution. Reaching out to children at a younger age before they have formed their eating habits and food associations. I am sad that we have this problem but glad to know that parents do see the problem. Because that is the first step towards addressing it!

Here are the top 10 overall health concerns

1. Childhood obesity. Forty-two percent of U.S. adults rate childhood obesity as a big problem. In 2008, 35 percent of adults rated childhood obesity as the top overall health concern for children. In 2007, it was ranked No. 3.

2. Drug abuse. Thirty-six percent of U.S. adults rate drug abuse as a big problem for children and has held at No. 2 since 2007.

3. Smoking. Ranked No. 1 in 2007, smoking continues to hold the No. 3 position since 2008, with 32 percent of U.S. adults rating it as a big problem for kids.

4. Bullying. Holding at No. 4, 31 percent of U.S. adults rate bullying as a big problem for children.

5. Internet safety. Continuing at No. 5, 31 percent of U.S. adults consider internet safety a big problem for kids, slightly up from 27 percent in 2008.

6. Child abuse and neglect. This issue, which was ranked No. 10 in 2007, holds at No. 6 and was rated as a big problem among 29 percent of U.S. adults, up from 25 percent in 2008.

7. Alcohol abuse. Up from No. 8 in 2008, 26.5 percent of U.S. adults consider alcohol abuse a big problem. For the 2008 poll, 23 percent of adults listed alcohol abuse as a health concern for kids. In 2007, alcohol abuse was ranked fourth overall.

8. Stress. New to the list in 2009, 26 percent of U.S. adults rate stress as a big problem for children.

9. Not enough opportunities for physical activity. Up one spot from 2008, nearly 25 percent of U.S adults rate this as a big problem for kids.

10. Teen pregnancy. Falling three places from No. 7 to No. 10, 24 percent of U.S adults rated teen pregnancy as a big problem in 2009.

Read the full report.

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