United Nations FAO Report Confirms Importance of Nutrition Education Programs for Children’s Obesity Fund
Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) July 14, 2013 -- The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recently reported in “The State of Food and Agriculture 2013” that Mexico is now one of the most obese countries in the world, surpassing the obesity rate of the United States. Dr. Michael Omidi and his brother Julian Omidi, co-founders of the Children’s Obesity Fund, are not surprised by these alarming statistics.
“When developing countries have more people with sedentary urban lifestyles and switch from cooked meals to salty snacks, processed fats and sugary soft drinks, you get a problem with obesity,” says Dr. Michael Omidi.
The facts found in the U.N. FAO report are clear. Mexico has a 32.8 percent adult obesity rate just above the 31.8 percent adult obesity rate found in the United States. Some of the reasons cited for the rapidly rising obesity rates worldwide are changing food systems and a lack of nutritional education. Food systems are now more industrial, commercialized and operate on a global scale, from agriculture to marketplace. Modern food processing, marketing and distribution reach across all continents except to the most remote and sparsely populated areas. Today, half the world lives in an urban environment and no longer subsists on traditional food systems and diets that were nutritionally balanced.
The U.N. FAO report states, “Good nutrition is the foundation for human health and well-being, physical and cognitive development, and economic productivity.” This is why the Children’s Obesity Fund is committed to nutritional education programs. We support the international efforts of the Himalayan Institute Vida Project, a program that teaches sustainable farming practices to villagers in rural central Mexico. We recommend national resources and tools for families such as Chop Chop Magazine, featuring fresh recipes and cooking tips for parents and kids to share. And we help to sponsor events such as “Stay Fit, Have Fun,” held at a local elementary school which showcased an exciting, athletic skateboarding demonstration. The Children’s Obesity Fund will continue to foster programs that raise awareness about the importance of good nutrition and physical activity so that we can all make better, healthy lifestyle choices.
About the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization
Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts – to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. Our mandate is to improve nutrition, increase agricultural productivity, raise the standard of living in rural populations and contribute to global economic growth.
About the Children's Obesity Fund
The Children's Obesity Fund (http://www.childrensobesityfund.org), co-founded by Julian Omidi and Dr. Michael Omidi, hopes to help reverse the trend of rising obesity rates in America. Children’s Obesity Fund partners with other organizations to educate and support parents, educators and others so that we can all work together to raise healthy, active, social, and happy children. While the organization does not accept donations, it encourages direct contributions of money and talents to the associations featured on our website.
Media Relations, Children's Obesity Fund, http://www.childrensobesityfund.org/, 855-550-3200, [email protected]
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