March 2024

In the United States, nearly 1 in 5 children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years were affected by obesity in 2020. Worse still, childhood obesity rates rose during the pandemic, and they continue to increase. These statistics aren’t abstract epidemiologic concepts. They clearly reflect that our children are becoming sicker and at greater risk for lifelong problems, and they are entirely preventable.

Each month, we feature select National Health Observances (NHOs) that support our mission to improve health across the United States. In April, we’re raising awareness about minority health, alcohol use and misuse, and celebrating public health. We’ve listed some resources that you can use to promote these NHOs with your networks.

When it comes to healthy diets, the science says to eat more vegetables and consume less sugar. Nutrition is key to health and well-being, but as Healthy People 2030 data indicate, we’ve got more work to do — especially when you consider that most American diets don’t align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.