Sadly, insurance companies think obese kids don’t deserve nutrition counseling. But the Alliance for a Healthier Generation may help change that. According to a 2/19 press release…
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative of the AmericanHeart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, announced the formation of the Alliance Healthcare Initiative, a collaborative effort with national medical associations, leading insurers and employers to offer comprehensive health benefits to children and families for the prevention,
assessment, and treatment of childhood obesity.This effort marks a major step forward in a holistic approach to reduce childhood obesity in the United States. The Alliance Healthcare Initiative will enable healthcare providers to be an active part of the solution to the obesity epidemic by providing children with primary care visits, and visits to registered dietitians as part of their health insurance benefits. Additionally, the Alliance Healthcare Initiative will educate parents about childhood obesity and the expansion of services available to their children as a result of this effort.
Eligible states include: targeted groups in the following states:
ArizonaCalifornia
(Northern, Central Valley, Southern)
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida (Northern,
Southern);
Georgia (Atlanta area, Marion);
Kentucky/West Virginia;
Louisiana;
New Orleans Area;
Maryland/Washington, D.C.; Massachusetts;
Minnesota;New Jersey
(Northern, Southern);
New York (Upstate, New York City, Western);
North
Carolina;
Ohio (Central);
Pennsylvania (Central, Philadelphia, Southeastern);
Texas (Dallas, Houston)
Filed under: nutrition, obesity, overweight, policy, weight loss
[...] there are states now looking to give nutritional counselling to children. See an article on this at http://rebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/nutrition-services-for-obese-kids-change-coming/ …but I am here to tell you that the best way to keep a kid from eating wrong is the [...]
[...] Nutrition Services for Obese Kids: Change Comin’? [...]
I am forwarding this article to my provincial (Ontario, Canada) Minister of Health.
Canadians are more than a little smug about the “superiority” of our health care system when compared to the U.S. user pays model.
So, I find it more than a little strange that the U.S. is doing more to prevent childhood obesity with this program than any of Canada’s provincial health care systems.
I am surprised San Antonio is not listed as one of the Texas cities. The population may be less than that of Dallas and Houston, but the social acceptance of obesity may be higher than that of any other city in Texas.
It’s disheartening to see so many overweight children. It’s going to take quite a bit of education and lifestyle changes to have any impact. I do, however, applaud the initiative. It’s much needed.
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