Jun 11, 2009 3:56 pm US/Eastern
Recession May Take A Toll On Children's Health
Food Prices And Federal Budget Cuts Could Increase Obesity Rates
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Budget cuts and the cost of recreational activities could lead to increased obesity rates.
CBS
We all know why we should eat more fruits and vegetables, but experts worry many families are eating less healthy food because of the recession. That may cause childhood obesity rates to increase even more.
"We have parents feeding families on lower incomes and lower budget. They may rely on lower cost foods, which are lower in nutritional content and more calories dense," said Dr. Jennifer Rosenblum of Massachusetts General Hospital for Children.
To make matters worse, this is happening at the same time that families may have less money to spend on recreational activities. Many schools require a fee for students to participate in extra curricular sports.
"Enrolling in gymnastics and other sports programs, they may not have the money, especially when schools have also made cuts in programs as well," Rosenblum explained.
Experts fear that many of the programs aimed at improving the well-being of families will be forgotten in this economic climate. Rosenblum fears that advances made in the past decade will be lost, due to federal budget cuts.
Experts are also concerned that the stress many parents are feeling is having a negative impact on some children.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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