"We like to think of ourselves as a youthful nation focused on healthy lifestyles, but behind this image is a troubling reality — a generation of young people that is in large measure inactive, unfit, eating poorly, and at an alarming rate, becoming obese. "

—Dr. Julie Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., Director Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

For Librarians

Health Crisis in the United States

The United States is currently facing a health crisis of unprecedented proportions. Over the last 30 years, unhealthy dietary practices and decreasing rates of physical activity have resulted in dramatic increases in the incidence of obesity and related chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and cancer. Currently 75% of our health care dollars in the U.S. are spent managing these chronic diseases.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been tracking obesity rates in the U.S. since 1985 as an indicator of diet and lifestyle related risk for chronic disease. The CDC’s data shows that obesity rates have risen steadily over the last 30 years in parallel to rates of chronic disease:

  • Currently more than 2/3 of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.
  • The number of overweight children has more than tripled. Currently one in five children is overweight.
 “Left unabated, overweight and obesity may soon cause as much preventable disease and death as cigarette smoking.”

- David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D. U.S. Surgeon General
The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity, 2001

Good nutrition and physical activity are vital for good health and preventing disease, and are essential for healthy growth and development in children and adolescents. Statistics on the consumption and activity habits of California’s youth are staggering.

  • Only 2 % of teenagers met 5 key dietary and activity recommendations for health
  • American children consume 50% of their calories from added fat and sugar
  • Vegetable consumption: < 20% of school children meet recommendations
  • Fruit intake: < 15% of school children meet recommendations
  • Calcium intake: < 20% females ages 9-19 meet recommendations
  • Daily physical activity: 50% do not meet the recommended 60 minutes/day

In addition, studies show that 70 – 80 % of overweight youth will become obese adults, dramatically increasing their risk of chronic disease as they age. The increasing obesity rates among youth have also increased chronic disease rates in childhood. Children as young as 7 years old are now developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, diseases formerly associated with adulthood and advanced age. If the current trend continues, it is projected:

  • One in three children born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime.
  • The increased incidence of disease coupled with younger age associations will carry an untold financial burden and result in an overall loss of years, and quality of life.
  • This will be the first generation in history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (New England Journal of Medicine 3/17/05).

How Libraries Can Be Part of the Solution

Since long-term treatment success is limited, most health agencies agree that prevention approaches are the most viable strategies for curbing the epidemic of obesity and chronic disease. The causes of poor dietary habits, physical inactivity and obesity are multi-factorial, however educating both children and their families about healthy eating and activity habits are crucial steps in addressing these serious health problems. In 2004, the federal government enacted Section 204 of the Child and WIC Reauthorization Act which mandates that school districts participating in the Federal School Meal Programs develop and implement a local wellness policy that addresses nutrition education and physical activity and education, and sets standards for all foods available on school campuses. Without funding to support this mandate, public schools must increasingly rely on community partners to find ways to support nutrition education efforts for children and youth.

 “While we have made dramatic progress over the last few decades in achieving so many of our health goals, the statistics on overweight and obesity have steadily headed in the wrong direction… The design of successful interventions and actions for prevention and management of overweight and obesity will require the careful attention of many individuals and organizations working together through multiple spheres of influence.”

- David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., U.S. Surgeon General
The Surgeon General's Call To Action To Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity 2001

A recent report compiled by the Institute of Medicine in September 2006 has concluded that “the current level of investment by the public and private sectors still does not match the extent of the problem.”

A Call to Action!
The Children’s Nutrition Collection (CNC) project was funded through the North Bay Cooperative Library System to pilot a simple and creative way to support nutrition literacy for children and to bridge a gap in the state’s current nutrition education activities.

Materials were chosen for the CNC based on the California Department of Education’s guidelines for classroom nutrition education, as a simple way to encourage reading and spark interest in the topic of nutrition and physical activity for children in the classroom and at home. The goal of this Project is to make CNC materials available to children, their parents, caregivers and teachers through public and school libraries.

  • Public libraries are encouraged to develop a local Children’s Nutrition Collection using the database and guidelines presented on this website.
  • Public librarians are encouraged to work with local elementary schools and other partners in their local community to use the CNC to support education about nutrition education and physical activity for children in their community.

Children’s Nutrition Collection ‘Event In A Box’

The following CNC materials can be used to support nutrition education efforts in your community. The materials were created to support nutrition education events during our pilot program in Marin County, CA.

To search the CNC database or to learn more about this project click here

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This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the US. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the California State Library, and no official endorsement by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the California State Library should be inferred.