Why Childhood Hunger Is Important
Hunger impairs our children’s health in significant and long-lasting ways:
-Children who struggle with hunger are sick more often, recover more slowly, and are more likely to be hospitalized, at an average cost of $12,000 per pediatric stay.
-They are more likely to experience headaches, stomachaches, colds, ear infections and fatigue.iii
-Children who face hunger are more susceptible to obesity and its harmful health consequences as children and as adults.
-Hunger impedes our children’s ability to learn and perform academically.
-Undernourished children under the age of 3 cannot learn as much, as fast or as well .
-Lack of enough nutritious food impairs a child’s ability to concentrate and perform well in school.
-Children who don’t get enough nutritious food are more susceptible to the negative effects of skipping breakfast on their ability to think and learn.x
-Hunger predisposes our children to emotional and behavioral difficulties:
-Children who regularly do not get enough nutritious food have have more behavioral, emotional and academic problems and tend to be more aggressive and anxious.
-Teens who regularly do not get enough to eat are more likely to be suspended from school and have difficulty getting along with other kids.
49.1 million Americans - including nearly 17 million children - lack the means to regularly put enough nutritious food on the table . They are food insecure and struggle with hunger.
Food insecurity exists in 14.6% of all U.S. households:
-42.2% of all households at or below the poverty line
-37.2% of all single-mom households
Families struggling with hunger experience three or more symptoms of food insecurity during seven months of the year, on average.
Symptoms of food insecurity include running out of food without money to buy more, cutting portion sizes or skipping meals, and not feeding children in the family because there isn’t money for food.
For about one-fourth of families struggling with hunger, symptoms are frequent or chronic.
-83.6% live in major metropolitan areas
-67.7% live above the poverty line
-52.1 % are white
-48.7% (8.3 million) have kids under 18
Food insecurity affects nearly 17 million children in America.
-34% more than last year
-48.7% live in married-couple families
-41.9% live in single-mom families
-41.2% live at or below the poverty line
-40.3% live in the South
-35.5% live in cities outside of major metro areas
That's a lot of hunger going on, and it's amazing that in America we have this many hungry kids and families. But there is something that we can all do about it and as a matter of fact here is the opportunity!!!
Weight Watchers will donate $1, up to a maximum of $60,000, to
Share Our Strength and
Action Against Hunger for each approved mention, acknowledgment or action related to “
Lose For Good” made on September 14th through blogs, Twitter, Facebook and check-in via foursquare.
Twitter:
Get in on the good! Follow:
@WeightWatchers, @
sharestrength and/or
@acfusa Tweet or Retweet using the hashtag: #LoseForGood. Let people know how they can join you in the fight against hunger.
Accessorize- Install a "Lose-A-Palooza" Twibbon to your profile picture(Available 9/14)
Facebook:
Like
Weight Watchers,
Share Our Strength and
Action Against Hunger on Facebook. Like or Comment on any of the Weight Watchers "Lose-A-Palooza" updates that will be posted throughout the day.
Accessorize- Add a "Loose-A-Palooza" Twibbon to your profile picture(Available 9/14).
Blog:
Comment on a blog post about Lose For Good and don't forget to Include the phrase "Loose For Good" in a post about the Lose For Good campaign.
Check-in to a Weight Watchers meeting room to help contribute to the good.
*Note: foursquare check-in is not considered a weekly meeting attendance and you will not receive Program materials, unless you decide to stay and attend a meeting and, if applicable, pay the fees then in effect. Only one check-in per user will be counted.*
There is a lot we can do but isn't this a simple way?
Weight Watchers will DONATE $1 for every approved MENTION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR ACTION related to the Lose For Good on September 14th!!!
If you skipped and didn't read ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BLOG, LEAVE A COMMENT, LIKE THEM ON FACEBOOK & LEAVE A COMMENT ON ONE OR EACH POST THROUGHOUT THE DAY, TWEET OR RETWEET USING HASHTAG #LOSEFORGOOD & LET OTHERS KNOW HOW TO PARTICIPATE!!
DON'T FORGET TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT HERE AND LEAVE ME A COMMENT ON SEPTEMBER 14TH WITH THE COMMENT "LOSE FOR GOOD"
*Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. By posting I am entered to win products from Weight Watchers & One2One. The opinions expressed are my own, others' may differ.*
