Childhood obesity is under attack, thanks to the efforts of several nonprofit groups and a certain celebrity chef.
The Carnegie Group in England has launched a series of “fat-fighting” nutrition and exercise classes for children as young as four years old. The classes were created in response to the fact that as many as 25 percent of England’s children are overweight. But the programs are intended for the whole family, and are designed to spread the message that starting healthy habits when you are young can keep you fit and trim throughout your adult life.
In pursuit of the same goal, celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver recently won the 2010 TED Prize for his activism in the areas of diet and food-related health issues.
Oliver was awarded $100,000 for his “Feed Me Better” campaign, which aims to improve the nutritional value of school lunches in the United Kingdom. As a result of his efforts, government officials in the UK have pledged to allocate a billion dollars toward improving the nation’s school fare.
