TALLAHASSEE − The Florida Department of Health (DOH) recognizes October 6th as Child Health Day. This year’s theme, “Eat Healthy and Be Active for a Healthy Future,” recognizes the challenge of childhood obesity and the importance of physical activity in growing up healthy.

“Floridians should understand the importance of leading an active lifestyle and eating a healthy diet to good overall health,” said Joseph Chiaro, M.D., Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Health. “Today and everyday, we should help young Floridians improve their health by encouraging healthy decisions and modeling healthy behaviors ourselves so children can learn from us.”

Recent national studies suggest that 1 in 6 U.S. children between 2 and 19 is overweight. In Florida, about 10 percent of high school students are inactive, a proportion that has shown little change over time. Florida teens have higher rates of inactivity than teens in the rest of the nation. Florida also ranks as the 16th heaviest state. Inactive children have an increased risk of developing more serious health conditions including asthma, diabetes and heart disease as they grow into adulthood. Across our state, parents and caregivers can play a vital role in creating a healthier Florida by teaching and modeling proper nutrition and physical activity. Good nutrition is not just beneficial for children’s health, it can also improve students' ability to concentrate which will contribute to success in the classroom.

The Governor's Council on Physical Fitness is working to develop a state plan of action to increase Floridians' level of physical fitness through regular exercise and sound nutrition practices. The Council aims to reduce the number of Floridians who suffer from chronic diseases resulting from obesity within the next ten years by evaluating physical education classes, the nutritional value of school lunches, the availability of certified physical education teachers, and the possibility of school districts maintaining independent fitness advisory panels. More information on the Council is available at www.healthyfloridians.com.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Child Health Day, an annual observance celebrated on the first Monday in October. Child Health Day encourages the nation to focus on issues related to children's development and well-being. The DOH Division of Family Health Services and Children’s Medical Services work everyday to encourage children’s health and safety. With programs focused on providing primary and specialty care for children with and without special health care needs, these programs work to create medical homes where children can access care when they need it.

DOH promotes, protects and improves the health of all people in Florida. For additional information about the Division of Family Health Services or Children’s Medical Services Network, visit the DOH website at www.doh.state.fl.us or visit each program directly at www.floridashealth.com/Family/mch/index.html and www.cms-kids.com. To learn more about Child Health Day, visit http://mchb.hrsa.gov/childhealthday/.