Millions of American children are suffering from hunger or obesity,
nutritional deficits that place them at great risk for developing health
conditions that plague them into adulthood. The threats of both child
hunger and obesity endanger the physical, mental, and emotional health
of a growing number of the nation’s youth. Adding to the problem is that
child hunger and obesity are often connected; contrary to assumptions, an
overweight child might not have access to sufficient food. More often than
not, efforts to respond to these issues are discussed in isolation rather than
as part of a larger dialogue on child nutrition that examines all of the factors
that go into creating a healthy nutritional environment for children.
