CHENANGO COUNTY – According of figures obtained from the Chenango County Public Health Department, one in three children in the U.S. are overweight or obese. With the month of September being Childhood Obesity Awareness month, county health officials doing their part to spread the word of the plaguing condition that places kids at risk for Type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease — health problems once only seen only in unhealthy adults.

While chronic obesity is a very serious, the good news is that it can be prevented.

In recognition of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, Chenango County Public Health encourages families to make healthy changes together through the National nutrition Council's “5-2-1-0 Let's Go!” program.

The 5-2-1-0 program is an evidence-based nationally recognized childhood obesity prevention initiative that offers recommendations to fight childhood obesity, serving as a guide to parents and caregivers and enabling at-risk children develop healthy habits.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HSRA/HHS), and American Medical Association (AMA)–sponsored program works by promoting healthy food and activity choices. Program outcomes ensure that children to grow and develop at a rate that is normal, and helps children maintain a healthy weight, one of the most crucial ways to help kids be their best.