This resolution was presented and accepted by ACEI members at the Annual Business Meeting on April 13, 2006.
Whereas ACEI is an international organization; and
Whereas ACEI is committed to supporting young children (infancy to eleven years old) and young adolescents (twelve to fourteen years old) worldwide; and
Whereas ACEI promotes not only educational rights of children but also their inherent rights and well being; and
Whereas ACEI is concerned with the alarming increase in childhood obesity, among all racial / ethnic, age, and gender groups1, worldwide "in the past several decades;" 2 and
Whereas Childhood Obesity is a serious worldwide health issue, and "according to the International Obesity Task Force, at least 155 million school-age children worldwide are overweight or obese," 3; and "approximately 22 million children under 5 years of age are overweight across the world" 4; and "in the United States the young people who are overweight has more than tripled during the past 20 years;" 5 and
Whereas Childhood Obesity leads to "high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, insulin resistance, and increased incidence of musculoskeletal injuries;" as well as, these young children and young adults can "become high risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other chronic diseases as they grow into adults;" 1 and
Whereas Childhood Obesity not only affects young children and young adolescents through their health but also affects them socially, psychologically, and economically1,2; and
Whereas Childhood Obesity affects the overall well-being of Children and Adolescents and is Preventable6; and
Therefore, be it resolved:
ACEI will endorse Awareness and Prevention of Childhood Obesity worldwide; and
ACEI will, work, through continued publications and joint efforts with other professional education organizations to promote Awareness and Prevention of Childhood Obesity as well as its social, psychological, and economic effects; and
ACEI will continue efforts and encourage future efforts in research and publication regarding the issue of Childhood Obesity; and
ACEI will encourage young children and young adolescents to be playful and physically active; and
ACEI will promote physical environments for young children and young adolescents that advance play; and
ACEI and its membership will actively seek the involvement and advocacy of parents in a joint effort to emphasize the critical importance of healthy lifestyles of young children and young adolescents; and
ACEI will take the lead in articulating the critical and essential need for healthier young children and young adolescents to all educators, parents, and policymakers worldwide.
1 Burriss, K.G. and Harrison, J.B. (2004). ACEI Speaks: Obesity and Children Brochure. MD: Association for Childhood Education International. http://www.acei.org
2 Lynn-Garbe, C. and Hoot J. (winter 2004 / 2005). Weighing in on the issue of childhood obesity. Childhood Education, 18 (2), 70-76.
3 International Obesity Task Force and Website. http://www.iotf.org/childhoodobesity.asp
4 Deckelbaum, R.J. and Williams, C.L. (November / 2001). Childhood obesity: The health issue. Obesity Research, 9, Suppl. 239S-243S.
5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Department of Human Services. http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/
6 American Obesity Association. http://www.obesity.org/subs/childhood/
These pages are copyright 
2006 by the Association for Childhood Education International. Please send
any comments to Jana Pauldin at jpauldin@acei.org.
