Build a Healthier Future One Decision at a Time
Nebeyou Abebe
Senior Director, Health & Well Being, Sodexo
Today, I had the privilege of participating in the 2015 Building a Healthier Future Summit hosted by the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA). The summit offers a unique opportunity for public, private and non-profit leaders to come together to address one of the single biggest issues facing our children, our families, our communities and the future of our country – childhood obesity.
According to the Obesity Action Coalition, childhood obesity affects 30 percent of children in the United States, making it the most common chronic disease of childhood. This number has more than tripled since 1980. More and more children are being diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension and other conditions associated with obesity. As a nation, we spend 86 percent of our healthcare dollars on the treatment of chronic diseases – like obesity — that are preventable and compromise our quality of life.
