Healthy Kids
In 2007 The Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation Launched a “Growing Up Healthy’ program to address childhood obesity in Mane, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The initiative emphasizes that “aside from the emotional problems and discrimination faced by overweight and obese children, conditions rarely – if ever- before seen in children are increasing, including fatty liver, sleep apnea and even type 2 diabetes. Obese children are more likely to have hypertension, abnormal blood lipid profiles and digestive disorders. As adults, they are less likely to achieve socioeconomic parity and are more likely to die sooner than thinner peers.”
Childhood Obesity
According to statistics provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the state of childhood obesity is a primary concern. Among low-to-moderate income families, more than one-third of children between the ages of two and five years are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. The 2007 Youth health Survey (YHS) shows that 18% of middle school students are at risk of becoming overweight and 11% are overweight. While the percentage of high school students at risk of becoming overweight has stayed fairly constant at around 15%, the proportion of overweight high school students has increased from 7% in 1999 to 11% in 2007.
The City has quantified childhood obesity in recent years through BMI testing undertaken in the Quincy Public School System in grades 1, 4, 7 and 10 from 2005 - 2008. The most accurate data obtained in the school system is from 2007 and 2008 and is noted below:
| % at risk | % overweight | |
| Grade 1 | 15.0 18.2 |
16.4 (2007) 19.3 (2008) |
| Grade 4 | 20.0 18.8 |
17.5 (2007) 19.9 (2008) |
| Grade 7 | 16.7 19.1 |
16.2 (2007) 15.1 (2008) |
| Grade 10 | 15.9 14.4 |
15.6 (2007) 17.2 (2008) |
It is evident that the City has a childhood obesity concern consistent with national standards.
It is critical that we as a community embrace this national concern, and do all that we can to provide a healthy start for children in Quincy. The community has a variety of public, non-profit and private agencies actively providing programs, services and resources to help provide a health start to our young population. View Quincy Resources
Get Kids Healthy!
Get your kids outside and active
Keep them active - places to go
Complete list of resources for kids
10 ways to create healthy habits for kids
