Sleep

Sleep deprivation. Read Susan Ohanian's daily outrage. Also see President Clinton's work combating childhood obesity in connection with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. I was struck that he attributed his recent surgery to his own sleep deprivation following the crisis in Haiti. Perhaps he and Michelle Obama need to focus on what's happening in education today if they want to see the health of our children improve. A majority of teens are getting 7 hours of sleep per night with a quarter under 6 hours. Further, with PE programs and recess being cut to save money and provide more time for test prep, kids are far less active. And, the increase in stress levels for all children increases the release of cortisol which also contributes to weight gain.