This document discusses the importance of yearly check-ups for underrepresented groups like Hispanic/Latino and uninsured children to reduce childhood obesity. It recommends that parents bring their children to see primary care providers regularly so providers can monitor their health, including weight, and educate parents and children about nutrition, exercise, and developing healthy habits to combat obesity and other conditions. The long term goals are to improve access to healthcare resources for these groups and encourage schools and after school programs to promote healthy behaviors.

1. The Importance of Yearly Check-Ups
for Underrepresented Groups
Reducing obesity in children by encouraging regular
checkups for Hispanic/Latino and uninsured families.

2. Target Audience
Hispanic/Latino parents of young children
New parents
Urban/low income families
Uninsured Families
Numbers here show that
uninsured, Hispanic / Latino
children are much more likely
to go a full year without
seeing a physician or clinic

3. We want to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity by getting children in to see their primary care
provider. This is an important task due to the plentiful life-threatening conditions that come along with
obesity. Primary care providers can provide the patients and their parents with knowledge of their
conditions (where they are on the obesity scale), and how to combat their ailment (proper nutrition and
exercise) while also helping to detect other health conditions.

4. What Should We DO? What Are Our Goal?
1. For parents to bring their children to the doctor
a. The more children seen by a physician- the better chance we have at curbing the obesity race
2. For parents to encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity
3. For parents to provide healthy food options
4. For parents to reduce sedentary time by encouraging and providing exercise

5. Long Term Goals
Improving access to resources within the medical community (bilingual
physicians, locations of clinics in targeted communities).
Encouraging state tax breaks or funding to schools who hire physicians and
nutritionists to visit schools and meet with each student throughout
designated weeks in the school year (one at the start and end of school year)
Improve training of school nurses to keep better records of student complaints
and engage in more dialogues with parents about their children’s health and
with children about healthy habits.
Advocate for free and accessible after school sports programs in low SES areas
to promote physical activity.

6. APA-format list of resources
MassHealth. (2004, May 04). Children's Medical Security Plan. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/consumer/insurance/more-programs/childrens-medical-security-plan.html
Health, United States, 2015 - Child and Adolescent Health. (2016, April 27). Retrieved February 21, 2017, from
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/child.htm#healthstatus