There are 25 celebrations of every kind happening today, July 6th. Everything from the Anniversary of the Coronation of King Mindaugas to National Transplant Week. But the one that caught my eye was National Childhood Obesity Week.

When we were children, we would rush home from school to eat my Oreos and milk, watch the Mickey Mouse Club, then do my homework and any chores that were assigned, and couldn’t wait to get outside, meet up with our friends to bike ride, play, explore, or even pick blackberries from the old blackberry thicket so momma could make one of her blackberry cobbler. Oh yeah, and on weekends we’d go to our favorite park—Juniper Hills and hit the pool. My goodness, those days bring back such good memories.

We watched television, not computer games. We did our own homework—AI didn’t do it for us. We did real chores, not expecting our parents to do it all. Our bikes weren’t motorized, and the friends we met up with, we didn’t text; we actually talked to them in person.

I realize times have changed, and we’re living in the age of technology. But the point here is that these things kept our minds engaged, gave our bodies exercise, and kept us in touch with our humanity. Which kept us in pretty good physical condition, except for a few Band-Aids here and there.

We all should be genuinely concerned about today’s youth. Not only from an educational perspective, but especially from a health perspective. Did you know that Childhood obesity in the U.S. has hit record highs, with over 21% of youth (ages 2-19) affected? It disproportionately impacts minority groups and low-income families. This epidemic significantly increases the risk of lifelong health complications, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, making it a major public health crisis.

National Childhood Obesity Week in the US is observed from July 6-12, 2026, aiming to raise awareness about healthy habits. It kicks off community and national efforts promoting active lifestyles, balanced nutrition, and preventative education for children. National Observances: Alongside the July week, September is officially designated as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month across the US.

I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In light of these statistics, I think that definitely applies here. We need to take our children’s physical and mental health seriously because, after all, they are our future.

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