Children may have a shorter life expectancy than their parents for the first time ever in U.S history. The reason? Obesity.

American children are now suffering from an obesity epidemic that has plagued the country for the past 10 years. Today, more than 20 percent of children aged 6-11 years old and 18 percent of those aged 12-17 years old are obese. More than 1/3 of these age groups are overweight. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has tripled over the past 30 years. The nation’s youth are suffering from poor health due to their reliance on fast food, low nutrition education, high caloric intake, and insufficient physical activity.

Michelle Obama, First Lady, has made childhood obesity a key issue in her husband’s administration. She initiated the “Let’s Move”Campaign to end the epidemic of obese children in a generation. It aims to support parents, provide healthier meals at schools, encourage and allow kids to be physically active, and provide affordable, healthy food for all. “We want our kids to face a different and more optimistic future in terms of their lifespan,””The First Lady”

The Let’s Move Campaign’s cornerstone is the Healthier U.S. Schools Challenge Program. This program is designed to encourage healthy and active children. This program encourages better school food quality and participation in meal programs. It also promotes nutrition education. More than 75 percent of schools have food service staff that pledge to work with school officials to improve nutrition. Principals, teachers, school administrators and principals have all pledged support for these new measures. Major school food suppliers have committed to reducing sugar, fat, salt, and increasing the use of whole grains, vegetables, and other produce in school meals.

Schools are now offering high-quality, affordable food to support the growing trend of feeding healthy and nutritious meals to our youth. iPura, a food safety leader, produces organically cleaned seafood. This provides schools with a safe and clean source, which includes assurances of good farming practices from Source to Kitchen. iPura gives schools the opportunity to enjoy the health benefits of seafood and ensures that they are safe, sustainable, and healthy. This is in addition to supporting the efforts by school meal authorities to improve students’ health.

To end childhood obesity, parents, schools, and food companies must work together and keep their eyes on the goal for many years. This is what will determine the lifespan of our children.

Today’s life is very fast. People can check their kids’ soccer scores on the phone, while also sending emails to work with the help of digital technology. Consumers can expect the same conveniences and benefits from all businesses, except their insurance companies, thanks to the internet age. For many people struggling to pay their medical bills, this can seem like a long wait, even though 98 percent of claims for health insurance are processed in 30 days.

It is no longer enough to be insured, as nearly two-thirds of American households have less income than 2002. It is vital to understand how quickly and efficiently your insurance carrier pays claims. This is critical for both financial recovery and physical recovery.

According to a recent survey, 66% of workers would struggle to pay for the financial burdens associated with serious injuries and illnesses. Only 49% of workers have over $1,000 to pay out-of-pocket costs. Additionally, rising healthcare costs are forcing employers into cost-saving measures that are putting employees under greater financial pressure.

* Increasing employees’ health care insurance copayments.

* Increasing employees’ share of premium.

* Implementing high-deductible health plans with health savings accounts.

A lot of people will have to wait for up to a few months before receiving their insurance payments. Many insurance companies are able to provide customers with fast service thanks to modern technology and better understanding of their needs. This is just one example. AflacIn the insurance industry, it is rare to find policies that allow for claims approval, processing, and payment within one day.

Fast payment policies are no longer luxury items of the past. It’s a necessity. It’s vital to have funds readily available for serious illness or injury. Your insurance company should be able to respond quickly.

Aflac’s One Day Pay guarantee can be found on aflac.com/onedaypay.