One in three kids in the United States suffers from obesity. Although our country likes to blame the people for their health situations, the truth is the environment we live in contributes mightily to our health. There are personal choices we can make to improve our health, but there are other factors we have less control over, such as food choices available, or the safety of our neighborhoods for outdoor exercise and activities. Low-income areas provide greater challenges and less options for healthy living. Poor food options and economic challenges contribute to this epidemic, which can lead to heart disease, among other health concerns. Heart disease is a number one killer in the U.S., with over 800,000 people dying from the disease each year.

However, 11-year-old Savanna Lorpe Karmue decided to do something about it. In 2016, Savannah launched Happy Heart Challenges, a series of YouTube videos devoted to providing education and resources for healthy living. In June of 2022, she was a keynote speaker for the 9th Biannual Obesity Conference, where she spoke about healthy lifestyles for teens. She is currently working on an app to help people shop for “heart approved” food. Through education and resources, we can try to move the dial on the things we CAN control, while working with policy-makers on more equitable solutions to improve the bigger picture. You can check check out Savanna’s videos here: https://vimeo.com/225930249