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Dr. Aiman Hamdan is a board-certified cardiologist with close to three decades of experience providing advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology care. A member of the National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA), Dr. Aiman Hamdan has served as president of the New Jersey chapter of NAAMA (NAAMA NJ).
NAAMA NJ runs various programs aimed at improving the overall health of New Jersey residents. For example, the organization is actively involved in fighting childhood obesity, a leading risk factor for premature illness and death.
Childhood obesity is a serious issue in the United States. Today, about a third of US children are overweight (have a body mass index between the 85th and 95th percentile) or obese (have a body mass index above the 95th percentile). Demographically, adolescents make up the highest proportion of children who are obese with 20.6 percent, followed by children from 6 to 11 at 18.4 percent, and finally children from 2 to 5 at 13.9 percent. All these children are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular problems, asthma, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and psycho-social issues like depression and low self-esteem.
NAAMA NJ attributes the rise in obesity rates among children to several factors, including increased screen time. This is time spent watching television, using a computer, playing video games, or using a phone or tablet. All these promote a sedentary lifestyle while increasing exposure to food advertising.
To fight this, NAAMA NJ recommends an absolute ban on screen time for children younger than 18 months, parent-controlled screen time for children between 18 and 24 months, one hour a day of screen time for children from 2 to 5 years, and consistent limits on screen time for children over 6. These recommendations are taken from the American Academy of Pediatrics and should be enforced by parents.
NAAMA NJ runs various programs aimed at improving the overall health of New Jersey residents. For example, the organization is actively involved in fighting childhood obesity, a leading risk factor for premature illness and death.
Childhood obesity is a serious issue in the United States. Today, about a third of US children are overweight (have a body mass index between the 85th and 95th percentile) or obese (have a body mass index above the 95th percentile). Demographically, adolescents make up the highest proportion of children who are obese with 20.6 percent, followed by children from 6 to 11 at 18.4 percent, and finally children from 2 to 5 at 13.9 percent. All these children are at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular problems, asthma, arthritis, type 2 diabetes, and psycho-social issues like depression and low self-esteem.
NAAMA NJ attributes the rise in obesity rates among children to several factors, including increased screen time. This is time spent watching television, using a computer, playing video games, or using a phone or tablet. All these promote a sedentary lifestyle while increasing exposure to food advertising.
To fight this, NAAMA NJ recommends an absolute ban on screen time for children younger than 18 months, parent-controlled screen time for children between 18 and 24 months, one hour a day of screen time for children from 2 to 5 years, and consistent limits on screen time for children over 6. These recommendations are taken from the American Academy of Pediatrics and should be enforced by parents.
