what is childhood obesity?€¦ · web viewchildhood obesity is a condition where excess body...

Figure 1- Childhood Obesity Prevention

Group H – Collaboration Project November 16, 2011

Childhood Obesity

What can be done to prevent this epidemic?

Collaboration Project: Jessica Parenteau, Kim Palmer, April Purdy, Stephanie Parkinson, Elmis Santiago

What is childhood obesity?

Childhood obesity is a condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child's health

or wellbeing. ("Childhood Obesity") Childhood obesity is a growing concern throughout the

world. Today’s epidemic of overweight and obese children is threatening the progress of

increasing Americans quality and years of a healthy life. The United States has one of the highest

rates of obese children and the rates are continually growing. This proposes a serious issue for

the health of our children and the future generations that adapt these same lifestyles. If we do not

reverse these trends, many of our children-our most precious resource- will be seriously afflicted

with medical conditions such as diabetes and asthma. We all have an important role to play in the

prevention and control of childhood obesity. It is crucial that we commit to making changes that

promote the health and wellness of our families and community. There are simple ways to

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adipose_tissue


implement healthier lifestyles that focus on nutrition and regular physical activity to aid in the

prevention of childhood obesity.

What are the Health Effects?

Dr. Reginald Washington, Chief Medical Officer at Rocky Mountain Hospital for

Children, reported that one of every five children now face increased risks for serious obesity

related health conditions. (Figure 2) The conditions our children are facing are, type II diabetes,

hypertension, cholesterol, cardiac issues and respiratory illnesses such as asthma. (Washington

MD, Reginal) Not only are there consequences as children, but future consequences as they

become adults. Elizabeth Todd Bartholomew from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) states

that “overweight children are more likely to later develop health problems such as heart disease,

Figure 2- Complications of Childhood Obesity


stroke, diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis. The more overweight

you are, the more likely you are to have health problems.” (Bartholomew, 2006)

What are the causes?

The epidemic of childhood obesity today is caused by a combination of several different

factors. Modern day society and the environment play a significant part in childhood obesity.

Unhealthy eating habits, poor food choices, and lack of exercise are at the top of the list of

causes. It isn’t always convenient to make choices that promote good nutrition and provide

adequate exercise for a healthy lifestyle.

There are practices we as a community have begun to adapt, such as, regular fast food

runs or other quick but often unhealthy meal choices. (Figure 3) It may be convenient and save

us time. But, at what cost to our children’s health and well being. There are many unhealthy

processed foods filled with preservatives and chemicals in our local grocery markets aimed at

saving time and money. They are strategically placed next to the cashiers, and centered in the

middle of the store to aid in the ease of finding the quick and easy things that are not always the

best choice. They do provide healthy food choices including vegetables, fruits, meats, milk, eggs,


and cheese on the outer edge of the store that are not as convenient and may have a higher

associated cost. When families are pressed for time, and short on cash it is often easier to turn to

the quick fix of fast food instead of making the healthy food choices that take more planning and

preparation time. At any stage of life, increased consumption of calories from fat and added

sugars in foods such as fast foods, are associated with obesity.

The lack of regular exercise is another factor that has contributed to being one of the

causes of childhood obesity. ("The Three Leading Causes of Childhood Obesity") Lack of

physical activities in schools, within the community, and at home play a crucial role in the rise of

obesity in children. Technology such as, video gaming, social interactive internet sources, and

television are often preferences of our young to outdoor sports and other physical activities.

(Figure 4) The more time children spend watching television or playing video games, they more

likely they are to eat while doing so and the more likely they are to eat the high-calorie foods that

are heavily advertised on television. (“Television and

Children’s Consumption Patterns”) Technology

advances have made our lives more convenient, but

also more sedentary. This increases our risk of

obesity. Scheduling time for physical activity is

essential to overall health and well being. Parents

should set limits on sedentary activities such as

television and video games, and promote fun

physical activities. Figure 4- Childhood Obesity


Our strategy for prevention

To help lead parents and communities toward healthy eating habits and active living we

need to implement change. Parents should start when their kids are young on the pathway to a healthy

life style. In the article Parents Can Avoid Childish Dinner Table Skirmishes by Focusing on Positive

Nutrition Messages, Jill Silva states, "The parent is responsible for the what, the when and the where of

feeding. Period. The Child is responsible for the how much and the whether of feeding. (Silva, Jill

Wendholt) In addition, Kids Health states, “Preventing our kids from becoming overweight

means adapting the way your family eats and exercises, and how you spend time together.

Helping kid’s lead healthier lifestyles begins with parents who lead by example.” (Gavin MD,

Mary L) This statement is powerful because it clearly states a solution for the problem we are

facing. Parents have a key role in making good choices for themselves and their loved ones.

Children are looking to their parents to model healthy lifestyle habits. The earliest decisions

regarding food, activity, and television viewing

are in the home. There are simple steps that can

be followed to achieve great success:

Feed your children natural wholesome foods, such as organic fruits, vegetables, dairy products, lean meats, and whole grains on a routine basis. (Fig 5)

Follow the dietary education guidelines recommended by the Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) to promote healthy dietary lifestyles. (USDA's MyPlate.gov)

Become more proactive, and get the children involved in physical activities such as sports, gardening as a family, or other hobbies.

Look within your community to find programs that promote healthy living.

Figure 5- The food pyramid


There are many organizations in our community that are physically interactive and

devoted to the physical health and wellbeing of our children. One local program that promotes

this is the STEP Express program, sponsored by SelectHealth. (www.stepexpress.org) STEP

Express is a free programs designed to help 4th-grade students work toward a healthier lifestyle

through classroom lesson plans, physical activity, and fitness challenges. They focus on 4th grade

students because according to the Utah Department of Health in 2008 there was a dramatic

increase in the percentage of overweight or obese students between the 3rd and 5th grade. (Step

Express)

Obesity vs. Healthy Lifestyle

What are the costs of childhood obesity? The burden of being obese is poor self-esteem

issues, inability to perform physically, health issues that proceed throughout adolescents, or

worse, become life threatening. According to a statement from the Clinton foundation, “living

an obese lifestyle can be very expensive and can cost nearly three times more for the health care

system than children of normal weight. Severely overweight people spend more on health care

than smokers.” (Facts about Childhood Obesity) Can we afford to make poor choices that lead

to this debilitating disease? Let’s keep the money in our pocket book and decide to live a

healthier lifestyle that provides each child with the capability to do more physically in their lives,

live longer, and be healthier.


The Battle Can Be Won

Childhood obesity is a significant issue. However, it’s a battle that can be won with the

proper guidance of parents and community involvement. The Whitehouse Task Force on

Childhood Obesity gave a report to the President on how to solve the childhood obesity problem

within the next generation. (Fig 6) They hope to do this by 2030 by starting early and teaching

kid’s healthy habits by example."We need to take a page from the no-smoking campaigns of years ago

and try to change the culture and the environment," says Bob Oliver, a physical education teacher at

Trailridge Middle School in Lenexa. (Oliver, Bob) Obese children need to be eating proper diets

and burning more calories than they consume. Good nutrition and regular physical activity

significantly contribute to achieving optimal health. This would not only teach the children to

adapt proper lifestyles through future generations, but would provide the children with an overall

Figure 6- Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity within a Generation


healthier lifestyle. Every child deserves to have the opportunity to live a long and healthy life

free from childhood obesity.

Works Cited

Bartholomew, Elizabeth T. "Children's Health: Childhood Obesity an Epidemic." Baptist Hospital -

Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation (BMHCC). Centers for Disease Control; American

Heart Association, 13 Apr. 2006. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.

<http://www.baptistonline.org/health/healthieryou/child/Childhood_Obesity_Epidemic.asp>.

"Childhood Obesity." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikepedia.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2011.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood_obesity>.

"Facts About Childhood Obesity | Why Childhood Obesity? | Alliance For a Healthier Generation | What

We Do." William J. Clinton Foundation. Clintonfoundation.org. Web.

<http://www.clintonfoundation.org/what-we-do/alliance-for-a-healthier-generation/why-

childhood-obesity-/facts-about-childhood-obesity>.

Gavin MD, Mary L. "Overweight and Obesity." KidsHealth - the Web's Most Visited Site about

Children's Health. Kidshealth.org, Feb. 2009. Web. 13 Nov. 2011.

<http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/overweight_obesity.html#>.

Oliver, Bob. "Obesity." Electronic Library & Information Environment (ELIE) - Salt Lake Community

College. Slcc.edu. Web. <http://sks.sirs.com.dbprox.slcc.edu/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id>.

Silva, Jill Wendholt. "Parents Can Avoid Childish Dinner Table Skirmishes by Focusing on..." Kansas

City Star (Kansas City, MO). 13 Jun 2003: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 14 Nov 2011.

"Step Express." SelectHealth. Michigan State University and Utah Department of Health. Web.

<http://selecthealth.org/STAYHEALTHY/STEPEXPRESS/Pages/home.aspx>.

“Television and Children’s Consumption Patterns”. WikiSpaces.com. Web. 12 Nov. 2011.

<http://coms114.wikispaces.com/file/view/(leath3)children+and+tv.pdf>

http://coms114.wikispaces.com/file/view/(leath3)children+and+tv.pdf


"The Three Leading Causes of Childhood Obesity." The Health Care Center. Thehealthcarecenter.com.

Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://www.thehealthcarecenter.com/causes_of_childhood_obesity.html>.

"USDA's MyPlate.gov - Dietary Guidelines for Americans." USDA's MyPlate - Home Page.

Choosemyplate.com, 31 Jan. 2011. Web.

<http://www.choosemyplate.gov/guidelines/index.html>.

Washington MD, Reginal. ”The State of Children’s Health.” Actionforchildrenshealth.org. June 2011

Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/assets/pdfs/childrens-health-

and.pdf>.

Fig 1. <http://www.healthymontanakids.org/FAQs_two.html>

Fig 2. Preachuk, Deb. "10 Frightening Facts About Childhood Obesity." Egoscue Method Minnesota.

Www.painfreeposturemn.com, 9 Sept. 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.

<http://www.painfreeposturemn.com/Egoscue-Pain-Free-Life-and-Living-Blog/bid/93767/10-

Frightening-Facts-About-Childhood-Obesity>.

Fig 3. Danovan, Marie. "How to Help Your Kid to Lose Weight? Avoid Childhood Obesity! How to

Lose Belly Fat Soon." How to Lose Belly Fat Fast and Naturally. Howtolosebellyfatsoon.com.

Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://howtolosebellyfatsoon.com/how-to-help-your-kid-to-lose-weight-

avoid-childhood-obesity.html>.

Fig 4. "Rondi's Body Shop | Category Archive | Childhood Obesity." Rondi's Body Shop | It's A

Lifestyle... Rondisbodyshop.com. Web. 12 Nov. 2011.

<http://rondisbodyshop.com/category/childhood-obesity/>.

Fig 5. Bassitt, Cheryl. "Optimal Food Pyramid Diagram for Kids." Nutrition Supplements News.

Www.nutralegacy.com, 4 Dec. 2008. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.

<http://www.nutralegacy.com/blog/general-healthcare/optimal-food-pyramid-diagram-for-kids/

>.


Fig 6. "Solving Childhood Obesity - Wellsphere." Wellsphere - Health Knowledge Made Personal.

Www.wellsphere.com, 11 May 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-

living-article/solving-childhood-obesity/1104170>.

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