Transcript Childhood Obesity Problems, Causes & Solutions

Childhood Obesity
Problems, Causes & Solutions
by
Eddie & Krista
A Growing Crisis
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“In the past three decades, the number of
overweight children has more than doubled,
with most of the increases occurring during
the past ten years.” - Rallie McAllister, M.D.
Implementing prevention programs and
getting a better understanding of adequate
treatment is important to controlling this
obesity epidemic.
What’s the Big Deal?
I Don’t Want to Grow Up
 25% of children who are obese at age 6 will
be obese as an adult
 75% of children who are obese at age 12
will be obese as an adult
Effects on the Child
Physical Consequences
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Type 2 Diabetes
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used to be virtually
unrecognized in
adolescence
almost entirely
attributable to obesity
obese children are
reported to be 12 times
more likely to have high
fasting blood insulin
levels
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Orthopedic
complications
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bone and cartilage in the
process of development
are not strong enough to
bear excess weight
Hypertension
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Elevated blood pressure
levels have been found
to occur about 9 times
more frequently among
obese children
Social Difficulties
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Obese children…
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are stereotyped as “unhealthy, academically
unsuccessful & lazy”
may be teased or verbally abused by other
children
can become excluded from being a part of social
groups and/or other activities
Psychological Problems
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Discrimination can cause a negative selfimage and poor self-esteem
Sadness can occur, which can lead to
depression
Loneliness
Eating disorders
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more prevalent in females
People who are obese or overweight
also have a lower life expectancy
A 40-year-old nonsmoking male who is overweight will lose 3.1 years of
life expectancy; one who is obese will lose 5.8 years. A 40-year-old
overweight nonsmoking female will lose 3.3 years of life expectancy;
one who is obese will lose 7.1 years.
How to Tell If Your Child is
Overweight or Obese
Indicators
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Growth Chart
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Skin fold thickness
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height and weight can be compared and plotted
measured at the triceps with a caliper that pinches the skin
and together and will be higher in obese children
BMI (Body Mass Index)
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is best measurement to take because it is age and gender
specific
What is BMI?
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BMI is used to identify overweight and
obesity in children
BMI = weight (kg)/height (m)²
For children, BMI is age and gender specific
and is consistent with adult index, so it can
be used continuously from two years of age
to adulthood
Are you at risk?
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The Center for Disease Control avoids using
the word “obesity” for children
Instead they suggest two levels of overweight:
1.) 85th percentile: At-risk level (overweight)
2.) 95th percentile: Severe-level (obesity)
What does the 95th percentile BMI
score mean?
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Correlates to BMI score of 30, which is the marker
for obesity in adults
Indication for children and adolescents to have an indepth medical assessment
Identifies children that are likely to have obesity
persist into adulthood
Is associated with elevated blood pressure and lipid
in older adolescents which increases risk of diseases
Increase in obesity among American
youth over the past two decades:
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Prevalence of Obese
Children
(Ages 6 to 11) at the
95th percentile of
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Prevalence of Obese
Adolescents
(Ages 12 to 19) at the
95th percentile of
Body Mass Index (BMI)
1999 to 2000
15.3%
1999 to 2000
15.3%
1988 to 1994
11%
1988 to 1994
11%
1976 to 1980
7%
1976 to 1980
7%
What are the Causes?
The Family Atmosphere
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According to the American Obesity
Association, parents are the most important
role models for children.
Obesity tends to run in families
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Eating patterns play a role
Children of active parents are six times
more likely to be physically active than kids
whose parents are sedentary
Television & Nutrition
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Commercials feature many junk foods that
promote weight gain
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fast food, soft drinks, sweets and sugarsweetened breakfast cereals
Children seem to passively consume
excessive amounts of energy-dense foods
while watching TV
The typical American child spends about
44.5 hours per week using media outside
of school.
Pick-up or Delivery?
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Today, families eat fewer meals together and
fewer meals at home
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Children tend to eat more food when meals are
eaten at a restaurant
Plenty of children eat fast food on a regular basis
Take-out food like pizza or chinese is also popular
Between 1977 and 1996, portion sizes grew in the
U.S., not only at fast-food outlets but also in homes
and restaurants
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One study of portion sizes for
typical items showed that:
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Salty snacks increased from
132 calories to 225 calories
Soft drinks increased from
144 calories to 193 calories
French fries increased from
188 calories to 256 calories
Hamburgers increased from
389 calories to 486 calories
Setting Standards
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The United States Department of Agriculture
developed the National School Lunch Program
(NSLP) in 1946
The NSLP provides lunches to over twenty-six
million children every school day
The lunches must meet the recommendations of the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
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30% of calories from fat
no more than 10% from saturated fat
Bending the Rules
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In the mid-1990s, the USDA researched the
relationship between children’s dietary intake and the
school lunch program
The results showed that on an average day, NSLP
participants consumed more sodium and cholesterol
than non participants
Students who participated in the NSLP ate more
calories in the form of total fat, as well as saturated fat
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the total percentage of fat for NSLP participants was almost
37%, with saturated fat at over 14%
Food Pyramid & School Lunch
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On average, NSLP participants ate only 0.1
servings of whole grains and poultry
0.0 servings of dark-green leafy vegetables,
fish, eggs, nuts and seeds were typically
consumed
Vending Machines
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Soda
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each 12-oz (though now most are 20-oz) sugared
soft drink consumed daily increases a child’s risk
of obesity by 60%
risk of lack of calcium if students choose
sweetened drinks with no nutritional value instead
of milk, a good source of vitamins, minerals and
protein
In 1977-78, drank about four times as much milk as
soda. In 2001-02, they drank about the same
amounts of milk and soda
Vending Machines
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The Center for Science in the Public Interest took a
survey of vending machines nationwide in middle
and high schools (2004)
The results found that the majority of options were
high in calories and/or low in nutrition
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in middle school vending machines, 73% of the drinks and
83% of the snacks sold were of poor nutritional value
in high schools, 74% of beverages and 85% of snacks were
nutritionally-poor choices
only 12% of available drinks were water
A La Carte Selections
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Resembles fast food
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Hamburgers, French fries & pizza
Do not meet the USDA fat recommendations
A recent study published by the American
Journal of Public Health suggests that about
35-40% of students reported only eating
snack bar items for lunch over the two year
study period
Simple Solutions
Keys to Preventing Obesity
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Teaching healthy behaviors at a young age
is important since change becomes more
difficult with age
Education in physical activity and nutrition
are the cornerstones of preventing childhood
obesity
Schools and families are the two most critical
links to decreasing the prevalence of
childhood obesity
Parent’s role in Prevention
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Create an active environment
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Limit amount of TV watching
Plan active family trips such as hiking or
skiing
Enroll children in a structured activity that
they enjoy
Parent’s role (cont.)
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Create a healthy eating environment
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Implement the same healthy diet for entire family,
not just selected individuals
Avoid using food as a reward or the lack of food
as a punishment
Encourage kids to “eat their colors;”
(food bland in color often lack nutrients)
Don’t cut out treats all together, think in
moderation, or kids will indulge
Schools Are Only Exercising Our
Minds
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According to the Center for Disease
Control and Prevention:
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Nationwide, approximately 56% of high
school students were enrolled in a
physical education class and only 29%
attended PE class daily (1999)
What Should Schools Revise?
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POLICY
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Schools should establish policies that require
daily physical education and comprehensive
health education in grades K-12
Schools and government should provide
adequate funding, equipment, and supervision for
programs that meet needs of all students
What Should Schools Revise?
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ENVIRONMENT
– Provide adequate school time for physical
activity
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American Heart Association recommends 30-60 minutes
of vigorous activities at least 3-4 times each week
Discourage the use or withholding of
physical activity as punishment
It’s as Easy as Cake…
THE
END