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
Group H – Collaboration Project November 16, 2011
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
Group H – Collaboration Project November 16, 2011
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,
Group H – Collaboration Project November 16, 2011
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
Group H – Collaboration Project November 16, 2011
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
Group H – Collaboration Project November 16, 2011
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.
Group H – Collaboration Project November 16, 2011
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
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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>
Group H – Collaboration Project November 16, 2011
"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/
>.
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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>.