Under a magnifying glass today, about one in three American children and adolescents are overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate from 1963. Among children today, obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously weren’t seen until adulthood; from high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, to elevated blood cholesterol levels. There are also psychological effects: obese children are more prone to low self-esteem, negative body image and depression. And to top it off, excess weight at young ages has been linked to higher and earlier death rates in adulthood. Because childhood obesity is such a threat to the physical, mental, and social health of youth, there is a great need to identify effective strategies to reduce its prevalence.
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Obesity is defined as having “excess body fat” (Chaykin). Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzes the following statistics; the percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period. In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or …show more content…
It involved a 2005 national cross-sectional study of schools and students participating in the National School Lunch Program. The study included 2,314 students in grades 1 through 12 (ages 6 to 18) distributed among 287 public schools. 732 students in elementary, 787 students in middle school and 795 students in high school. The 24 hour dietary recalled child/parents surveys on demographics, school meal program participation and family eating habits. Before the study took place BMI was conducted and calculated by trained survey staff. They measured student’s heights and weights. Shockingly 40% of children were classified as overweight or obese. In addition, sugar sweetened beverages consumed for a meal were replaced with a matched amount of unflavored low fat milk (i.e. s nutrition. This will include everything from improving front-of-package food labeling, to a partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics, to encourage BMI tracking at well-child visits, and to public education partnerships with Disney and NBC (Milligan). Secondly, by getting healthier foods in the schools; President Obama has proposed a $10 billion increase in funding when the Child Nutrition Act is reauthorized this year; (Milligan). And she improved the accessibility and affordability of healthy foods. These approaches are astounding and are assets to stopping childhood
Obesity is defined as having “excess body fat” (Chaykin). Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzes the following statistics; the percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period. In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or …show more content…
It involved a 2005 national cross-sectional study of schools and students participating in the National School Lunch Program. The study included 2,314 students in grades 1 through 12 (ages 6 to 18) distributed among 287 public schools. 732 students in elementary, 787 students in middle school and 795 students in high school. The 24 hour dietary recalled child/parents surveys on demographics, school meal program participation and family eating habits. Before the study took place BMI was conducted and calculated by trained survey staff. They measured student’s heights and weights. Shockingly 40% of children were classified as overweight or obese. In addition, sugar sweetened beverages consumed for a meal were replaced with a matched amount of unflavored low fat milk (i.e. s nutrition. This will include everything from improving front-of-package food labeling, to a partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics, to encourage BMI tracking at well-child visits, and to public education partnerships with Disney and NBC (Milligan). Secondly, by getting healthier foods in the schools; President Obama has proposed a $10 billion increase in funding when the Child Nutrition Act is reauthorized this year; (Milligan). And she improved the accessibility and affordability of healthy foods. These approaches are astounding and are assets to stopping childhood