Childhood obesity is a complex problem that involves intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, social, organizational, and policy influences. There are many different approaches to implement change for children to either prevent obesity or help obese children work towards obtaining a healthy weight. After reviewing several different interventions based on models of health behavior, research shows that parental involvement, access to parks, and school involvement may all help combat childhood obesity.
Parent modeling, family-level changes, and household limits were three commonly cited successful strategies employed by the parents, but the parents expressed a further need for nutrition education and peer and community support (Sharifi et al., …show more content…
“Taking a settings approach to health promotion means addressing the contexts within which people live, work, and play and making these the object of inquiry and intervention” (Poland, Krupa, & McCall, 2009, p. 505). One national survey in 2007 considered a child’s access to parks and the associated prevalence of childhood obesity. Results showed a decreased prevalence in obesity for children who had access to parks, however the strength of this relationship was influenced by race or ethnicity. For example, among non-hispanic white children, the association between access and decreased obesity was stronger compared to non-hispanic black children (Alexander, Huber, Piper, & Tanner, 2013). This highlights the influence social determinants of health can have in obesity interventions and the importance of adequate community assessments before creating interventions. City planning is part of the obesity epidemic (MacKay, 2008). The current environment in America does not promote physical activity; however, by using an ecological framework, the environment and health policies can be targeted by obesity researchers (Hey, 2004).
Effective school-based interventions target physical activity along with healthy diet education (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). The major challenges faced by these intervention programs are financial, along with stigmatization of obese children (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). "School-based physical activity can contribute to students' daily physical activity and can provide students with opportunities to enhance their motor skills development, fitness, decision making, cooperation, and conflict resolution skills" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012, p.
Parent modeling, family-level changes, and household limits were three commonly cited successful strategies employed by the parents, but the parents expressed a further need for nutrition education and peer and community support (Sharifi et al., …show more content…
“Taking a settings approach to health promotion means addressing the contexts within which people live, work, and play and making these the object of inquiry and intervention” (Poland, Krupa, & McCall, 2009, p. 505). One national survey in 2007 considered a child’s access to parks and the associated prevalence of childhood obesity. Results showed a decreased prevalence in obesity for children who had access to parks, however the strength of this relationship was influenced by race or ethnicity. For example, among non-hispanic white children, the association between access and decreased obesity was stronger compared to non-hispanic black children (Alexander, Huber, Piper, & Tanner, 2013). This highlights the influence social determinants of health can have in obesity interventions and the importance of adequate community assessments before creating interventions. City planning is part of the obesity epidemic (MacKay, 2008). The current environment in America does not promote physical activity; however, by using an ecological framework, the environment and health policies can be targeted by obesity researchers (Hey, 2004).
Effective school-based interventions target physical activity along with healthy diet education (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). The major challenges faced by these intervention programs are financial, along with stigmatization of obese children (Karnik & Kanekar, 2012). "School-based physical activity can contribute to students' daily physical activity and can provide students with opportunities to enhance their motor skills development, fitness, decision making, cooperation, and conflict resolution skills" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012, p.