Learn More About the Childhood Obesity Epidemic and What Parents Can and Should Do

Over the past couple of years, most of our focus has been on the Covid pandemic. But, under our own noses, for many years, we have been suffering through the childhood obesity epidemic. Shockingly, according to data from the World Obesity organization, the United States is ranked 12th highest in the world for childhood obesity, out of 200 nations.

In an online article titled Understanding the Childhood Obesity Epidemic, Dr. William Cochran wrote: “Pediatric obesity is now of epidemic proportions in the United States. Pediatric overweight and obesity now affects more than 30 percent of children, making it the most common chronic disease of childhood.”

What are some of the causes noted by Dr. Cochran and many in his field? Dietary changes that have occurred over the past 20 to 30 years. These include:

Eating out frequently at fast food restaurants.
Larger portion sizes for food and drinks.
Drinking sodas, juices, and sports drinks that are high in calories and sugar content.

Also, the growing lack of activity is of great concern. Many schools have removed physical education from school activities while watching television and videos and playing video games have risen in popularity.

Unfortunately, obesity in a child has been statistically shown to continue into adulthood. In his article, Dr. Cochran further noted:

Pediatric obesity is a real and very significant health problem that is associated with adverse effects on health in childhood as well as adulthood. There is a high likelihood of a child with obesity becoming an adult with obesity. This risk increases as the child gets older.

The risk that a five-year-old child with obesity remains affected by obesity as an adult is approximately 50 percent. This increases to more than 80 percent for an adolescent with obesity. On the other hand, the risk of a normal weight child becoming affected by obesity as an adult is only seven percent.

What can parents do? Treating childhood obesity is a three-fold approach according to Dr. Cochran: involve the child, the parents, and the medical advisor. It is often not just a healthy diet and exercise that is involved, but the child’s good eating habits and regular exercise are critical to any long-lasting changes.

To learn more, please visit:

https://data.worldobesity.org/rankings/?age=c&sex=m

https://www.obesityaction.org/resources/understanding-the-childhood-obesity-epidemic/#:~:text=Pediatric%20obesity%20is%20now%20of,common%20chronic%20disease%20of%20childhood

Startling Facts About the Rise of Obesity Among Children

Unfortunately, the rate of obesity among our children continues to rise, especially during the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has continued to warn Americans that “childhood obesity is a serious problem in the United States, putting children and adolescents at risk for poor health. Obesity prevalence among children and adolescents is still too high.” Now, a recent article in The Washington Post titled Obesity Among Children Ages 5-11 Rises During the Pandemic cites to a new study to confirm the growing rate of overweight children.

The article refers to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) of 200,000 children ages 5-17 in southern California during the covid 19 pandemic. It found that children ages 5-11 gained an average of 5 pounds. According to the study, “before the pandemic, about 36 percent of 5- to 11-year-olds were considered overweight or obese, and that increased to 45.7 percent.”

Interviewed for the article was Barry Popkin, an obesity researcher at the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He said that the major causes for this rise were the following: “Kids in school had to be in front of computers, and there were lockdowns that kept people inside. But the bigger increase was the increased purchase of ready-to-eat junk food, foods high in calories, saturated fat and added sugars. The sale of these went up more than any other category.”

What can parents do? Deborah Young, one of the study’s authors, suggested that we should have plans “that encourage kids to be active, that keep the parks open and that encourage the intake of appropriate and healthful foods.” The same applies to times that do not involve a pandemic. The CDC has a website page with links filled with suggestions and tips for parents, including recommended physical activity, ChooseMyPlate website that has information about developing healthy eating habits, and many ways to establish healthy practices. All the links are provided below.

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/strategies/index.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/08/31/pandemic-childhood-obesity/?fbclid=IwAR2aLanT2I0G326-lLfE4Ub-96QI4SMShtDB_RRnOEfQRMuAL6NADr7d7qw