Over recent decades, childhood
obesity has been on the rise. Some researchers say that we are starting to level
off, but others say that this epidemic is still a major concern. So what is it
that is causing this trend? Many believe that it is due to the fact that kids
are eating more and moving less. In all actuality, this is probably the truth.
Combined with delicious processed foods that have been brought to store
shelves, it is understandable why more and more children are becoming obese.
According to a study that was
published in The American Journal of Public Health in November of 2010,
during the past 30 years, childhood obesity rates have risen from 6% in the
early 1970's to 17% in 2004 (Babey et al, 2010). These numbers are astonishing
when you take a moment to think about it. Childhood obesity is a scary situation
because it can lead to a number of other health problems down the road. These
complications can include hypertension, heart disease, and type two diabetes.
Though some of the complications caused by childhood obesity can be treated,
many cannot be cured. Just because you take medication to lower your blood
pressure doesn't mean that the problem isn't there.
After understanding the
complications associated with childhood obesity, let's take a look at what puts
a child at risk. First, many people believe that those children who have obese
parents are at an increased risk of becoming obese themselves. This could be
due to the fact that there are not healthy foods in the household because the
parents don't eat them. It could also be due to the fact that the parents may
be inactive, and therefore the children are sedentary as well. Without the
support and motivation of their parents, most children won't get up and be
active. The parents may also not be educating their children of the proper
steps in leading a healthy life. If their parents don't tell them that it is healthy
to get up and be active, how are they supposed to know? In these situations, a
lot of times the blame can be placed on the parents.
Finally, there has also been a
suspected link between low-income families and an increased risk of obesity. Many
studies have supported this idea, including an article in The American
Journal of Public Health in November of 2010, as well as an article
published in CNNHealth in May of 2012. Though there are many reasons as
to why this could be, many people believe that it is due to the fact that
low-income families can't afford healthy food. I believe that this is often a
misconception. If you look in the right places, it is possible to find cheap,
nutritious food that is healthy for the body. Many times I believe that it may
come down to the fact that the parents are so busy trying to work and support
the family that they don't have time to make a healthy, home-cooked meal.
Though this is sad to think about, in many cases, it is the reality.
If five different parents were asked why their child were
overweight or obese, it is very likely that you would get five different
answers. Regardless of what the reason is, we must start battling this
epidemic. Though some believe that we have reached a plateau in this problem,
we now need to do something to reverse it. Michelle Obama's "Let's
Move" campaign is a step in the right direction to get children to get up
and get moving. Our country must start taking responsibility for getting
children started off on the right foot and leading them into a healthy life.
Babey, S., Hastert, T., Wolstein, J., Diamant, L. (November 2010) . Income Disparities in Obesity Trents Among California Adolescents. The American Journal of Public Health, 100 (11). Retrieved from http://www.calendow.org/uploadedFiles/Publications/Publications_Stories/4146_income_disparities_obesity_trends.pdf
Harding, A. (May 1, 2012). As Childood Obesity Improves, Will Kids In Poverty Be Left Behind? CNNHealth. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/01/health/childhood-obesity-poverty
Huber, B. (July 18, 2012). Michelle Obama's Moves. The Nation. Retrieved from http://www.thenation.com/article/170485/michelle-obamas-moves
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013) Nutrition: concepts & controversies (13th ed, p. 545-552). Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Michelle,
ReplyDeleteAs you have said, there are probably many factors that influence childhood obesity. Several weeks ago I examined the relationship between income and obesity and found there does appear to be a link. Oftentimes, processed and energy-dense foods tend to be cheaper in our society than nutritious fresh produce and other healthy products. I agree that with some work low income families can make healthy choices and purchase nutritious foods but convenience and time are often factors for these families. The lower prices can entice low income families to buy convenient products rather than fresh foods that take longer to prepare. Nevertheless, I believe both food choices and activity levels are probably the two most influential factors on weight and obesity. It is parents' responsibility to educate themselves on healthy lifestyles and then pass this valuable knowledge on to their children in order to contribute to their children's quality of life.
On a recent trip to Wal-Mart, I witnessed a family purchasing food on the LINK card (EBT). The woman, with two small children sitting in her cart, was carefully selecting items to put onto the belt as she watched the total bill climb. I was surprised that she chose a package of bagels over 10 pounds of potatoes and a bunch of bananas. I was thinking she could do so many more things with 10 pounds of potatoes than she could with five bagels.
ReplyDeleteAs the clerk continued scanning items, the woman purchased precooked chicken strips and a case of bottled water. I think this shows a perfect example of how sometimes people just are not educated enough about making the right food choices for their families. Do Food Assistance programs educate people about foods? People need to know which foods are nutrient-dense and more about how unhealthy some processed foods can be, which can lead to obesity for her and her family.
I think that the education of parents is certainly a crucial part of connection in providing growing children with nourishing food options. I think I will play the part of the devil's advocate here and invoke a terrible cliché. "It takes a village to raise a child." I say this as the oldest child in a family of three. My mother is a college-educated woman who majored in foods and business through the College of Agriculture at the University of Illinois. My dad is an equally educated man, though a music major, who also attended the aforementioned Big Ten institution. Mom was a relatively adventurous and skilled cook, and dad is the most annoyingly picky eater on the planet (only to be bested by my mom's second husband). My mother has three children, an avid cook, a grocer and budding fitness buff, and another who doesn't know her way around the kitchen or the grocery store to save her life. This last sibling, my sister, recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and is struggling with her role as a new mom. She has yet to register for the SNAP program, but has utilized a food pantry, and receives medical benefits through WIC. Her partner works about seventy or eighty hours a week as a short-order cook at a restaurant where she used to waitress. She has struggled with weight-control, drugs and alcohol, depression, and eating disorder behaviors for many years. Of course our family is somewhat flabbergasted at her lack of kitchen knowledge, though I think that she is also sets an important close-to-home example for me of how (here comes another cliché) "you can lead the horse to water." So yes, I want to see her make better choices, feed her son and new husband nothing but the best, have a healthy relationship with food, and love herself. I think that with so many complicated social and intrapersonal scenarios out there, that safety net provided by the National School Meal Program, nutrition education, and other policies (even Mayor Bloomberg's large soda controversy) are necessary in the neoliberal political environment that encourages people to get out and move, but doesn't really provide equal access to much of the information, hand-on learning, financial access, let alone time, to certain types of food and food experiences. This devil is signing off.
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