Obesity Amongst America’s Youth By Brittney King.

Obesity Amongst America’s Youth

By Brittney King

What is Obesity? A formal definition:

Overweight- BMI score of 25-29 Obese- BMI score of 30 or above

BMI- Body mass index- A height versus weight measurement used to calculate body fat percentages.

Definition from the Nation Institute of Health (NIH) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (Schneider, 2014)

Brittney King, 2014

Recognizing the Problem Over the last three decades, the population of

American’s suffering from obesity has tripled (Let’s Move, 2014)

17% of children and adolescents in the United States are currently obese (CDCa, 2013).

33 billion dollars per year are being spent on weight-loss products from gym memberships and exercise tapes; to diet books and food plans; yet obesity continues to increase (Schneider, 2014).

Statistics like this show us that a change needs to be made and soon!

Brittney King, 2014

Epidemiology- Risk Factors of Becoming Obese

Brittney King, 2014

Lack of daily physical activity

(CDCb, 2013)

High daily intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and

foods (AHA, 2013a)

High calorie diet low in fruits

and vegetables (CDCb,

2013)

Repeated high stress levels

from surrounding

environments (Caprio et al., 2008)

Combinations of these factors are causing more

and more American children to become obese

each year!

Brittney King, 2014

Epidemiology- Distribution of Obesity

Obesity affects all children regardless of race, age, gender, or background

However, trends have found obesity to be more prevalent in boys than girls ages 2-19(HSPHb, 2012).

Non-Hispanic and non-Hispanic black children ages 2 to 19 have a higher risk of obesity than non-Hispanic white youth of the same age (HSPHb, 2012).

When researched by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), dichotomous data showed that 91% of kids meal options at 50 food chain restaurants did not meet National Restaurant Association Kid’s Live Well Standards of health (CSPI, 2013).

Yet 25% of an average American family’s meals come from fast food restaurants (CSPI, 2013).

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Statistics- Their Role in Battling Obesity

Statistics like this allow organizations such as the CSPI to hold restaurants accountable for offering adequate nutrition for children.

The American Public Health Association found that for each sugar-sweetened beverage a child consumes, they are 60% more likely to become obese (APHA, 2012).

This is in fact affecting a large population of children, because 44% of children 19-24 months, and 70% of children ages 2-5 do in fact drink a sugary beverage daily (APHA, 2012).

Brittney King, 2014

Statistics- Their Role in Battling Obesity

Statistics like this are necessary for parents and children to realize the impact of their negative nutritional

choices and encourage them to make necessary change in their

lives.

Some disorders in children have been found to cause disruptions in communication from the Leptin Receptor

Gene (LPR) gene to the hypothalamus. But how does that relate to being overweight or obese?

Leptin is a hormone produced by adipocytes that influences food intake and metabolic rates by having a direct affect on the hypothalamus (Greenberg & Obin, 2006).

The Leptin Receptor Gene (LPR) sends signals to the hypothalamus, reporting leptin secretions, and is regulated based on body fat mass (Dias et al., 2012).

When the LPR gene is damaged, a child’s body does not produce the correct amount of leptin. This causes increased appetite, leading to potential weight gain and obesity.

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Biomedical Basis- The Molecular Side of Obesity: Leptin

Elevated Stress LevelsProlonged or reoccurring stress will raise plasma cortisol levels, which has been linked to development of obesity (Caprio et al., 2008).

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Biomedical Basis- The Molecular Side of Obesity: Stress

Exposure to stress varies by race, ethnicity, and cultureFactors that cause this stress for parents include socioeconomic status, environmental factors such as housing conditions, and income, which can have a direct impact on their children’s stress levels (Caprio et al., 2008).

For children, stressors include pressure from school, to perform well on sports teams, or even to play a contributing role in their family.

Although certain genes have been found to cause obesity in some youth, many children with the same gene continue to maintain health weights (HSPHc, 2013).

HSPH states that it takes a period of many years for a new gene mutation or polymorphism to spread across a population, and the dramatic increase in obesity in our nation has happened over a much shorter period of time than necessary for a gene mutation to be the root cause (HSPHc, 2013).

Brittney King, 2014

Biomedical Basis- The Molecular Side of Obesity: Genetics

Social and Behavioral Factors- The Ecological Model: What is it?

The ecological model of health behavior contains five levels that look at, “how social environment, including interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy factors, supports and maintains unhealthy behaviors” (Schneider, 2014).

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Public Policy: The Obama administration is currently working to improve American Food System by working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban trans fat, require calorie listings for major food chains, and revamping nutritional facts on all food products sold (Evich, 2014).

Community/Organizational: National programs and organizations are taking action on a smaller, community based level. Let’s Move, created by Michelle Obama, Play 60, created by the NFL and National Dairy Council are doing just that. Providing children with opportunities for

movement and physical activity Working to improve standards for school

lunches

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Social and Behavioral Factors- Ecological Model: Battling the Obesity Epidemic

Interpersonal: As children in America participate in programs like Let’s Move and Play 60, they are given a chance to make new friends and be active with other kids looking to be healthy in a fun way.

Interpersonal: Self-esteem and confidence increase as students realize their potential in making healthy choices in their lives with the food they eat and the activities they participate in. The positive social environment promotes inclusion and friendship among those involved.

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Social and Behavioral Factors- Ecological Model: Obesity

The transtheoretical health behavior

model contains five stages that

represent the path individuals take as

they envision change in their life,

and adopt the necessary health

habits for that change (Schneider,

2014).

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Social and Behavioral Factors- Transtheoretical Model: What is it?

Stage Actions taken by parents to prevent obesity in their children

PrecontemplationParent’s are usually misinformed, or do not fully

understand the possible health repercussions from obesity (Mason, et al., 2008).

Contemplation

Parents begin to recognize the need for a change, and are beginning to explore possible steps that could be taken to make that change

positive (Mason, et al., 2008).

Preparation

Parents begin taking steps toward their nutritional changes by recognizing where

change is needed in their lives, making plans for physical activity, buying healthy foods, and

replacing old habits.

Brittney King, 2014

Social and Behavioral Factors- Transtheoretical Model: Battling the Obesity Epidemic

Stage Actions taken by parents to prevent obesity in their children

ActionPreparations made for the healthy lifestyle change

are put in to motion. Parents begin to make healthier nutrition and lifestyle choices for their family.

MaintenanceParents continue over time to maintain their healthy

changes, and begin implementing new and even better strategies for health (Mason, et al., 2008).

Transtheoretical Model: Battling Obesity Continued…

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There is often movement back and forth through various stages, as families fall short of their chosen health goals, but make additional attempts to improve in the future (Mason, et al., 2008).

Setbacks are common in making major lifestyle changes.

The important thing is that these setbacks are temporary, as families continue to move forward to improved health.

Why are American children and adolescents not moving as much as they used to?

1. Parents no longer feel safe letting their children walk to school, so they ride buses in place of it (CDCb, 2013)

2. Schools no longer provide quality time for physical activity (CDCb, 2013)3. Children ages 8 to 18 spend approximately 7.5 hours a day using some form

of technology (CDCb, 2013).4. Portion sizes and caloric density of food consumed has increased (CDCb,

2013).

Brittney King, 2014

Social and Behavioral Factors- Personal Behaviors: Obesity

This change in focus from things that are

active to those that are sedentary, and increase in high calories meals has caused a shift in

the amount of calories our youth are ingesting

versus burning off, which is causing an overall increase in

weight (CDCb, 2013)

Health Policy and Management-Government action toward obesity

Obama administration and Food and Drug Administration Working to improve the

American Food System by banning trans fat, require calorie listings for major food chains, and revamping nutritional facts on all food products sold (Evich, 2014).

National Restaurant Association Created Kid’s Live Well Standards

of health (CSPI, 2013) to hold restaurants accountable for supplying healthy children’s menu options.

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The Outlook Where are we headed?

Positive action steps have been taken to diminish the

obesity epidemic among America’s youth, but there is still a lot of work to be

done.

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Surgeon General Richard Carmona-

“Because of the increasing rates of

obesity, unhealthy eating habits, and

physical inactivity, we may see the first

generation that will be less healthy and

have a shorter life expectancy than their

parents” (AHA, Getting Healthy, 2013, paragraph 4)

If this continues, 1/3 of children born after

the year 2000 will suffer fro

m diabetes at

some point in their li

ves. Those who don’t

will suffer fro

m other affects like heart

disease, high blood pressure, cancer, or

asthma (Let’s Move, 2014).

References American Heart Association (2013a). Facts: Decreasing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption: policy

approaches to address obesity. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@adv/doc ument s/downloadableucm_453908.pdf

American Heart Association (AHA) (2013b). Getting healthy: overweight in children. Retrieved January 14,

2014 from,http://www.heart.org/HEARTOR G/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/Obesity/Overweight-inChildren_UCM_30405 4_Article.jsp

American Public Health Association (APHA) (2012). Policy Statement Database. Taxes on sugar sweetened

beverages. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from http://www.apha.org/advocacy/policy/policysearch/default.htm?id=1437

Caprio, S., Daniels, S.R., Drewnowski, A., Kaufman F.R., Palinkas, L.A., Rosenbloom, A.L., SchwimmerJ.B. (2008). Influence of race, ethnicity, and culture on childhood obesity: implications forprevention and treatment. Diabetes Care. Vol. 31(11). 221-2221. Retrieved January 30, 2014

from,http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/31/11/2211.full.pdf+html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCa) (2013). Childhood overweight and obesity: Dataand Statistics. Retrieved January 15, 2014 from,

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/basics.html

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCb) (2013). Childhood overweight and obesity: A growing

problem. Retrieved January 14, 2014 from,http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/problem.html

Center for Science and the Public Interest (CSPI) (2013). Kid’s meals II: obesity on the menu. RetrievedJanuary 19, 2014 from, http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/cspi-kids-meals-2013.pdf

Dias, N.F., Frenandes, A.E, Melo, M.E., Reinhardt, H.L., Cercato C., Villares S.M.,Halpern, A., & Mancini M.C. (2012). Lack of mutations in the leptin receptor gene in

severely obese children. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. Vol. 53(3). 178-83. Retrieved January 30, 2014 from, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22666733

Evich, H.B. (2014). Politico Pro: Special report. Changing the way we eat. Retrieved February 5, 2014 from,http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/changing-the-way-we-eat-102888.html

Greenberg, A.S., Obin M.S. (2006). Obesity and the role of adipose tissue in inflammation and metabolism.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol. 83(2). 4615-4655. Retrieved January 30, 2014 from,http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16470013

References Brittney King, 2014

Harvard School of Public Health (HSPHb) (2012). Obesity prevention source: Child obesity. Retrieved January

14, 2014 fromhttp://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-preventionsource/obesity-trends/global-obesitytrends-in-children/

Harvard School of Public Health (HSPHc) (2013). Obesity prevention source: genes are not destiny. Retrieved

January 26, 2014 from,http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/genes-and-obesity/

Let’s Move (2010). Let’s move: learn the facts.Retrieved February 10, 2014 from

http://www.letsmove.gov/learn-facts/epidemic-childhood-obesity

Mason H.N., Crabtree B., Caudill P., Topp R. (2008). Childhood obesity: a transtheoretical case management

approach. Journal of Pediatric Medicine. Vol. 23(5). 237-244. Retrieved January 30, 2014 from,http://fataids.org/assets/pdf/s0882596308001152.pdf

Schneider, M.J. (2014). Introduction to Public Health. (4th ed.).  Burlington, MA: Jones and BartlettLearning.

References Brittney King, 2014