Childhood Obesity Solutions for the U.S.
When the issue of childhood obesity in America erupted with serious concern because of its burgeoning cases, the question that we’ve often heard is: How do we solve it?
Of course, we’ve known there’s First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” program to encourage American residents to start moving and be healthy. There’s also the vigorous act of several school districts implementing improved nutritional lunch programs in their school campuses. Likewise, fast food chains have well made their healthy contribution by changing some of their ala cart menu. However, the most helpful question is: Who should be involved in solving childhood obesity in the US?
Fresh Healthy Vending as an Important Alternative To Junk Food
A convenient society—this is perhaps the most applicable title that best describes America. The land has seen such incredible progress in years that everything seemed so effortlessly accessible and expedient for every consumer, from cell phones to pre-made foods, to online shopping, to self-checkout grocery lanes, etc. While this development is good and aimed at the best interest of every American resident, the downside unwittingly impacts the entire population. This negative backlash pertains to the prolific availability of vending machines, which has contributed to the growing obesity problem of America. And who wouldn’t be alarmed with the obesity crisis, now already regarded as an epidemic affecting particularly the children population?
The frenzied pace of the society has made every working family rely more on quick and instant solutions at meal time. Employees rush themselves during lunchtime and go to the nearest vending machine for some chips and sodas while lacking the time to go on some exercises; students in school campuses treat vending machines their gastronomic savior during every meal time; and other adults couldn’t just resist the temptation of vending machines in public places whether they are saving or splurging for meals. All are in the glorious name of fast and hassle-free access of food. Sadly, this has made America one of the most obese nations in the globe.
Join the Fight Against Childhood Obesity in America
America’s battle with childhood obesity continues. At least, that’s what statistics revealed, wherein two-thirds, or more than 190 million Americans are overweight or obese, and $147 billion medical burden are recorded every year. And what’s even more alarming is the rate among preschool-aged children have significantly doubled, whereas, tripled among children 6 to 19 years old over the past 25 years.
The big question we are facing now is how do we save children from being victimized by this epidemic? How do we put a stop on a crisis that gives not only social trauma among children but also a huge burden among families? Are we missing the right action here that makes obesity rate grow quicker?
Childhood Obesity is an Important Issue in Reducing Health Care Costs
In 2009, a government-sponsored research was publicized with some shocking findings about the relation of increased health care costs to the increased rates of obesity in less than a decade. The study was conducted by researchers at RTI International and funded by the CDC Foundation analyzed data from the 1998 and 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys. It was found out that in 1998 the medical costs of obesity in the US were estimated at around 78.5 billion dollars a year, half of which was financed by Medicare and Medicaid. Furthermore, between 1998 and 2006, the prevalence of obesity in the US went up by 37 per cent.
This and the current data of obesity and health care costs are the main concerns why the new administration is pushing hard to encourage people, particularly children, to start eating healthy foods and engaging in physical activities. Congress has reauthorized the children nutrition act and other sectors are also doing their share in alleviating the growing problem by serving healthier options to people and ramping up the nutritional campaign nationwide—targeting specifically children. There is a loud clamor to stop bleeding on the issue and we cannot afford to see more children being admitted to the hospital due to serious weight-related illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, etc. It’s best to keep in mind that the success in the reduction of obesity cases is critical in reducing national health care costs and working together to achieve this can likewise result to a better economy in the future.
USA Must Tackle Nationwide Childhood Obesity Epidemic
Have you had the time to check what your kids are eating lately? How proactive have you been in checking with your kids’ school the kind of nutritional foods they are serving in their campus cafeterias? These are pertinent questions that shouldn’t be left unattended by parents these days considering the growing rate of childhood obesity in the US.
Statistics have already spoken the alarming concern which prompted President Obama to officially declare September as the National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, saying, “We now face a national childhood obesity crisis with nearly one in every three of America’s children being overweight or obese.”
Junk Food Vending Machines can Pack on Pounds and Diabetes
There is something that children of today need to realize about vending machines, that is, pounds and diabetes grow on them. With all the unhealthy items that are easily accessible from these machines, obesity in America before we knew it might soar quicker than the nation’s ability to recover from the economic downturn. And this isn’t exactly the scenario we’d like to happen down the road.
Based on a new study released in the September issue of the Journal of School Health, about 22% of students in grades 1 through 12 buy food in vending machines each day – and those purchases added an average of 253 calories to their diets, citing soft drinks, candy, chips, crackers, cookies, cakes and ice cream as the most popular vending machine items.
Moms and Dads Favor Thin Kids over Obese Children
How true is it that kids who are in great shape are likely to receive favorable treatment from their parents than those who are overweight? While it is already painful for any person to be bullied for their weight, it is certainly more emotionally draining when parents are the ones showing obvious disregard to their children who are bulky.
Researchers from the University of North Texas in Denton found parents are less willing to help their overweight children buy a car. Adriel Boals and Amanda Kraha, who authored the research published in the journal Obesity, surveyed 379 college students aged 17 to 26 years old of whom 30 percent were male. They found that the students who bought their own cars had a higher average body mass index than those who received assistance from their parents.
State to Ban Soft Drinks in Vending Machines
In an effort to help children make healthy food choices, the Florida Board of Education has carried out a plan to remove soft drinks and other sugary beverages out of school premises. Teachers are also required under the new policy to educate students about ways to stay fit and avoid leading a lifestyle that leads to childhood obesity.
Flavored milks, water, energy drinks, and carbonated sodas are among the many sugar-studded drinks that will be removed once the ban is implemented. Researchers, doctors, and school policy makers are working together to find a way to remove these completely out of school campuses. The move to remove unhealthy snacks and drinks out of schools has already been implemented in primary schools and many public and city-owned establishments across the country. Nutritionists believe that these kinds of drinks could be the highly contributing factor to worsening childhood obesity in the country. But this move did not come well among a number of parents stating that flavored milks is one way for them to make their children drink milk.
Healthy School Lunches for the 2010 School Year
Children are now rushing to schools with their new bags, notebooks, pens and pencils, and books. But what else could be new apart from these usual stuffs they have every school year? Right, never miss reminding them to eat healthy lunches in school cafeterias if packing healthier options is not an option at all.
Ensuring that kids are getting the right nutrients that propel good performance at school should be made mandatory by schools and parents. After all, healthy schools breed healthy minds. This also explains why school districts are strictly implementing a high level of nutrition guidelines to make sure their campus cafeterias are serving the kids all healthy options school nutrition budgets can afford.
New Program Tackles Childhood Obesity in Tween Boys
One of the most at-risk groups for childhood obesity and early onset diabetes is “tween” boys between the ages of roughly 9-13. The problem can be quantified by analyzing the habits of boys in this range: they have passed the ages where imagination and outside play peaks and oftentimes their metabolisms have not yet started climbing towards their teen year peaks. On top of that, they seem to have an affinity for video games or television and high-calorie foods like sodas and sweets. This tremendously increases their chances of struggling with early onset obesity.
However, there is hope for tween boys in managing the increased risks of these “awkward years” and making sure that they remain healthy and happy into their teens. Meet Dr. Eileen Kennedy, a pediatric psychologist who works with a new program called Fit Youth which is based at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital. Since 2005, Kennedy has directly helped 211 families with kids ages 7 to 16 who were struggling with childhood obesity. The Fit Youth program only accepts children with BMIs for age in the 95th percentile and above, meaning that out of a group of 100 kids they would only accept the 5 children who were heaviest for their height.