Upload
brianna-hart
View
230
Download
4
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Childhood ObesityProblems, Causes & Solutions
by
ONG against childhood obesity
A Growing Crisis
“In the past three decades, the number of overweight children has more than doubled, with most of the increases occurring during the past ten years.”
I Don’t Want to Grow Up
25% of children who are obese at age 6 will be obese as an adult
75% of children who are obese at age 12 will be obese as an adult
Physical Consequences
Type 2 Diabetes
Orthopedic complications
Hypertension
Social Difficulties
Obese children…– are stereotyped as “unhealthy, academically
unsuccessful & lazy”– may be verbally abused by other children– can become excluded from being a part of social
groups and/or other activities
Psychological Problems
Discrimination can cause a negative self-image and poor self-esteem
Sadness can occur, which can lead to depression
Loneliness Eating disorders
People who are obese or overweight People who are obese or overweight also have a lower life expectancyalso have a lower life expectancy
How to Tell If Your Child is Overweight or Obese
Indicators
Growth Chart– height and weight can be compared and plotted
Skin fold thickness– measured at the triceps with a caliper that pinches the skin
and together and will be higher in obese children
BMI (Body Mass Index)– is best measurement to take because it is age and gender
specific
What is BMI?
BMI is used to identify overweight and obesity in children
BMI = weight (kg)/height (m)² For children, BMI is age and gender specific
and is consistent with adult index, so it can be used continuously from two years of age to adulthood
What are the Causes?
The Family Atmosphere
According to the American Obesity Association, parents are the most important role models for children.
Obesity tends to run in families– Eating patterns play a role
Children of active parents are six times more likely to be physically active than kids whose parents are sedentary
Television & Nutrition
Commercials feature many junk foods that promote weight gain– fast food, soft drinks, sweets and sugar-
sweetened breakfast cereals
Children seem to passively consume excessive amounts of energy-dense foods while watching TV
Pick-up or Delivery?
Today, families eat fewer meals together and fewer meals at home– Children tend to eat more food when meals are
eaten at a restaurant– Plenty of children eat fast food on a regular basis– Take-out food like pizza or chinese is also popular
Simple Solutions
Keys to Preventing Obesity
Teaching healthy behaviors at a young age is important since change becomes more difficult with age
Education in physical activity and nutrition are the cornerstones of preventing childhood obesity
Schools and families are the two most critical links to decreasing the prevalence of childhood obesity
Parent’s role in Prevention
Create an active environment– Limit amount of TV watching– Plan active family trips such as hiking or skiing– Enroll children in a structured activity that they
enjoy– Create a healthy eating environment
Like you win weight, you can lose it …
THE
END