Juvenile Obesity: Who is Responsible for Overweight Kids ...

The number of obese children has tripled since 1986. A new obesity score links BMI to death risk. Another study found that parents aren?t responding to children?s obesity data. Who is responsible for juvenile obesity?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has an interactive map that paints a frightening picture of juvenile obesity. The map changes yearly to reflect obesity rates nationwide. Unilaterally, every state has gotten fatter each year. for a decade, the Healthy Jacksonville Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition has been fighting obesity with little success. Obesity in Florida is up. this isn?t the coalition?s fault. They are fighting an uphill battle with little ground support.

In Canada, a new obesity score, the Edmonton Obesity Staging system categorizes overweight people into five classes aligned with increasing risk of obesity-related death. The scale factors in age, Body Mass Index, hip to waist ratios (belly fat measurements), fitness level, fruit and vegetable intake and obesity-related illness: Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. The EOSS may be used to prioritize patients for weight loss surgery.

For patients with lower EOSS ratings, improved diet, weight maintenance and fitness programs are advocated over surgery. Obese children still have lower risk levels, because they have not been overweight for as long as their obese adult counterparts. Children have had less time to develop obesity-related health issues. these findings indicate that healthy lifestyles education and improved nutrition show best results with obese children and teens.

However, another study from Arch Pediatric Adolescent Medicine showed that parents weren?t responding to obesity data about their children. Fitness and BMI testing was conducted in California schools from 2001 to 2008. Parents were informed of their child?s overall performance, but despite being information that their children were obese, parents were not adjusting diet or fitness. Follow-up testing did not show a drop in obesity rates with additional parent information.

Yet some parents are faulting schools for failing to provide fitness programs for children. Additionally, some parents , including Sarah Palin, object to mandated nutrition changes school lunch programs. this data begs the question: who, but the parent has the best chance to prevent juvenile obesity?

Schools and communities can teach children about nutrition and health. They can promote fitness programs. They can pull out pop machines and serve more salads. McDonald?s can add apples and reduce fries to its happy Meals. However, schools cannot force parents to exercise with their kids or make them pull the plug on hours of television and video gaming. They can?t make parents quit sending pop and junk food in their kids? lunches. Schools and communities can lead kids to the salad bar, but they can?t make them eat it.

How we grow our crops determines the final harvest. It?s the same with kids. Good health starts at home. we can?t wait until kids are in school to start worrying about health. it begins in utero and at birth. for example, the CDC found that a child?s risk for juvenile obesity goes down with each month that he is breastfed. yet increasingly more mothers are starting their babies on formula and setting them on the path to obesity. The only way to reduce juvenile obesity rates is to feed kids fresh, nutritious foods, get away from the screen and into the fresh air and to set healthy examples in the home.

Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes from 22 years parenting four children and 25 years teaching K-8, special needs, adult education and home-school. she also has an extensive background in health and nutrition research.

Related posts:

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2. Preventing Childhood Obesity Tools and Strategies in New Media and Film
3. What do you think causes childhood obesity?
4. Obesity in Children and Teens
5. UM Survey Finds Drug Abuse, Obesity Top Health Concern For?Kids

Source: http://www.health198.com/juvenile-obesity-who-is-responsible-for-overweight-kids-contributornetwork.html

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