Childhood Obesity and its impact on the Latino

community (obesity is common, dangerous and costly )

By: Jazmin Perez, Karen Suarez LLS 100- section 09

Professor Roure 4/10/14

Background Information(Childhood obesity)

Obesity is defined as having too much body fat.

Childhood obesity can lead to:

1. Short-term medical consequences. Including harmful effects on:

a. Growth

b. Blood pressure

c. Glucose metabolism

2. Long-term medical consequences. Such as:

a. Hypertension

b. Diabetes

c. Cardiovascular disease

d. Sleep apnea

Research Questions • What is the prevalence of Obesity in children of

the Latino community?

• Why do latinos have a high obesity rate?

• How does the increasing rate of obesity affect

the Economy?

• What are some actions the Government has

taken towards this issue?

Obesity in Children. Childhood obesity has been a growing problem in the United

States.

In a statistical study conducted by Thorpe et.al(2004) of 2,681

students 24% were obese.

• 31% of Hispanic children were obese

• 23% of Black children were obese

• 16% of White children were obese

• 14% of Asian children were obese

The prevalence of obesity in Latino Children

Reasons for childhood obesity in Latinos. • In latinos the concept of overweight is often normalized and

accepted in the family concept (Kaufman & Karpati 2007)

• Many Latinos are under government based supplementary aid. Such as WIC.

• Latino neighborhoods are filled with bodegas that provide fewer choices poor food quality and limited fruits and vegetables. (Kaufman & Karpati 2007)

• In many instances the selection of food is governed by taste, cost, and convenience rather than variety and nutrition. (Drewnowski & Darmon 2005)

• Energy dense foods are less costly than healthier foods that cost so much more. This influences low income families to use fast foods that cost less.

The Economic Consequences of

Childhood Obesity The economic consequences of childhood obesity are categorized as direct

and indirect. (Cawley 2010)

Direct: medical costs.

• Annual prescription drug.

• Emergency room.

• Larger cost is incurred when obese children become obese adults.

Indirect: job absenteeism.

• Labor-market costs to the obese individual and potencially the employer.

• Obesity is associated with delayed skill acquisition in children of two to three years old.

• Obesity is associated with lower productivity while at work.

The level of public support for anti-obesity policies is greatly influenced by how the issue of cost is framed (Cawley 2010)

Government intervention to reduce childhood obesity

Prevention of childhood obesity has become part of the national agenda. Early intervention to treat and prevent obesity is critical: obese children are likely to become obese adults, and this likelihood increases with age. The school food environment represents a unique opportunity to improve children’s dietary patterns, preferences, and intake. (Perlman, Nonas, Lindstrom, Choe-Castillo, McKie & Alberti 2012)

The New York City public school system is the largest in the country, serving 1.1 million children in nearly 1700 schools. The NYC Department of Education’s (DOE) Office of School Food employs 9000 people and has an annual budget of $415 million. The program provides more than 118.4 million lunches, 41.3 million breakfasts, 3.8 million dinners, and 12 million snacks annually. Given the reach of the program, it can have a significant impact on the health of the city’s students. (Perlman, Nonas, Lindstrom, Choe-Castillo, McKie & Alberti 2012)

Conclusion

• Childhood obesity in Latino children is a growing problem in

New York City.

• Latinos contain the highest rates of childhood obesity.

• Methods to prevent childhood obesity are necessary because of

their drastic effects in the economy.

• There are many projects aimed to prevent obesity that the

Government has implemented in public schools and communities

throughout the boroughs of New York City and are available for

latino families.

References

• Kaufman, L., Karpati, A. (2007). Understanding the sociocultural roots of childhood obesity: Food practices among latino families of Bushwick, Brooklyn. Social Science & Medicine, 64(11), 2177-2188.

• Thorpe, L. E., List, D. G., Marx, T., May, L., Helgerson, S. D., & Frieden, T. R. (2004). Childhood obesity in New York City elementary school students. American Journal of Public Health, 94(9), 1496-1500.

• Perlman, S. E., Nonas C., Lindstrom L. L., Choe-Castillo J., McKie H., Alberti P. M. A menu for health: changes to New York City school food, 2001 to 2011. Journal of School Health. (2012); 82: 484-491.

• Cawley, J. The Economics Of Childhood Obesity. Health Affairs, 23, no.3 (2010): 364-371 doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0721

• Drewnoski, A., & Darmon, N. (). The economics of obesity: Dietary density and energy cost . The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , .

• Obesity in K–8 Students — New York City, 2006–07 to 2010–11 School Years. Centers for DIsease

Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 60, 1673-1678.

Any questions or comments ?

Thank You !