CHILDHOOD OBESITYBilly Harmon

The Facts• Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions;

more than 23 million American children are overweight or obese (about every one in three children)

• This trend stretches across multiple demographics, including race, ethnicity, income, and religion

(Mulheron & Vonasek, 2009)

The Facts

(Mulheron & Vonasek, 2009)

The Facts• Over the past 40 years, obesity has…

• More than doubled among children ages 2 to 5• More than quadrupled among children ages 6 to 11• More than tripled among adolescents ages 12 to 19

• Childhood chronic disease rates have almost quadrupled over the past four decades (from 1.8 percent in 1960 to 7 percent in 2004)

• Studies have identified a link between childhood obesity and lower self-esteem

(Mulheron & Vonasek, 2009; Hunt, 2008)

The Facts• The increase in obesity in children and adolescents is the

most significant factor in the recent rise in type 2 diabetes incidence

• Results from a heart study conducted with overweight children and adolescents indicated that 60 percent of overweight children ages 5 to 17 had one or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease; 20 percent were found to have two or more risk factors

(Mulheron & Vonasek, 2009)

The Facts

(Daniels, 2006)

The Facts

(Daniels, 2006)

The Facts• How does obesity impact academic performance for

younger kids?• Obese kindergarteners tend to score significantly lower on math

and reading tests• Lower test scores for girls who became overweight between

kindergarten and third grade

(Hunt, 2008)

The Facts• How does obesity impact academic performance in older

kids?• Adolescents at risk of obesity typically earn lower grades• Individuals who were obese at age 16 complete significantly fewer

years of schooling• Obese girls tend to perform poorly on math and reading tests;

grade-point average for white teenage females is negatively impacted

(Hunt, 2008)

The Facts• Obesity’s impact on future education?

• Obese girls and boys are more likely to think they are poor students

• Overweight students rate their educational futures lower than normal-weight peers

• Obese girls are less likely to pursue college or other postsecondary training

(Hunt, 2008)

Childhood Obesity• What is childhood obesity?• Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that

occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height

• Determining obesity can be achieved by calculating a child’s body mass index (BMI)

(MayoClinic, 2011)

Body Mass Index (BMI)• Defined as the individual’s body weight (kg) divided by the

square of his or her height (m)

Image taken from ideal-weight-charts.com

Body Mass Index• An individual is considered overweight if they fall between

the 85th and 94th percentiles; an individual is considered obese if they fall above the 95th percentile

• BMI does not consider muscle amount or larger body frame; to compensate for this, history of growth and development, family weight and height history, and child’s current place on a growth chart must be considered

(MayoClinic, 2011)

Body Mass Index

Image taken from truestarhealth.com

The New Food Pyramid: MyPlate

Balancing Calories

  ● Enjoy your food, but eat less.

  ● Avoid oversized portions.

  Foods to Increase

  ● Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

  ● Make at least half your grains whole grains.

  ● Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

 

  Foods to Reduce

  ● Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.

 

● Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

(United States Department of Agriculture, 2011)

Physical Activity for Children• Studies by the Department of Health and Human Services

(HHS) indicate that children should be getting approximately 60 minutes of physical activity every day 

• The activity should involve three criteria of healthy exercise: strength, endurance, and flexibility

(Get Kids In Action, 2011)

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Intervention

• Prevention programs• Include all stakeholders in the discussion for the implementation of prevention

strategies• Healthy eating

• Improve the nutritional quality of the food and drink sold in the cafeteria• Increase attractiveness of school cafeteria

• Physical activity• Increase movement during classes• Develop special classes for students with poorer physical condition

• Health messages• Integrate health education messages in all the curricula and start at an early

age• Be attentive to message format; messages should be fun and captivating, but

also realistic• Use existing classes, such as health or cooking classes, for health messages

(Della Torre, Akre, & Suris, 2010)

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Intervention

• Other suggestions• Ensure that school meals meet nutritional guidelines• Promote after school use of facilities and walking- and biking-to-

school programs• Enhance health curricula to devote adequate attention to nutrition,

physical activity, and reducing sedentary behaviors• Develop, implement, and enforce school policies to create schools

that are as advertising-free as possible• Conduct annual assessments of each student’s weight, height, and

gender- and age-specific BMI percentile and make the information available to parents

(Della Torre, Akre, & Suris, 2010)

Childhood Obesity in the School• What can the counselor do for childhood obesity

prevention and intervention?• Incorporating obesity prevention in the guidance program

• Provide a direct opportunity to inform obese and non-obese children

• Help develop a healthy body image and increase self-confidence• Teach students to think critically and challenge standards of what is

considered beautiful• Encourage tolerance about differences in appearance• Teach acceptance of their own body and taking care of the body as

it develops

(Larrier, Bakerson, Linton, Walker, & Woolford, 2011)

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Intervention

• Individual counseling• Communicate concern for the child’s health and well-being• Provide the student and parents with honest, objective statements• Referrals to other professionals for help

• Small group counseling• Engage in discussion and activities relevant to students’ obesity

issues, helping members learn and practice new behaviors

(Larrier, Bakerson, Linton, Walker, & Woolford, 2011)

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Intervention

• Advocacy and collaborative support• Work collaboratively with teachers, school personnel, medical

personnel, nutritionists, and psychologists• Educating parents and school personnel on overweight and obesity

in childhood

(Larrier, Bakerson, Linton, Walker, & Woolford, 2011)

Childhood Obesity Prevention and Intervention

• Involving parents in the process• Providing healthy foods• Encouraging and making available developmentally appropriate

physical activity• Reducing the time that children spend with technological devices• Monitoring the children’s exposure to advertisements• Taking a proactive role in their children’s life• Presenting a positive role model

(Levy & Petty, 2008)

References• Daniels, S. R. (2006). The consequences of childhood overweight and obesity. Future of

Children, 16, 47-67.• Della Torre, S. B., Akre, C., & Suris, J. C. (2010). Obesity prevention opinions of school

stakeholders: A qualitative study. Journal of School Health, 80, 233-239.• Get Kids In Action. (2011). Get your kid in action – the importance of exercise. Retrieved

June 27, 2011, from http://www.getkidsinaction.org/exercise/• Hunt, J. B. (2008). Childhood obesity and academic outcomes. Institute for Educational

Leadership and Policy.• Larrier, Y. I., Bakerson, M. A., Linton, J. M., Walker, L. R., Woolford, S. J. (2011). The role

of school counselors in the childhood obesity epidemic. Journal of School Counseling, 9, 1-31.

• Levy, L. Z. & Petty, K. (2008). Childhood obesity prevention: Compelling challenge of the twenty-first century. Early Child Development and Care, 178, 609-615.

• MayoClinic. (2011). Childhood Obesity. Retrieved June 27, 2011 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childhood-obesity/DS00698

• Mulher, J. & Vonasek, K. (2009). Shaping a healthier generation: Successful state strategies to prevent childhood obesity. NGA Center for Best Practices.

• United States Department of Agriculture. (2011). Choose MyPlate. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from http://www.choosemyplate.gov/