THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC-A GLOBAL CHALLENGE

The Association for Teacher Education in Europe34th Annual Conference

Budapest, Hungary – August 26 – 30, 2010RESPONSIBILITY, CHALLENGE, AND SUPPORT

IN TEACHERS’ LIFELONG DEVELOPMENT

Paper Presentation ByDr. Maryann J. Ehle,

Professor Emerita, West Liberty University, West VirginiaEducational and Literacy Consultant

United States of Americadrmaryannehle@wowway.com

1.614.888.66841.740.266.6688

Copyright May 2010

INTRODUCTION

• THIS IS THE FIRST GENERATION OF CHILDREN NOT TO EXCEED ITS PARENTS IN HEALTH AND FITNESS

• DECREASING HEALTH AND FITNESS OF YOUTH WORLDWIDE HAS BECOME A GLOBAL ISSUE OF GREAT CONCERN

• DISEASES PREVALENT FOR DECADES ONLY IN ADULTS ARE INCREASINGLY COMMON and CHRONIC AMONG CHILDREN (American Medical Association, 2010)

• Diabetes (Type 2), Asthma, Hypertension, Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, Gall Bladder Disease, Dysplipidemia (High LDL Cholesterol, Low HDL, Triglycerides), Orthopedic Complications, Psychosocial Effects and Stigma, Respiratory Problems, Osteoarthritis, Cancer …

CHRONIC DISEASES IN CHILDREN

• Chronic diseases are non-communicable illnesses that are prolonged in duration, do not resolve spontaneously, and are rarely cured completely.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: “The Percentages of children and adolescents with chronic health conditions have increased from 1.8% in the 1960s to over 12% in 2010.”

JAMA: “ INCREASE IN CHRONIC DISEASE AND ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS RESULT OF OBESITY.”

International Obesity Taskforce: “In North America, more than 50%, and in the European Union, more than 40%, of children are overweight or obese.” 2009

National Heart Institute: “Preventing obesity and sedentary lifestyles in children can minimize risks of chronic diseases.” 2010

“GLOBESITY - A WORLDWIDE EPIDEMIC”

• Cunningham, 2009: “Overweight children 10 to 14, with at least one overweight obese parent (BMI 27+ for women and men) were reported to have an 85% likelihood of obesity persisting into adulthood.”

• American Obesity Association, 2009: “17% of youth between 6 and 19 are now obese and 30% are overweight. In England, from 1980 through 2002, obesity in youths 6 to 15 increased to 16% of the population.”

• Similar, though slower, trends are found in Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Poland, Finland, France, Australia, New Zealand, and China.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

• BMI is calculated by a formula: weight (pounds)/height (inches) 2 X 703.

• Divide weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiply by a conversion factor of 703.

• BMI between 25 and 30 associated with Chronic Disease.

• Caution: Highly rained athletes and physically fit persons may have a high BMI because of increased muscularity rather than increased BMI.

• Females have higher levels of body fat than males; elders have higher levels than youth

SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES AND OVER-CONSUMPTION OF HIGH–CALORIE FOOD CHIEF

CAUSES OF OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASES

• STUDIES: HIGH CORRELATIONS BETWEEN LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND OBESITY; BETWEEN HIGH-CALORIC DIETS AND OBESITY; BETWEEN OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASES (Szabo, 2010; Van Cleve, 2010; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

• Example: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE: “OBESITY AND PHYSICAL INACTIVITY ACCOUNT FOR 35% TO 40% OF CANCERS; 50,000 NEW CASES OF CANCERS FOUND IN PATIENTS WITH THE HIGH RISK FACTORS OF OBESITY AND SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES.”

PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS OF BEING OBESE OR OVEREIGHT ON CHILDREN

• CRITICALLY PAINFUL – STIGMATIZED BY PEERS AS EARLY AS AGE 3

• YALE UNIVERSITY’S RUDD CENTER FOR FOOD POLICY AND OBESITY: “THE STIGMATIZATION OF OBESE CHILDREN BY THEIR PEERS, PARENTS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHERS IS PERVASIVE AND OFTEN UNRELENTING” (Puhl, 2007)

• TELEVISION AND OTHER MEDIA SOURCES CONTINUE TO REINFORCE NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES. Tragically, this form of bias has become very socially acceptable, it is rarely challenged; it is often ignored. (Puhl, 2007).

REVERSING THE GLOBESITY EPIDEMIC

INCREASE PHYSICAL AND FITNESS ACTIVITY

ENACT LAWS REQUIRING PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

BALANCE TECHNOLOGY WITH EXERCISE AND MOVEMENT

EAT MORE HEALTHILY AND JUDICIOUSLY

AVOID FOODS AND DRINKS SWEETENED WITH CORN SYRUP

STUDY OF OHIO VALLEY CHILDREN

• 75 PARTICIPANTS; 35 FEMALES; 35 MALES; PRIMARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL

• INTERVIEWS:

NUTRITION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, CHRONIC DISEASES, TIME SPENT READING AND STUDYING, TIME SPENT WITH TECHNOLOGY, GENERAL HEALTH, AND SOCIALIZATION TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS

BODY MASS INDICES OF CHILDREN IN STUDY

• FEMALES: Range from

• 18.5 and below (1, .03%) Underweight

• 18.5 through 24.9 (11, 31%) Normal

• 25.0 through 29.9 (10, 35%) Overweight

• 30 and above (13, 37%) Obese

• MALES: Range from

• 18.5 and below (1, .03%) Underweight

• 18.5 through 24.9 (11, 31%) Normal

• 25.0 through 29.9 (15, 42%) Overweight

• 30.0 and above (9, 15%) Obese

STUDY - OHIO VALLEY CHILDREN - CONTINUED

• DISEASES:

• Type 2 Diabetes – 4 females, 11%; 6 males, 17%

• Asthma – 8 females, 22%; 10 males 28%

• Orthopedic Comp – 5 females, 14%; 8 males, 22%

• High Blood Cholesterol – 8 females, 22%, 5 males, 14%– Fatty lipids, high LDL, low HDL, triglycerides)

– Cancer, 1 female, lymphoma; .02%;

– 1 male, brain tumor, .02%

TIME INVESTED IN TECHNOLOGY

• FEMALES ENGAGED IN TECHNOLOGY 35 HOURS OF WAKING TIME (16 HOUR DAYS) WEEKLY – 31%

• MALES ENGAGED IN TECHNOLOGY 37 HOURS OF WAKING TIME (16 HOUR DAYS) – 33%

• INCLUDES COMPUTER TIME, TELEVISION VIEWING, VIDEO GAMES

PHYSICAL FITNESS

• FEMALES – ENGAGED IN PHYSICAL EXERCISE, GAMES, OR SPORTS AN AVERAGE OF 8 HOURS PER WEEK (5 IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES) (7.14% OF THEIR WAKING WEEK)

• MALES – ENGAGED IN PHYSICAL EXERCISE OR SPORTS AN AVERAGE OF 17 HOURS PER WEEK (5 IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES) (15.7% OF THEIR WAKING WEEK)

• THE RANGE OF PARTICIPATION EXTENDED FROM 0 THROUGH 21 HOURS (0% THROUGH 18.75%) OF WAKING WEEK

NUTRITION OF SUBJECTS

• DINED: FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS 3 TIMES PER WEEK (100%).

• 30 OF 35 FEMALES (86%) AND 32 OF 35 MALES (91%) REPORTED DRINKING BETWEEN 8 AND 16 CANS OF SODA WEEKLY.

• 33 FEMALES (94%) AND 34 MALES (97%) INDULGED IN 10-21 SNACKS CONSISTING OF CANDY BARS, CUPCAKES, POTATO CHIPS, AND SWEET ROLLS WEEKLY.

• 100% OF THE STUDENTS ATE SCHOOL BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES, AND SNACKS CONSISTING OF ENERGY-DENSE FOODS AND DRINKS SWEETENED WITH CORN SYRUP, ALL ASSOCIATED WITH OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY (GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS).

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

THIS STUDY’S DATA CORRESPONDS CLOSELY TO THAT OF THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DATA REPORTED ABOVE.

ANALYSIS OF THE DATA INDICATES THE CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF RESTRUCTURING THE NUTRITIONAL AND FITNESS PRACTICES OF THE SUBJECTS IN ORDER TO BRING THEIR CHRONIC DISEASES BACK TO THE NORMAL RANGES.

FROM THE DATA, THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WERE DISCUSSED IN INTERVIEWS WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS. INDIVIDUAL FAMILY PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENT WERE AGREED UPON.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

• It is critical that families create viable plans to increase children’s physical activity. Children cannot transform their health alone. Families walking, biking, swimming, camping, mountain climbing together for 60 minutes daily provide interactive models for children striving for health and fitness.

• Providing full support of local schools’ physical education departments as they adapt to state-mandated lifetime fitness programs is important.

• Obese children sit at sidelines as voyeurs to watch their slimmer and more athletic peers participate in team sports in PE classes.

Conclusions and Recommendations

• It is recommended that teachers and parents “choose up sides” to assure equity during play. Obese children are seldom “chosen.”

• Families participating as a unit in local recreation departments’ exercise and fitness programs provide impetus to obese children.

• When teachers and parents make their exercise “play”children keep moving and lessen their risks for chronic diseases.

• To assure children’s safety, it is important that they be supervised at all times.

Conclusions and Recommendations

• Eating meals as a family - to share foods, ideas, experiences, and plans - minimizes obese children’s total dependence on food to enhance well-being.

• Controlling portions served and using smaller plates helps obese children to formulate concepts of appropriate meals.

• It is critically important to decrease energy-dense foods (high in fat, salt, and calories) and increase energy-dilute foods (fruits, vegetables, steamed meat/fish, wholegrain breads).

• Reduce sugary drinks and drinks/foods with corn syrup.

Conclusions and Recommendation

• Encourage schools to work with state mandates for healthier lunches and snacks in school cafeterias and vending machines.

• Recommend that snacks of chips and cookies be replaced with carrots, apples, and cheese at home and at school.

• It is important to converse with children about healthy eating for a disease-free lifetime.

• Collaboration of teachers, government agencies, and parents plan wellness fairs for children and health workshops for adults.

PLANNING FOR FOLLOW-UP

• CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND FAMILIES ASKED TO KEEP DAILY JOURNALS OF INCREASES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, LOSS OF WEIGHT, AND DECREASED TIME WITH TECHNOLOGY.

• LONG RANGE EFFECTS TO BE DETERMINED – STUDENTS AND FAMILIES EXCITED ABOUT BEHAVIORAL CHANGES

• FAMILIES KEEPING PHYSICANS INFORMED

• STUDY ONGOING AND WILL BE CONTINUED INDEFINITELY.