Early Childhood Obesity: What You Can Do to Help
Obesity is reaching record levels across the nation, and unfortunately, young children have not escaped the epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now estimates that 10.3% of children 2-5 and 16% of children 6-19 are obese.1 Moreover, the distribution of obesity among children is unequal among different races/ethnicities as well as regions of the country. Research shows that Hispanic and black children are more affected by obesity than non-Hispanic white children. 2 Children living in the South are at a higher risk for obesity than children living in all other regions of the United States.
So what can physicians do to combat this epidemic of childhood obesity? Physicians can merge scientific evidence and public knowledge to enact policy change. 3 This can be accomplished through any or all of the following steps:
- Change your thinking: 4 Understand that genetic as well as environmental factors cause childhood obesity. Although genetics cannot be changed by public policy, many environmental factors can be addressed.
- Screen for overweight and obesity among children in the office: 5 By identifying children at risk or currently overweight, physicians can guide these children and parents to community resources available to fight the epidemic.
- Provide nutrition education to children and parents during the office visit as well as in school and child care settings.
- Encourage children and parents to remain physically active
- Understand the role of the child’s built (accessibility and safety of sidewalks, playgrounds, parks, etc) environment in contributing to obesity: Physicians can speak with local and state legislators to encourage the construction of activity-friendly parks and neighborhoods.
- Discourage the targeting of children through marketing campaigns: Contact both media and political figures to eliminate the use of celebrities and cartoon characters to sell unhealthy foods and products on television and in schools. Use local media to publicize childhood obesity issues. 6
- Campaign for healthier food in child care and school settings: Eliminate child access to vending machines and encourage schools to keep physical education and recess a part of school curricula.
- Contact local legislative officials to advocate on behalf of poor and minority groups to ensure better access to healthy foods and food security.
- Use the resources listed in the endnotes to gain scientific backing for your advocacy efforts.
Ogden, C. and C. Tabak. “Children and Teens Told by Doctors That They Were Overweight---United States, 1999—2002.” MMWR 54.34 (September 2, 2005): 848-849
Whitaker, Robert and Sean Orzol. “Obesity Among US Urban Preschool Children.” Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 160.6 (2006):578-584
Teutsch, Steven and Peter Briss. Pediatrics 116.1 (2005): 240-242.
Wang, Shirley and Kelly Brownell. “Public Policy and Obesity: The Need to Marry Science with Advocacy.”
Psychiatric Clinics of North America 28.1 (2005): 235-252.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). “Policy Statement: Active Healthy Living: Prevention of Childhood Obesity Through Increased Physical Activity.” Pediatrics 117.5 (2006): 1834-1842
Teutsch, Steven and Peter Briss. Pediatrics 116.1 (2005): 240-242.
Ogden, C. and C. Tabak. “Children and Teens Told by Doctors That They Were Overweight---United States, 1999—2002.” MMWR 54.34 (September 2, 2005): 848-849
