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Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity. Billy 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

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Childhood Obesity

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  1. Childhood Obesity Billy Harmon

  2. 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)

  3. The Facts (Mulheron & Vonasek, 2009)

  4. 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)

  5. 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)

  6. The Facts (Daniels, 2006)

  7. The Facts (Daniels, 2006)

  8. 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)

  9. 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)

  10. 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)

  11. 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)

  12. 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

  13. 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)

  14. Body Mass Index Image taken from truestarhealth.com

  15. The New Food Pyramid: MyPlate

  16. 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)

  17. 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)

  18. 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)

  19. 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)

  20. 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)

  21. 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)

  22. 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)

  23. 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/

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